Stress & Self-Soothing

Ideas to Reduce Stress & Survive Crises

Create your own Self-Care Plan!!

Be Good to Your Body!

Go the gym and set a new fitness goal or routine
Take A Hot Bath with Scented Water and Candles
Attend a Dance class or Cooking class
Go for a walk around your neighborhood by yourself, with your kids, friends or your partner.
Eat healthier, and feel better about yourself
Try Yoga, Pilates, or Zumba (See OnDemand Fitness TV for a free taste)
Link: Help for Sleep with Yoga

Promote Relaxation with Pampering
& Body Treatments
- Schedule a massage in your home for singles or couples!
- Mathews Mobile Massage
- Vince at VRCWellness
- The King Spa in Niles, IL (Day Spa with Body Scrub Treatments)
- The House of Wax, Morton Grove (Happy Hygiene!)
Men's Treatments or Women's Treatments

Nutritionist Services to Promote Healthier Lifestyle & Eating
- R3 Essentials Wellness Solution with Maribel Colon
- Maribel Colon, Holistic Wellness Coach & Reiki Practitioner
- Healthier Tomorrows Nutrition Therapy
- Events at Healthier Tomorrows
- See Jess Zimmerman, RD at Healthier Tomorrows
- FB: Healthy Holistic Living

Professionals to Support & Enhance Lifestyle Changes
- Natalia Proscinski, Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach

Take a time out & care for yourself

Even when one moment comes to an end, there is another possibility blooming behind it. It's our choice how we perceive it.

Get back in touch with Nature!!
- Go for a walk in the Forest Preserve
- Put your hands in some soil and plant an edible garden or garden for fun
- Walk around your neighborhood and focus on letting your mind reflect or get creative, what is your next great idea?
- Find a beautiful location outside to practice mindfulness exercises or walking meditation

Involve the Elements into Soothing Activities
- Build a fire in your fireplace or fire pit and tell stories with friends or loved ones
- Light scented candles and snuggle up with a good book
- Find a calm, quiet place in your home for meditation
- Attend a Drop-in Painting Class at Tipsy Paint in Glenview, IL

Grounding Techniques

Quick review from session! What do your recall about grounding techniques? The idea is to refocus your energy and attention away from your mind and towards information that you are receiving through your five senses (For example, we may have done a grounding exercise together in session using your favorite sense when I introduced these skills during a session.! Examples:

Visual (focusing on a pleasing or safe image, i..e., sky, flower, or a face)
Kinesthetic/Touch (lotions/teacup/pillow/chair/massage)
Taste (hot tea, candy, cough drops)
Scent/Olfactory (candy, candles, oils, lotion)
Auditory (music, make a playlist, listen to my voice, listen to the world around you)

Make your own special "coping playlists" with your favorite songs to help you transition between moods!
- See the Bravely Blooming YouTube Channel for Sample Playlists:
  - Click here for: Let Go of the Dark Parts
  - Click here for: Melancholia
  - Click here for: Instillation of Hope to Cope
  - Click Here for videos to Help you: Cheer Up & Be More Awesome
  - Click here for songs to help with Release of Anger