https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cFzHZ8JYVWk We live in a world weighed down by tragedy and adversity. And we have been conditioned to believe that tragedies require tragic mindsets and hardships demand hardened spirits. We also live in a world overflowing with abundance and joy. https://youtu.be/d4C0_7En6ZY But we cannot see the good from the bad when we are blinded by... Continue Reading →
I would like to share a sustainable model of mental and emotional health called Emotional CPR: Catch Pause Repair - presented below in video and written format. Video Format https://youtu.be/KVfeKg78fEY https://youtu.be/8VvwITnvrhs https://youtu.be/DbBwCkQ9sKI?si=SRgBxAe8uX4boR0n Written Format STEP 1 CATCH What Triggers You? Catch yourself before a stress response escalates by becoming more aware of what provokes you. Take Inventory Make... Continue Reading →
Interview #1 https://youtu.be/qJfPHOVXEPU?si=zAPYaPMLSTS0w8yr Interview #2 https://youtu.be/xwnQthkxSq8 What psychology topics are you interested in learning about?
Today marks my 20th orientation with Bachelor of Science Nursing Students at St. Clair College. No matter how many years I attend Fall orientation, it feels like the first time. No matter how many times I work with students, it never gets old. Their first class is my first class. https://youtu.be/4J4oL093oU0 Their struggle is my... Continue Reading →
https://youtu.be/I08EUaQ8g9Y I had the opportunity to give a psychology speech on cultivating mental health daily at the Greater Essex County District School Board in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Audience Members The audience was comprised of education support staff and front line workers, including Education Assistants, Child and Youth Care Workers, Developmental Services Workers, Teachers, Social Workers,... Continue Reading →
https://youtu.be/jq14fr86-Jk Time and Energy Management When I was a kid, my mom set a timer for almost everything we did. Whether it was how long we spent doing our homework, weeding the garden, watching television, or complaining about life’s challenges. 1. Passing vs Permanent Difficulties Setting time limits helped us understand that nothing lasts forever,... Continue Reading →
Fight or Flight Threat Response Every time we feel threatened (threat is the fundamental definition of stress) our first instinct is to “fight or flight“. This perpetual “fight or flight” response loop eventually creates a host of secondary problems, above and beyond, the original stressor. Powerpoint Slide from Broaden and Build Leadership Event, January 2022... Continue Reading →
I am a strong believer in keeping things simple. The less complicated things are, the more likely we are to repeat the behaviour. Especially when it comes to health and happiness habits. https://youtu.be/0i0tuqAmdaw Twelve Days Day 1: Mindful Mornings Add five to ten minutes of relaxation to each of your morning routines. Time expands when... Continue Reading →
Psychology of Change During this week’s health psychology lecture, we talked about the psychology of change, including the parts of our lives that remain ‘unchanged’ during rapid and unexpected change. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4UkgwELpI0M What Remains During Change? The Sun Still Rises Coffee Tastes Delicious Trees Greet You on Your Walk Favourite Movie Still Delights Bed is Comfie... Continue Reading →
Mindfulness Tip: Look Up The sky connects us to something bigger than ourselves. Challenges appear small in comparison to the vastness of the sky. Solutions seem plausible. Answers come more easily. In the presence of stars, we embrace the profound and surrender it all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gMq9BNKvOA
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9hhtrE8yxCU Perception versus Reality I was motivated to write this post and film an accompanying video after witnessing so many students overwrought by thoughts of inadequacy about how they looked. In reality, there was no doubt that they were healthy and whole, but in their minds, they believed the opposite. A phenomenon heightened by imaginary audience... Continue Reading →
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VvwITnvrhs Healthy Workplace Awards This week I did a keynote speech at the Healthy Workplace Awards Ceremony. Given all we are collectively going through, I thought the notes and video from the keynote would be helpful to everyone. News Release: CTV News Especially as we wrap up this year. A year where we collectively experienced... Continue Reading →
Mental Health Matters with Dr. Kathy Garland 1. Video Format of Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7ttX6h_D8o&feature=youtu.be Watch on YouTube 2. Podcast Format of Interview https://soundcloud.com/user-240189621/mental-health-matters-dr-dinardo-and-situational-anxiety Listen on SoundCloud and Apple Podcasts Reflection Questions What did you learn about situational versus clinical anxiety from our interview? Can you relate to the personal example of heightened situational anxiety shared by Dr.... Continue Reading →
The most common question people ask when they discover I'm a retired psychologist is - "Is This Normal?" https://youtu.be/7DigCXbQKnE?si=7283ifRMjUT3fgm8 This question is a significant motivator for creating this psychology blog in the first place. Because too often people suffer because of lack of understanding versus a diagnosable medical condition. differential diagnosis · the process of... Continue Reading →
