Category: Anxiety
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MAKING MY PEACE … with the labyrinth of contemplation
MAKING MY PEACE … with the labyrinth of contemplation … finding stillness on the spiral Labyrinth Hill … Labyrinths have existed for thousands of years across many cultures, from stone pathways in ancient Crete to the medieval floor maze at Chartres Cathedral in France, about 80 kms (50 miles) southwest of Paris. Unlike mazes, which…
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MAKING MY PEACE … with therapeutic jigsaw puzzles
MAKING MY PEACE … with therapeutic jigsaw puzzles … calming, emotionally satisfying … restoring focus … Jigsaw puzzles can be surprisingly healing. They calm the nervous system, improve memory and focus, bring emotional satisfaction, and offer structure in a fragmented environment. The act of sorting and assembling pieces engages both the left and right brain,…
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MAKING MY PEACE … with walking in rural France
MAKING MY PEACE … with walking in rural France … walking into stillness … There are journeys we take not to arrive quickly, but to slow down. My trip to Romilly in Normandy, France, was one of those journeys. On a recent trip north of Paris, I boarded a regional train and rode out toward Romilly for 90 minutes,…
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MAKING MY PEACE … with photographing flowers
MAKING MY PEACE … with photographing flowers … sensory immersion in bloom … Flowers soothe the soul, don’t they? Whether it’s wandering through the grand displays of the Chelsea Flower Show or simply spending time in Aunt Jeanne’s flower-filled country garden in France, I’m reminded again and again of the mental health benefits flowers give to me. Being among…
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MAKING MY PEACE … with nature as the antidote
MAKING MY PEACE … with nature as the antidote … feeling overwhelmed? … this poem gets it … In a world where noise is constant and truth is blurry, the poem “For Sanity Press Pause” by Kathryn von Bergen, offers a rare thing: a poetic exhale. The poem questions modern contradictions — where good is mocked, effort goes unrewarded, and digital noise drowns our intuition. Instead of…
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MAKING MY PEACE … with tranquility
MAKING MY PEACE … with tranquility … all I am saying is give peace a chance … and it can be mapped … Do you remember bean bags? I think it started with a purple bean bag in the corner of my bedroom. From a large family and noisy activity in the home, it was my…
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MAKING MY PEACE … with the hidden crisis in mental health: burnout
MAKING MY PEACE … with the hidden crisis in mental health: burnout … the importance of support for burnout in the mental health of early-career researchers … Following the UK’s focus on “Community” during Mental Health Awareness Week from 12-18 May, the European Mental Health Week (19–25 May) shifts the spotlight to the broader societal structures influencing…
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MAKING MY PEACE … with mindful strolling in nature in Paris
MAKING MY PEACE … with mindful strolling in nature in Paris … a call to walk in nature and let the mind quiet itself … This morning, I slipped away from the hum of the 15th arrondissement and followed a trail not far from home: the Petite Ceinture or PC15, Paris’s hidden railway-turned-walking path. The birds were…
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MAKING MY PEACE … with the wellbeing of teenagers
MAKING MY PEACE … with the wellbeing of teenagers … the importance of community support for teenagers and their mental health … “Community” is the 2025 theme for Mental Health Awareness Week in the United Kingdom (12–18 May). The week highlights the vital role social connections and a sense of belonging play in our mental wellbeing. This theme…
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MAKING MY PEACE … with removing anxiety like taking off a coat
MAKING MY PEACE … with removing anxiety like taking off a coat… a powerful way to reframe our language about anxiety … What if your anxiety was not in you, but on you? If it is on you, then it can be taken off, can’t it? In English, we often say “I am anxious” – a statement that subtly fuses our identity with the feeling itself,…