Sweetums’ Post

🙂 What does the word mean to you? For each of your special relationships? We didn't have to be told what 'play' meant when we were kids, did we? We seemed to know it. We seemed to include plenty in our definition of 'play.' We could play with anyone and could think up anything that meant 'play' in that moment. The only requirement was that we should both enjoy that process and it should have the undivided attention of the person we wanted to play with. Extrapolate that definition and need to your adult relationships. Sit with it for a bit. Are you playing with everyone whose company you enjoy? Or has playtime disappeared? What is 'play' with your spouse/partner? What is play with your parent? With your child/adult child? With a friend? Is the time you get with each one used for tasks/planning/arguing/disagreeing/overpowering/rescuing? Which part is playing? And how large is that part? Play has a big role in our mental well-being. Bring it back. Proactively. With complete awareness. Mindful of its immense impact.

PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) may be an invisible and hidden problem with someone you know. Uncharacteristic shutdowns, anger, mental fog, panic, or other symptoms will probably never be explained by them. They may not even be totally understood. The most prescribed treatments (when someone admits they have a problem) are three different psychotherapies and one medical therapy. Sadly, effectiveness seems to be limited to under 55% for those therapies. Still, I encourage therapy as the first option, regardless of the past type of trauma. Another option that avoids even admitting the problem has been found surprisingly effective for many (including me.) Write a song! Any song, about any topic. It does not matter if it is happy, sad, funny...any emotion works. Anyone can write a song. Playing an instrument is not necessary. If you want to write a commercial song (one people want to listen to more than once), you might want to learn a little about lyrics, melody, and song structures. The more you learn and use the simple tools, the more it helps with controlling or releasing PTSD issues. Why does songwriting work? It helps those with PTSD (even if accompanied by Attention Deficit issues) express words, feelings, emotions, moods, and paint mental pictures. If you think someone you know may have a PTSD-related problem they don't want to address and therapy is not an option, ask if they ever wrote a song! Offer to listen to it. If they haven't, maybe you ask what they would write one about. Not every match lights a candle, but some do. I coach those with PTSD in songwriting as a volunteer. There are two wonderful organizations if they get serious about learning more. I am a member of both and recommend them. NSAI - Nashville Songwriters Association International Song Town Both are easily found on the internet. I hope this helps someone a little. Glenn's website = songscribegj.com

We think interesting perspectives are worth sharing. Read Kanchan Kaler's post on Taylor Swift, Mental Health & Hope.

Mental Health and Personal Growth Don’t Have to Be Done on Your Own, They Can Be Team Sports My name is Lenise Sorano. When I grew up, I was into athletics. I mean really into athletics. I swam competitively and played basketball. At age eight, I began teaching younger kids, most of them five years old, to play basketball, too. Here’s what I learned from that experience. Life sometimes feels like you’re all on your own but you’re not. Because life is a team sport. Learning and growing, finding new sides of yourself, shaking free of things holding you back … That’s best done with help. Yes, I mean therapist. Sure. But I also mean family and friends. And that’s why I’m helping promote what I consider one of the most important tools in personal growth: The plays of Carl Stillitano. Carl writes what he calls “transformative plays.” His masterpiece set contains twelve books boasting eleven one-act plays set in one simple space with two characters. You don’t have to be an amateur or professional actor to read these plays. Just get together with friends and family and read them out loud. Each play contains certain issues that anyone can understand. By reading the play out loud, you give yourself permission to do what the characters do, feel what they feel. It changes your life. I know. I’ve tried them. They work. Carl’s plays are the perfect gift for people in therapy, kids who are finding themselves, or anyone interested in personal growth. Buy the plays, read them out loud, and discover the mental health support they provide. https://lnkd.in/gXV5Mxbd #MentalHealth #bulimia #anorexia #bipolar #theater #playwright #malibu #mentalhealthmatters

Interesting article for those who can picture who these characters are in their lives as soon as you read about them. :)