Getting ready for my online summer courses which requires a lot of new psychology videos. Including video discussions on health, wellness, and personal empowerment. Similar to in person college classes, the goal is to stimulate active discussions and open communication. For example: Discussion Topic What happened when I quit drinking? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejpt6agt1tk Watch this short video... Continue Reading →
Community Spotlight Today I would like to shine a light on a local entrepreneur named Alex Binaei, the creative mind behind Windsor Updates and the video highlighted in this post. Adversity → Creativity Alex’s video for Windsor Updates is one of the best examples of how crisis and adversity create innovation and ingenuity. In both... Continue Reading →
Podcast Details & Show Notes I was recently interviewed by wellness entrepreneur Christa Realba for her Ambitious Mama Podcast Series. During the podcast, Christa and I discussed how posttraumatic growth and thriving under pressure are possible for all of us. In different gradients, and at different times for sure. Depending on where you are on... Continue Reading →
We are on a trip to California for our December birthdays and wedding anniversary and I couldn’t imagine a more mindful place to be. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pa_DVAmmTzY Nature everywhere we look. Luminous moonlight. Dancing campfire. Fresh ocean air. Water as far as the eye can see. Sunshine in every nook. 100 year old fig trees. Just outside... Continue Reading →
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVfeKg78fEY Catch Pause Repair (CPR) is a Framework for Sustainable Mental Health & Resilience Habits. CPR includes three simple steps as outlined in the video. 1. Catch Catch yourself before a stress response escalates by becoming more aware of what triggers you. 2. Pause Pause and take a 60 second time out when you feel... Continue Reading →
Life is complicated. Stress management shouldn't be. 5 Stress Relief Techniques 1. Gratitude https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gXDMoiEkyuQ 2. Breathwork https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zRSQw-LjU8k 3. Movement https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=d4SyONPkus0 4. sur·ren·der https://youtu.be/I7YD4A900-4 5. This moment https://youtu.be/moc-AtmSSGU Repeat Daily 💕
https://youtu.be/I08EUaQ8g9Y Reevaluate Your Approach to Mental Health Instead of thinking of mental health as a burden you must shoulder, imagine it as an opportunity to experience peace and joy. In the same way that we make time for our physical needs, we must devote equal attention to our psychological needs. Original Source — The Drive... Continue Reading →
Nature is a beautiful way to stop the monkey mind in its’ tracks. What is the monkey mind? “Buddha described the human mind as being filled with drunken monkeys, jumping around, screeching, chattering, carrying on endlessly. Fear is an especially loud monkey - screaming out all the things that could go wrong.” Source: HuffPost When we’re caught... Continue Reading →
The Psychology of Wellness I had the opportunity to be interviewed on the Lemon Soul Podcast by an engaging and bright young woman named Sierra Parr. It was one of the most rewarding projects I have worked on and I hope you find the same value in listening to the podcast as I had co-creating it... Continue Reading →
Psychology Class The Shadow Effect https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aECfb8QNp0 One of the things I love to do is share what’s happening on campus in my psychology class. Today’s Topic: The Shadow Effect Watch this short video and consider the following questions: What is your shadow?How does it serve you?Where does it come from?How do I bring it into... Continue Reading →
Belief plays a pivotal role in success. Believing that you have what it takes. Believing that you can try again. Believing in something greater than yourself. Believing you are never alone. Believing your power is greater than your pain. Believing that things are going to get easier. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKimTCawJls In this 5 minute training video, I... Continue Reading →
Reframe stressful moments as growth moments. Opportunities moving you one step, one breath, one moment closer to your dreams. One thought debilitates. The other levitates. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ucdU7URx5g
The next time you are under any kind of pressure. Stuck in traffic. Rushing from class to class. Dealing with a difficult customer at work. Desperately trying to recall answers on a final exam. Wake up to the formidable power that exists within you. Right here. Right now. Right under your nose. Breathe https://youtu.be/zRSQw-LjU8k The deeper the breath, the deeper... Continue Reading →
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUWGr_GwzhM&app=desktop The first question I ask clients wanting to make a change is “Why Now?” For there is no doubt that they (and you and I) have been wanting to transform an aspect of our lives for a very long time. But the intrinsic motivation just isn’t quite there. The kind of motivation that is... Continue Reading →
