To get in touch with ourselves in this pandemic, we need to be able to meet ourselves where we are and think like scientists - gather our hypotheses, test our actions, iterate our plans. We will only ever known when something is truly right when we try and execute. Living in our heads will not launch us into action. It takes a certain kind of willingness to be truthful, compassionate, and open with ourselves to re-imagine and re-align.
Read MoreSelf-awareness is core to creating a psychologically safe environment because people bring their whole selves to work. Whatever goes on in their lives outside of work may affect the way they act and perceive information in the workplace. And these days, the work from home set ups challenge all of us to find our way around creating a semblance of sanity in our day-to-day. So, how can we take better care of our teams while encouraging self-awareness and improved mental health?
Read MoreOne year later and here we are again. I can hear exasperation in the air, and know full well how frustrating it is to have to go through all of this once again. While offices have given a mandate to WFH, it’s just as relevant for all of us right now to be prioritizing Wellness From Home programs amongst our teams. This is why I designed a self-help therapy card deck in these very uncertain times, when access to care and support are hard to come by.
Read MoreMy Soul Brief-Case: A Card Deck to Help Unravel the Inner Journey was developed by Healing Minds PH in collaboration with Collabox.co with one clear intention - to make healing accessible to as many people as possible.
Read MoreThere are a few things I have been hearing and reading online about psychological practice and therapy that have been quite worrying. As a professional myself, we are bound by ethical standards to be able to psycho-educate and correct false claims towards our practice. These claims have been published by respected publications in the Philippines, by non-professionals. Therefore it is imperative that we address each of these.
Read MoreQuestion: “What is the best way to get rid of a negative incident? Do you meditate on it?”
Gisa: This is an interesting question. Let me start by saying that we cannot “get rid” of things and hope that they will magically disappear. While we may not know what negative experience you are facing, then our answer would depend on what this experience is.
Read MoreIn the last two months I have been asked to speak at several events on various mental health topics. From identifying the presence of a disorder to supporting the supporter. I realized that whether we were the ones struggling or if we were faced with someone who was in fact struggling, the forums always ended with this one question: “what do we say to someone who is struggling with their mental health?” While there are many things already written out there, I thought I would share with you my 3 very simple go-to statements and why these can be helpful.
Read MoreIn my years of work, life has proven to me time and again, that we go through cycles of death and rebirth. We cycle through burnout and recovery. And if we are lucky, we are able to sustain the recovery a little bit longer each time. But there’s nothing quite like turning to wisdom and thought to help us re-align, re-calibrate, and remember who we truly are and what we were made to do here. It’s about accepting where we are, knowing where we would like to be, and taking steps in that direction. So here are my top 4 faves that I believe will help anyone get in touch with the power that dwells within.
Read MoreWe’ve published reading lists, now it’s time to feed our souls with music that can assist us in our healing. A mantra, in sanskrit, literally means “a thought, thought behind speech or action”. Man - meaning thought, translates in the English language as “mind”. While there are many mantras that often use a language that may not be familiar to us, I have recently come across a few albums that help make grounding and setting my intentions for the day so much more easy. Here they are:
Read MoreDo you ever feel like you’ve lost control? You can’t seem to get a handle on things? And things are just coming apart? Everything you’ve tried to do just seems to bring you into a deeper spiral. Your life is messy, you’re messy, and you wish you could get your shit together. On the outside, everything actually looks fine, but you seem to have fallen off the course. Last you checked you wanted to go in a particular direction, but as life would have it, here come a hundred curve balls. SIGH. This can be really frustrating.
Read MoreEver since we came into being, our parents, relatives, and teachers have modeled ideas of success, love, fun, and belonging for us. Whether they suggested what career you had to take, or designed certain value sets in you, the fact is this - we’ve been influenced. As a therapist, I’ve listened to all kinds of stories on career, romance, friendships, family, and so forth. And while we have been taught to the best of their ability, here are a few reasons why it’s time for you to revisit your definitions on love, relationships, success, and living your life:
Read MoreIn a book by Dr. Joseph Michael Levry, he expounds on the teachings of kabbalah and how it is so important for us to work on our own auras if we would like to see our relationships improved. He says, “everyone has a unique aura, which vibrates at a particular frequency.” It is this frequency that determines what we attract into our lives. The aura, according to Levry, “is a psychic field of energy that surrounds the body” - sort of like a protective light. And in however bright or dim this light shines, it can affect us.
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