Maybe you are like me and you tend to compare yourself to other people. By looking at other people, you always ask yourself whether you are doing enough in your job, as a parent, as a friend or whether you are taking good care of your health or your looks. Of course, the answer is always no. You never seem to measure up to other people, in any area of your life. There are always dozens of other people who work harder, are more popular, have better-behaved kids, are skinnier or dress more elegantly. If you start the comparison game, you can never win.   The same holds true for me as a mom with a neurodivergent child. When I compare myself to other parents with neurotypical kids the subtle message that I am getting is that my son is somewhat deficient. He is not as accomplished as many other kids in school, he doesn’t get invited to many birthday parties, he doesn’t participate in classroom discussions or volunteer to do extra chores, he has trouble controlling his impulses and doesn’t do well in groups.   Yet, he has many other wonderful qualities that most people overlook: He is imaginative and creative, he is quite independent and likes to do things his way, he is good at making casual friends in many social settings, he loves Lego and can spend hours putting a set together, he swims like a fish and is able to communicate in both English and German.   Of course, I know that comparing myself or my son to others doesn’t get me anywhere. But it can be difficult to put this knowledge into practice since comparisons are so prevalent in our society. We want to have what others got in order to feel a sense of acceptance and belonging.   How do you feel about comparing yourself? What are your strategies to counteract the urge to do so and instead focus on your own strengths and superpowers - or those of your wonderful kids?

Hey parents, listen up! Are you struggling to connect with your kids? Do you want to help them overcome emotional challenges? Have you tried dance as therapy? As a parent, I know how tough it can be to get your kids to open up. But dance helps them tap into their emotions and express themselves in a whole new way. It's about letting go of inhibition and exploring feelings that they may not be able to express verbally. Plus, it's fun! Your kids will love letting loose and expressing themselves through movement. So why not give it a try? You might just be surprised at how much closer it brings you and your child together.

Who is your biggest role model? You don't have to think really hard. We all roughly share the same one. Dad... That was your default answer wasn't it? Our fathers play a vitol role in our lives from the day we are born until the day we are gone. So with that information; - What are you doing to live up to that position? - Are you acting in a way your kids should look up too? - Are you being the best possible role model you can be? Now, I am not standing on a pedestal saying I am perfect. I try my best everyday to be a role model for my children. And sometimes I slip and fall. A practice that has helped center myself in difficult times is asking one simple question. "Would the Dad I am trying to be do that?" If the answer is no, I obviously try to avoid that thing. It's not as easy as it sounds. But you'll find when practicing this, your question will turn into a statement in front of your very eyes. You'll start looking at things and saying, - I am the dad who prioritizes my health for my kids - I am the dad who sets and maintains the standard in my house - I am the dad who shows compassion instead of anger toward my children Being that dad is much better than the one that stays out drinking all night, or misses soccer games for work. That dad is one who can lead a household. That dad is one who has mastered himself and shows his children what being a man means. So which dad do you choose to be? It's a question you'll have to ask yourself every day. And your kids are watching, so choose wisely.

Traumatic stress feels awful! It impedes learning and socializing. So, what can be done to help a child who is experiencing traumatic stress? Help them to feel calmer. Here are 7 ways: #trauma #stress #emotions #mentalhealth #anxiety #childrensmentalhealth https://lnkd.in/ek_mG6j

Your job as a caregiver is to show up for the children and youth in your sphere of influence through connection, help them feel safe in their bodies and learn how to engage their thinking brain to manage their responses. When a child or adult has experienced trauma or prolonged responses to stress, their ability to regulate their bodies can be greatly impaired. According to Dan Siegel, regulation is the ability to keep the accelerator and the brakes of arousal in balance. Much of this happens at a subconscious level. There are some basic principles that can help a child or youth regain balance in their systems. If done regularly, these types of activities can help train the brain to regulate the body more easily. They can also be done in the moment to help their bodies feel regulated. #sercle #community #trauma #traumaresponse #dysregulation #regulation #regulatingthenervoussystem #connection #exercise #music #hobbies #breathe #play