Alex Reustle

1. What are you most grateful for?

2. What are you most looking forward to this week?

3. How do you feel about things changing?

4. What color best describes how you’re feeling today? More than one color?

5. What are the most interesting things about you?

6. What animals would we all be and why?

7. If you were a superhero, what would your power be and what would you be called?

8. What scares you and why?

9. What are you most proud of?

10. Miracle Question: “Imagine that while you were sleeping tonight a miracle happened. While you slept, ______________ (insert problem here) mysteriously disappeared. When you got out of bed the next morning, what would be the first thing you noticed that would clue you in that a miracle had happened?

 

Written by: Alexandra Reustle, MA, Doctoral Intern

Mindfulness, in its simplest form, is the art of being present in the moment. Practicing this state of mind leads to all kinds of positive benefits both physically and mentally. Having to stay in our homes has given us the great gift of time. Time to sit, time to think, time to be present with ourselves and our loved ones. There are many ways that you can practice mindfulness: meditation, breathing exercises, having a conversation with someone without your phones, cooking, eating…every moment is an opportunity to pause and reflect on the now. Below I have listed some ideas and resources that will help you to mindfully engage, relax, and appreciate the moments we have been given during this season at home.

· Guided Diaphragmatic Breathing (5 minutes): Many people breathe wrong…in fact I can almost guarantee you are breathing incorrectly right now. To give yourself a test place one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly button…now breathe. What hand is moving most? If the one on your chest is moving up and down the most you are breathing thoracically and this is much less efficient and good for you than breathing from your belly (diaphragmatically). To belly breathe you will want to focus on filling your abdomen with air so that it expands out like a watermelon; as you exhale your belly should contract as you exhale. Try to inhale and exhale at equal intervals (around a count of 4) with around a 2 second pause in between. This link takes you to an article on breathing and has a guided audio and visual component that will help you pace your breathing: https://www.mindful.org/a-five-minute-breathing-meditation/

· Mindful Eating (depends on the size of your meal!): The most common activity regarding mindful eating is the raisin experience. You take a raisin and pretend you have never seen or heard of a raisin before. With this mindset think carefully about how it looks, feels, smells, and then finally how it tastes. In a sense, we are giving you permission to play with your food! Think about how children interact with food when they are first learning to eat…they do just about everything with that orange mush including seeing how far it will fly through the air. Now we aren’t recommending you throw your food (although you are certainly free to do so if you feel the need), but rather pointing out that babies have a wonderful way of being mindful and in awe of every moment. During your next snack or meal think about this practice and really mindfully engage with your food.

· Nature Walk (15-20 minutes): Being cooped up for too long is not great for anyone. With social distance in mind, take a short walk around your neighborhood and make a point to find three things in nature that you see and appreciate. It could be a leaf that has fallen on the sidewalk…as yourself what color is it? How does it feel? What is its shape? Really just let yourself be present with the leaf. Perhaps instead of a leaf it’s a bird, or the sensation of the wind against your cheeks. Whatever you choose to focus in on, take the time to be present with it and then move on to the next present moment. If your neighborhood is not walkable you can walk around your yard, go to a nearby park, or

even just sit on your front porch/patio and observe your surroundings. This is a great activity to do with children as well!

· Gratitude Journal (5-10 minutes): Take a few minutes to sit and think about what you are grateful for. This may be harder than it sounds, especially in a time when there is so much to be frustrated about, but this just means it is all the more important to do. To begin just try to think of five things you are thankful for. Sit with that gratitude for a few moments, write them down, and think about how it feels to express that gratitude. Perhaps call and share some of the things you are thankful for with loved ones. This is a great activity to do with little ones as well. Mindfully practicing gratitude is just as important as learning to say please and thank you!

