Alcohol is a drug. I know, shocking, isn’t it? I did not grow up thinking alcohol was a drug. But after almost 10 years working in the treatment of substance abuse, I know it’s true. I believe it is the most difficult drug to stop using. It is everywhere and it is encouraged everywhere. It’s […]
InMindOut Blog
How to Improve Your Communication Skills
Start by reflecting on your own communication style Get to know yourself and your personal communication style, and try to understand how it relates to others. Perhaps practice business presentations in front of friends or confidants, giving them a chance to ask questions or clarify specific points before bringing the speech or presentation to your […]
Healthy Personal Boundaries
Personal boundaries are the lines we draw around our personal space. They help us control our emotions, behavior and interactions with other people. Healthy boundaries help us maintain mental and physical health. People who don’t take care of their boundaries often find themselves unable to cope with others’ actions. Anyone can learn to maintain healthy […]
Resolving to Make Life Better
Several years ago on a cold day in early January, I got up early to work out. The gym was packed. I went up to the front desk to chat with the owner until a treadmill became available. The owner assured me, however, that by mid-February, things would resume back to normal: “Jana, most people […]
The Power of Self Reflection
Self-Reflection is an important skill that I believe all people need in order to become emotionally healthy and for personal growth. Self-Reflection is the process of becoming more aware of our own thoughts and feelings and how they inadvertently shape our behavior. Without it, we may find ourselves wandering throughout life feeling uncertain, lost and […]
Go Outside
Within the last year I have noticed a common experience in my practice. An amazing number of people don’t realize the problem. The solution is simple, I tell them to “go outside.” it seems that we have normalized staying inside recently. Daily walks have become weekly or monthly walks. Even dog walking has been reduced […]
Reflections for the New Year
Here we are again! We are getting ready to close the chapter of yet another year. This year has been an interesting one to say the least. But then again the start of this decade was not exactly what any of us were expecting. But in the past two years since COVID came on the […]
Olivia’s Journey with Dystonia
Meet Olivia This is a picture of Olivia in December 2021. She just turned 6 years old and started Kindergarten. This is a picture of Olivia and her family. Definition and Symptoms of Dystonia This is what Olivia was experiencing: This movement disorder is characterized by the involuntary abnormal co-contraction of antagonistic muscles which sometimes cause sustained […]
Mindfulness
Certain things tend to make all of us nervous. For example, tests, the dentist, first day at school or on a job, or any anxiety. We can become so anxious that we have both emotional and physical responses. We can experience an inability to focus, ruminating thoughts, even abject fear. We can also experience sweaty […]
Developing and Building Trust in Relationships
In recent years the word “trust” has been at the forefront of my mind in terms of relationships. As a therapist, I deal with relationships on a daily basis in a clinical sense. Every person I work with, has to develop a sense of trust in me as a clinician and also as a human […]