Curiosity + Kindness
We’re all navigating new waters here- juggling work or unemployment, kids, homeschool (or not), trying to take care of ourselves and not be consumed by fear of the unknown. I don’t know about you, but everything that I struggled with before COVID, now feels amplified. I cannot avoid seeing my own struggle to try to achieve some kind of balance, to hustle and always make progress, dream big, make a positive “impact” in the world, to be a present, loving, creative mom and wife, and look graceful and at ease in the process.
2020 The Year of the Reimagined Nurse
The World Health Assembly, the governing body of the World Health Organization (WHO), designated 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife to advance nurses’ vital position in transforming healthcare around the world. It also is in honor of the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth.
2019 Gift Giving Guide
I love giving gifts. It’s my love language, and I’ve discovered it’s my oldest daughter’s as well. Whether you love or loathe this season of giving, here are a few of our top picks for giving the gift of health and wellness this year.
Coach or Friend? Why You May Need Both in Your Life
A client sat with me seeking guidance recently. Feeling lost and overwhelmed, she knew she needed a change in her life, but didn’t know what that meant for her. While she has friends, many of them were walking through their own challenges and she felt guilty going to them for support.
It's not as hard as we think
Truth be told, Houston is too much for me most of the time. Too much traffic, driving, violence, pollution, humidity, congestion, and stimulation. I thrive being near the water or in nature where I can tune into the rhythms of earth and life- where I look around, exhale, and my soul can sink in and feel peaceful. When I’m exhausted and overstimulated, my body, soul, work, and family suffers.
So what happens when we can’t get away to nature or whatever restores us? How do we access the rest we need?
The Case for Postnatal Massage
We get it. You're adjusting to one of the biggest life (and body) changes you'll probably ever know. You're sleep deprived and elated. Perhaps anxious and blue. You're just trying to keep this little bundle of joy and poop alive and keep yourself fed and relatively clean in the process.
Why is it so hard to rest?
As we head into fall and the inevitable cold and flu season, I’m taking a moment to reflect on something that has been on my mind for a while...why is it so hard to rest?
Whether it's turning off the phone an hour before bed, sleeping when baby sleeps, giving ourselves the rest we need post-birth, or even sitting down and mindfully breathing for a minute - why is it so dang hard?
Coaching vs Therapy: What's the difference?
So should you go to therapy or hire a coach? What’s the difference, anyway? Both coaching and therapy can be immensely helpful, depending on the individual and their circumstances. Both can be therapeutic and healing. Yet, there are some key distinctions between the two, so let’s take a look.
It's not about the cookies
“Who cares?”
I was shocked to hear these words come out of my mouth. It was Friday night at the end of a long, emotionally and physically exhausting week. I was picking up my girls from my mom, where they had been peacefully playing and making cookies for a school Christmas cookie exchange, a long loved Shady Oak Kindergarten tradition.
Healing Hands Project
Earlier this year, Well Family signed a contract with The Woman's Hospital of Texas to provide massage therapy for the patients there- mostly "high-risk" women on bedrest in the Antepartum Unit. While we have been able to serve several women, we are in no way meeting the needs of many of the patients there, many of whom are on medicaid and cannot afford our services.
Coming Clean: Turning Failure into Freedom
In April of this year, I announced that I was aligning with Registered Dietitian, Ali Miller, for her Virtual Ketosis Program. As an affiliate, I was happy to share her program with my clients and connections, while earning a small referral commission.
My 5 Standards: Criteria for Product Recommendations
With so many "health experts" online these days, I've come to recognize the need for a set of standards in the products I use and recommend in my practice as a Registered Nurse and Massage Therapist.
GrantStrong: Pediatric Massage for Cerebral Palsy
In early 2017, Grant Gabriel, a healthy, happy 5 month old boy, contracted bacterial meningitis. Thankfully he survived this severe life threatening condition but was left with spastic quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy, severe developmental delays, dysautonomia, and hearing loss. We've had the pleasure of working with his family for the past several months.
What we appreciate, appreciates.
There is a saying that, what we appreciate, appreciates. Last week on a call with a nurse coach colleague, I experienced this first hand. At the end of our call, he said, "Can I just appreciate you for a minute?"
5 Reasons to Schedule a Massage This Week
If you value taking care of yourself and you want your kids to as well, consider this- none of us are getting it "right" 100% of the time. Life is messy and as long as we are committed to aligning our values with action in our health and wellness, we are heading in the right direction.
Smells Like Trauma
When I was 15, I lied to my parents about going to the movies, and instead climbed in a two seater truck with my friend and two boys I had never met. We drove to a field in Rosenberg to hang out with a cooler full of Bud Light. I had never tasted beer before, and because I didn't feel confident saying no to the boy who kept trying to kiss me, I drank that beer instead.
Do One Thing
By now most of us have heard that multitasking is not that great for our brains or our well-being. Studies have found that multitasking may actually damage the brain, decreases our productivity and attention to detail, and leaves us feeling stressed and even unhappy. So here we are at another crossroads between knowing and doing. Because let's be honest, how on earth do we get anything done as mothers and NOT multitask at some point?
Getting Better At Stress
If we're paying attention at all in our world, we're bound to feel anxious and stressed- and that is exhausting. So what gives? What can we do to strengthen our body's ability to handle stress? Here are a few things I'm learning.
It Takes a Village to Live Well
Sweet, sweet September. Of course it’s still warm in Houston, but there’s a light at the end of the hot, humid tunnel and pumpkin everything is just around the corner. The start of school is a great opportunity to pause and take a look at our lives and decide what we want- for ourselves and our families. If you’re like me, self-care is always a challenge. Knowing when to ask for help and receiving it gracefully is a challenge. Slowing down and listening to what I really need is a challenge.