· Guided Body Scan Meditation (15 minutes): A body scan is a type of mindful meditation that allows you to connect with your body in the present moment, feeling and experiencing both the pleasant and the unpleasant sensations as you work to release tension and become more in tune with yourself. This link takes you to an article on what a body scan is and has a guided audio that will walk you through the body scan: https://www.mindful.org/beginners-body-scan-meditation/

Written by: Alexandra Reustle, MA, Doctoral Intern

The term social distancing in many ways does our communities a disservice. While we should be refraining from direct contact with others or having large gatherings, there are still opportunities for us to connect with one another and engage socially. Below I outline some suggestions to maintain a social connection with those around you without compromising your health and the health of others:

· Video Chat: Use the miracles of technology that many have right at their fingertips. Today we have access to so much more than just making a phone call (although nothing wrong with that!). FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, Portal, Google Home…the list goes on and on. Having that face-to-face contact, even mediated by a screen, goes a long way to feeling connected to others.

· Family Dinners: For many, the hustle of work-life balance often makes it difficult for the whole family to sit down for a meal to just talk about life. However, now that many are moving their lives indoors 24/7 this presents a wonderful opportunity to bring out the instant pot you’ve been too scared to use and have a go at preparing a meal. Involve the whole family in the cooking process, and maybe make some fun memories to recall in what is otherwise looked at as a dark time. Cooking not your thing? Support a local business and order take-out or delivery! Then, sit down with one another and have a good conversation about something other than work, school, and the news. Or maybe take this time to have a good family conversation about your feelings, concerns, and worries. Food is healing.

• Extra tip: Invite family to dinner…virtually! Call grandma and grandpa on FaceTime (or whatever platform) and prop them up to share a meal together.

· Support your Neighbors: Stories from other countries such as Italy and Spain of individuals singing to on another on their balconies and setting designated times to come out and clap for our healthcare workers are amazing ways communities have found a way to stand in solidarity together while physically staying apart. If singing isn’t your thing, maybe make some signs of encouragement to hang off your balcony or put up on your garage. Know of an individual in need in your community? Order some groceries and have them delivered to their door. Place a candle on your windowsill at night to add some light. This is an opportunity to get creative and spread some hope.

· Write a Letter: Although many public services are shut down, the mail is still being picked up and delivered. Why not reignite that old art of writing a letter and send a message of hope and love to friends and family?

Remember, just because we are physically distancing doesn’t mean we have to forgo engaging socially and supporting one another from afar.

Daniel Tiger is a big deal in our house, especially since the quarantine. This popular children’s show is a spin-off of the popular show Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. While I was sitting with my daughter the episode that was playing showed a big storm sweep through the neighborhood. When they emerged from their homes there was a large amount of destruction that could be seen. The children were upset, but daddy tiger encouraged them to “look for the helpers” in the midst of all of the damage. This is a quote from the great Mr. Roger’s himself who said:

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news,

my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers.

You will always find people who are helping.”

-Fred Rogers

In the middle of the coronavirus crisis there is a lot of fear, scary things on the news, and confusing alterations to routines that children most definitely pick up on. As much as we try to shelter our children, there are instances where communicating with them and providing validation to their concerns can be more healing. This phrase, look for the helpers, aims to do just that. When discussing the current situation with older children emphasize the productive steps being taken to keep everyone safe and happy and encourage them to look for the helpers by talking about the brave doctors and health professionals who are working to help people feel better. Talk about how they are helpers too by taking care of younger siblings, helping around the house, and/or doing their homework. Perhaps make thank you cards with them leave on the door for the HEB delivery person who drops off your groceries. This phrase is not meant to be used in isolation, and rather encourages a holistic approach to easing a child’s worry that includes maintaining routines as best as possible and providing lots of physical comfort. Children are incredibly resilient and flexible, but it may take time for some to adapt to the new normal. Practicing patience, understanding, and good communication of feelings will serve as a model for your children of how to persevere during challenging times.

 

Written By: Alexandra Reustle, M.A., Doctoral Intern – San Antonio Location

We know from prior research done, that frequent media exposure during times of crisis can have negative effects on your mental health. It can lead to increases in anxiety and stress, as well as cause overreactions in health-seeking behaviors that can be counterproductive. However, it is important to stay informed! So how do you balance the need for information and the need to take a breather from the negativity of the news?

