Features:
1. Blueprints to emotional regulation 2. Tools of the Trade: holiday depression management 3. My fave simple tool
Happy Thanksgiving! … Or perhaps not. It is presumptive to greet you that way, dear Builder of Better Humans, when I have no idea what the holiday of Thanksgiving means to you. It could be happy … or stressful … or both. It could be isolating & triggering even.
My new Facebook friend Janelle Kent has also had triggers on her mind – & that’s no surprise, since she works so closely with young children & their caregivers. She’s launched some new strategy shares just this week to help the WHOLE FAMILY regulate. Click the pic above to join her Facebook group, yourself, & see how she’s helping parents to self-regulate & set the tone to help their children do the same.
But what if your need to regulate goes deep — like all the way down into clinical depression? The Depression Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), a peer support group with 35 years of history providing hope, help, education & support to improve the lives of those living with mood disorders, has tools. This season, their BP Hope Magazine (available in print & online) features a special article on managing mood regulation over the holidays — for depression, bipolar disorder & particularly the intersection of both in the unique expression of bipolar depression. (← Click to read their full article.)
My own fave simple tool for self-regulation (that I can literally do in my sleep) is my SensaCalm weighted blanket. This is me, pictured below, burrowed under it and getting some work done, because I also like to just nestle beneath it for some insta-relaxation sometimes even when I’m awake. The company offers custom designs, weights & sizes for the whole family, beginning in the toddler years. As you can see, my pets like it, too!
Because it’s Thanksgiving, I’m sharing a gratitude gift of sorts: This almost-Giving-Tuesday link to Samaritan’s Feet International in case you feel like giving back … or just giving in gratitude to inspire your own feelings of gratefulness. (Trust me, it works.)
(Psst! You may want to check out the video of my Tune In podcast interview with Samaritan’s Feet International co-founder Manny Ohonme — with special guest MY DAD.)
You can also listen today to the special Thanksgiving episode of Tune In, titled Gratitude Prayers.