Friday, August 30, 2013

Story of Resilience

The trees stood silently as the sun slowly began to rise on another beautiful day. A blanket of fresh fallen snow enveloped the orchard. The soft footsteps crunching in the snow gave no indication of what was about to come.

The birds anxious retreat was a warning, but the trees remained steadfast, unable to move. The man in his oversized coat, and heavy snow boots approached the first small tree. He adjusted his hat, then with the steady hand of Babe Ruth pulled out a baseball bat and began beating the first tree. The assault would not end with one small fruit tree, but would continue until every tree in the orchard had received blows.

One might question the sanity of beating fruit trees in freezing temperatures and snow. What good could possibly come from this unusual practice? The man with the baseball bat will tell you “ Putting the trees through stress helps them to grow, and produce more fruit.” Whether his technique is legitimate or not is still in question for me. However, each spring in spite of, or because of the stress the trees blossom and produce beautiful fruit.

How frequently in life do we feel like the fruit trees? Life’s experiences crashing down on us like blows from a baseball bat. The question may arise, will this experience actually make me stronger?

Think back to the most difficult time in your life. Did you survive it? You must have if you are around to read this! How amazing is that? The human spirit, like the fruit trees possess the power of resiliency. Difficult times may push us to the brink of despair, but as one man said, “this adversity has made me part of an elite group who now see the world differently, and recognize what really matters most.”

Resiliency is planted deep into the fiber of who we are. When needed, and sometimes when we least expect it, the seed of resiliency blooms and produces powerful results.

When life’s stressors come, and they will, dig deep, and bloom on!

Thank you for sharing, Melanie Holt, ACMHC.  To schedule an appointment, call 801.718.9840.  

Monday, August 19, 2013

Fall Grief Support. Bountiful, Utah

Fall Grief  Support
  
Teen Group for teens who have had a loved one die, Tuesdays, 4:30-5:30, 6-week group to begin September 3 ($120/6-weeks)  Contact Melanie Holt, ACMHC, to register – 801.718.9840.

Suicide Grief Group (for those experiencing the loss of a loved one from suicide)  Tuesdays, 5:45 – 7:00
8-week group to begin August 27.  ($150/8 weeks) Contact Melanie to register.

Spouse Group for those experiencing the death of a spouse.  Tuesdays, 7:15 – 8:30, 8-week group to begin August 27. ($150/8 weeks) Contact Melanie to register.

Day Grief Group for those experiencing a loss.  Wednesdays, 11:45 – 1:00, 8-week group to begin September 11 ($120/8 weeks) Contact Melanie to register.

Mom’s Group for women who have had a child die.  Mondays, 10:30 – 11:45 
Ongoing group meets every other week.  Contact Becky, 801.259.3883 for the schedule.  ($20/group)

Dad’s Group for men who have had a child die. 5:30 – 6:45, Thursdays.  Next 6-week group to begin Thursday, September 5. ($120/6-weeks).


Within each of us is the capacity to heal,
and at any given moment we do the best we can.

Groups facilitated by Becky Andrews, LCMHC, FT and Melanie Holt, ACMHC
Licensed therapists specializing in grief and loss.
Register for these groups prior to coming by calling Becky at 801.259.3883 or Melanie at 801.718.9840
Email: becky.lpc@gmail.com or melanie_holt@comcast.net

Resilient Solutions, Inc.
1355  N. Main, Ste. 1
Bountiful, Utah

Connecting with your Resiliency.  Grief Retreats in St. George, Utah.
October 23-26,2013

February 19-22, 2014

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Connecting with our Resilience

RESILIENT SOLUTIONS, INC.

Being resilient doesn't make our problems go away -- but resilience can give us the ability to see past them, find enjoyment in life and better handle stress.  If you aren't as resilient as you'd like to be, you can develop skills to become more resilient.  Resilience harnesses inner strength that helps us bounce back from a setback or challenge - could be death of a loved one, illness, job loss to mention a few.  

Resilience = Adaptation.  It doesn't mean we need to be stoic, holding it inside or toughing it out!  Being able to reach out to others is a key component of being resilient!

Tips for Resiliency (from the www.mayoclinic.com/health/resilience):

1.  Get Connected:  Building strong, positive relationships with loved ones and friends can provide you with needed support and acceptance in both good times and bad.  Establish other important connections by doing volunteer work, getting involved in your community or joining a faith or spiritual community.  Connecting with others who have experienced a loss as yours ie, a grief group, or another support group can help in building your resiliency as well.
2.  Make every day meaningful:  Do something that gives you a sense of accomplishment and purpose every day.  Set goals to help you look toward the future with meaning.
3.   Learn from experience.  Think back on how you've copies with hardships in the past.  Consider the skills and strategies that helped you through rough times.  You might even write about past experiences in a journal to help you identify both positive and negative behavior patterns -- and guide your behavior in the future.
4.  Remain hopeful.  You can't change what's happened in the past, but you can always look toward the future.  Accepting and even anticipating change makes it easier to adjust and view new challenges with less anxiety.
5.  Take care of yourself.  Tend to your own needs and feelings, both physically and emotionally.  Participate in activities and hobbies you enjoy.  Include physical activity in your daily routine.  Get plenty of sleep.  Eat a healthy diet.  To restore an inner sense of peace or calm, practice stress management and relaxation techniques, such as yoga, meditation,  guided imagery, deep breathing or prayer.
6.  Be proactive.  Don't ignore your problems or try to wish them away.  Instead, figure out what needs to be done, make a plan and take action.  Although it can take time to recover from a major setback, traumatic event or loss,  know that your situation can improve if you actively work at it.

Remember, being resilient takes time and practice. If you don't feel you're making progress -- or you don't know where to start -- consider talking to a therapist.  With guidance, you can improve your resiliency!



Monday, August 5, 2013

Beating Back to School Stress

As the new school year approaches, it can be an exciting and stressful time.  The following article
identifies five ways to help our children:

1.  Listen.
2.  Talk about homework.
3.  Establish a routine.
4.  Know the rules
5.  Un-schedule kids.

If your children is feeling stressed, one of our professionals at Resilient Solutions, Inc. can help you in this process.