What if your doctor prescribed dancing as a fitness activity instead of time on a treadmill or at the gymnasium. Would you be more likely to follow through if exercise was fun and uplifting? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=02XQw-LjrXo This doctor’s prescription for today: Dancing! Which is why I love this commercial. It's a great reminder that getting healthy... Continue Reading →
Reflection Questions 1. When someone asks you "What makes you happy?" does your answer differ from "What makes you healthy?" https://youtu.be/LgACYyFv2YQ 2. Do you consider your health requirements essential and your happiness needs selfish and superfluous? 3. Or do you rate health and happiness as equal and interdependent. https://youtu.be/z_DNIWYh6vE For me: health and happiness are... Continue Reading →
In this psychology video and article I share 5 Steps to Thriving and Growth using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyGHeBzGwUU&feature=youtu.be Read the article and watch the video, then try out the reflection questions below. https://issuu.com/sabooster/docs/thedrive_143_issuu/72 Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Reflection Questions Which deficiency needs (physiological, safety) are currently met vs. unmet? Which growth needs (love... Continue Reading →
Show yourself some love today. Your health and happiness depend on it. ♥️ Related Post: From Fear to Love
Most people wince every time they hear the word "stress". It's as if the whole world has been conditioned to respond to stress the same way, by word alone. A habitual thought response that is often more dangerous than the stressor itself. What you believe matters. The latest research in psychology examines stress in an entirely new... Continue Reading →
Take a long deep breath with me. Inhale Calm Exhale Chaos Release Let Go You are more powerful than you know. https://youtu.be/zRSQw-LjU8k Breathing Video — Watch Here
5 Simple Stress Relief Techniques 1. Gratitude https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gXDMoiEkyuQ 2. Breathwork https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zRSQw-LjU8k 3. Movement https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=d4SyONPkus0 4. sur·ren·der https://youtu.be/I7YD4A900-4 5. This moment https://youtu.be/moc-AtmSSGU Repeat Daily 💕
How can two people experience the same stressful event and react in incredibly different ways? What explains the difference between stress thrivers and non-thrivers? Research shows that some individuals possess a set of resilience skills and traits that allows them to flourish in response to stress. https://youtu.be/czXG8odb7pY Thriving Under Pressure TEDx Talk "Resilience is what gives people the... Continue Reading →
Do not fear challenge or adversity. Run towards it. Not away from it. Use it consciously. As a stepping stone. To ascend. To soar. To propel yourself forward. To begin again. For strength is ultimately built from challenge, from difficulty, from overcoming. You were born to thrive! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ento8DliEOs
So many choices when it comes to stress relief. Which one will you choose today? Thriving Test — Click Here
POWER OF LIGHT Even though we often have little control over the “outside forces” in our lives, we can always make a positive difference - from the inside out. Start here. Right here. Right now. Be still. Breathe in gratitude. Be thankful for this very moment. Start small. Notice your passing thoughts. Let go. Awareness empowers.... Continue Reading →
Most people wince every time they hear the word "stress". It's as if the whole world has been conditioned to respond to stress the same way, by the word alone. A habitual thought response that is often more dangerous than the stressor itself. It’s Time to Rethink Everything Including how you have been conditioned to “think”... Continue Reading →
What’s the one habit you have been vowing to change for good? What are you waiting for? The right time? The right place? The right person? Today I challenge you to wait no more. For now is the right time. For here is the right place. And YOU are the right person. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rUWGr_GwzhM&app=m&persist_app=1 Helpful Video:... Continue Reading →
Recently, a fellow blogger asked an excellent question regarding tipping points and stress response. They were curious to know if each of us has a tipping point when it comes to stress management. And if so, how does it differ from person to person. I love questions like this because they encourage me to dig deep, reflect,... Continue Reading →
Bittersweet Ending The end of a college semester is always bittersweet. Summer school is no different. The final psychology exam was just this week. And I miss my summer students already. Full disclosure: Psychology is my passion. Pre-Nursing Psychology I am grateful to have met so many wonderful St. Clair College students in the pre-nursing... Continue Reading →
https://youtu.be/zRSQw-LjU8k Sometimes it's the smallest things that have the greatest impact on our happiness. Something so close, so within reach, we often forget it was there in the first place. The good night's sleep we're yearning for.. waiting patiently at the end of each day. The connection to nature we're searching for.. available 24/7 just beyond our front... Continue Reading →
Thriving Under Pressure 