Therapy comes in many forms.

At the hair salon with a chatty stylist. In the doctor’s office during an annual check-up. Over a glass of wine with a friend.

My personal favourite place to self-reflect and quiet my mind is in Nature. Living on the West Coast of British Columbia gives me a unique playground to explore. Whenever I am feeling overwhelmed or anxious, I venture outdoors for a long hike in the mountains. Almost immediately I feel my blood pressure drop, my breath steady, and my mind clear. I feel a sense of calm which allows me to have better clarity of thought. Things don’t feel quite so immediate or pressing and it is easier to problem solve.

Many of us don’t have the opportunity to get outside each day for some self-love with career and family obligations getting in the way. Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. As women, we often put everyone else’s needs above our own and we are the last to have our buckets filled. But how can we continue to give to others when we ourselves are running on empty? It is important to shift the priority to yourself. Try to find time each day to show yourself love.

4 SQUARE BREATHING

If you are pressed for time, at the very least try the 4 Square Breathing (sometimes called Box Breathing) technique whenever you feel yourself getting anxious. Breath in for a count of four, hold your breath for four, breath out for four, hold your breath for four. Repeat. Imagine a square shape as you breathe in and out, imagining you are going up and down the axis of the square.

It could not be simpler and you can do this anytime you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or anxious. According to the Mayo Clinic, there is enough evidence that deep breathing can calm and regulate the autonomic nervous system as well as helping regulate body temperature, lower blood pressure and provide an immediate sense of well-being. With mind therapy this easy, you simply don’t have any more excuses!

If you need reminders to take a mind therapy break, there are so many apps available to download to your device for that daily (or hourly) nudge. My go-to is the Calm app www.calm.com.

 📷 : Keegan Houser