Below are some tips to find that healthy balance:

· Start your day out with something other than the news. Seriously, anything! It can be easy to roll over, reach for your phone, and scroll the headlines that have accumulated on your screen while you slept. Do your best to avoid this and instead try starting your day with a cup of coffee, a nice breakfast, or maybe some mindfulness practices such as deep breathing. The news will still be there waiting when you decide to check in!

· Limit your news exposure to specific times of the day when you know you will be able to take some calming time to yourself after reading or viewing.

· Limit the amount of time you allow yourself to read or watch the news. A recommended amount is no more than 45-60 minutes at one time. The shorter that window you can make it, the better on your mental health.

· Avoid news sources and media outlets that are not fact based. This can be a difficult one to do since there are strong disagreements regarding what news sources are considered reliable and the slew of misinformation available on the internet. Choose a few that you are comfortable with and try to avoid opinion pieces that do not draw on information from first-person sources. The key here is not to get lost down a rabbit trail of different news outlets and opinions that can leave you more confused than informed.

· Remember to take time to focus on the good! This can be fun moments with your family, good things happening for you personally, or uplifting stories out in the community. A YouTube channel that can be a good alternative to the negative news of today is: Some Good News with John Krasinski that outlines positive stories around the US in the midst of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Know that you are the best expert on you! If you notice yourself beginning to feel overwhelmed by the media and news of the day, then listen to your body and take a step back. It is okay to take breaks and be mindful of your needs in each moment! We are all stepping back and taking deep breaths with you!

 

Written by: Alexandra Reustle, M.A. – Doctoral Intern

This is a really easy recipe to make a staple pantry item without having to brave the grocery stores. You can do it with a standing mixer or your hands with a little extra elbow grease. You can freeze these loaves for later, and if you have kids at home this is a great activity to get them involved in the kitchen too!

Ingredients:

• One packet (or about 2Tbsp) of Active Dry Yeast
• 2 ¼ cups warm water
• 2 ½ Tbsp white sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil (can substitute vegetable oil)
• 6 cups of all-purpose flour

(you can substitute any other flours of your choice)

• Dried fruit and grains (optional to mix into the dough)

Instructions:

Serving Size: three loaves                 Preheat Oven: 350°                                        Time: 25-35 minutes

1. Pour your warm water into your bowl and add in the active dry yeast and sugar. Make sure to let the mixture sit for about 4 minutes or until there is a nice foamy layer of bubbles on the surface.
   • Tip – monitor the temperature of your water. Too hot and it will kill the yeast, too cold and there won’t be much action. You want a nice lukewarm temperature.
2. Attach the whisk attachment to your mixer if using a standing machine or break out the traditional whisk if doing by hand. Mix in the salt, oil, and one cup of flour until well incorporated and smooth.
3. Switch out your whisk for the bread hook attachment if using a standing mixer or throw some flour on your hands and use that elbow grease. Begin adding flour one cup at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and is able to be worked without sticking to your fingers too much. In a standing mixer it will easily and cleanly fall of the hook without leaving too much residue. Approximately 7 minutes in a mixer at medium-low speed; add more time for hand mixing.
4. Knead your dough on a lightly floured surface until a smooth. Fold into a ball and cut into thirds. Place each of your three dough balls into their own lightly oiled bowls. Cover the bowls loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 minutes or doubled in size.
5. Dump your risen dough back onto a floured surface and knead a second time. This is also where you can add dried fruit, grains, and anything else you would like. Just make a slight impression in the center of the dough with your fist and pour all your toppings into the impression. Then fold them into the dough until well incorporated. It’s okay if some fall out.
   • Tip – I like to use dried apricots, chia seeds, and whole oats!
6. Free form your dough onto well oiled baking sheets or place in well-oiled loaf pans and let them rise a second time for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
   • Tip – To get the nice ridges in your loaves you can score the dough with a knife by lightly cutting lines into the surface of the dough.
7. Place in oven at 350° for 25-35 minutes or until tops are slightly golden brown. Enjoy!

Written by Alexandra Reustle, M.A., Doctoral Intern & Biofeedback Technician