Continuum of Care, Inc.’s mission is to enable people who are challenged with mental illness, intellectual disabilities, addiction, or homelessness to rebuild a meaningful life and thrive in the community.
Is It Over Yet? A Lesson in Mindfulness
In December, Comprehensive Treatment Connections — a collaborative partnership between Continuum Recovery Services and behavioral health and substance use providers Progressive Institute, Delphi Behavioral Health Group, and High Focus Centers —hosted an online event to provide the community and fellow clinicians and their clients with tools to manage the heightened stress and anxiety we are all experiencing during this pandemic.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker Tracey Masella delivered a dynamic presentation that reminded us all to go back to the basics by practicing mindfulness and acceptance. Tracey reminded us that it is the awareness that results from intentionally staying in the here and now. It brings us freedom from having to “fix” anything or anyone.
Mindfulness takes us from having to solve problems to being able to hear and validate those around us. By being mindful, we are able to understand the “other’s” experience and we realize that they can manage their own emotions.
Acceptance, Tracey explained, is experiencing reality without judgment. To accept does not mean we are giving in or giving up, but rather that we are welcoming reality with curiosity and kindness — with a commitment to not making the problem worse by staying miserable.
Tracey gave us an easy way to remember how to take care of ourselves during these difficult times by using the acronym PLEASE (see right).
Using PLEASE will help us feel better both physically and emotionally and it is an easy way to maintain a balanced lifestyle, even with the restrictions that come with social distancing.
Tracey closed her presentation with a quote reminding us to take time away from our computers and social media when we need to regroup: “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, even you.” - Anne Lamott
Watch the mindfulness presentation below