Molina Davis Counseling

Mindfulness Meditation & Relaxation

Molina Davis — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 22:02:55 +0000

A new article in the NY Times discusses how mindfulness meditation may provide great health benefits including:

reduced anxiety and stress (less gray matter in the amygdala)
improved learning and memory (by increased gray matter in the hippocampus)
improved/increased empathy
longer attention span
more energy
possibly reduced blood pressure

The idea behind mindfulness meditation is to allow your brain to focus on the ‘here and now’ rather than letting your thoughts drift elsewhere. Here and now areas of focus can include your breath, how the floor or chair feels, temperature, an object, or imagery.

The ability to relax is important in effectively managing stress and anxiety. When we feel stressed, our bodies react with what is called the “fight or flight” response. Our muscles become tense, our heart and respiration rates increase, and with too much exposure to stressful situations, our normal physiological stress systems become exhausted. You may have heard the phrase “adrenal fatigue“, which may be a result of chronic stress.

Without the ability to relax, chronic stress or anxiety can lead to burnout, anger, irritability, depression, medical problems, lost time from work, relationship issues, and more. Allowing yourself to deeply relax is the exact opposite of the “fight or flight” response. It allows your body the ability to experience a decrease in heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and oxygen consumption.

There is much research already done to support the claim that meditation benefits ones health, but there is much more needed to confirm just how meditation and relaxation techniques directly affect the brain’s health over time.

Mood Tracker Apps

Molina Davis — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 02:15:46 +0000

Last week, I heard a health tip on NPR about mobile apps that can help you track your mood, sleep, and other health experiences. Some can even provide behavior modification tips and relaxation techniques. The full article can be read here. Tracking your own patterns and experiences can serve as a way to obtain more accurate insight into how you are feeling, and how often. For example, someone who is depressed may say “i always feel bad”, but if the moods and experiences are tracked, the person may find there are exceptions to feeling bad – moments when something felt positive. This can be a valuable resource for between-session support and homework. Some examples of how these apps may be useful include:

Bipolar and depression mood tracking
Smoking behavior for cessation
Relaxation techniques for anxiety or schizophrenia
Thought stopping messages or distraction reminders for depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia
Diabetes blood sugar and insulin monitoring
Sleep, food, and energy levels – for any type of mental or physical health concern

Those who are used to carrying a paper journal or calendar, or who can’t buy a fancy phone, may prefer to write down their feelings and behaviors. For example, someone with depression may write down his/her mood on a scale from 1-10, three times per day, and include activities related to the mood changes. However, so many adults and teenagers would probably use these apps, as they are quick, fun to look at, and the results can be saved/printed.

I actually could not easily find downloads for apps mentioned in the NPR article, like “Mobile Therapy”, “CBT MobilWork”, or “Therapist In Your Pocket”. However, some other apps to check out are listed below. I have not tried these, so those interested would need to research the best options.

Holiday Stress Tips

Molina Davis — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 21:01:51 +0000

I spend part of my time at the YWCA of Greater Austin, where I train/supervise counselor-interns and provide counseling. One of our staff wrote this great article on 1) identifying stress in the body and 2) tips to relieve stress, during this holiday season. Check it out here!

15 Ways to Stop Obsessing

Molina Davis — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 19:38:41 +0000

Are you tired of having obsessions or ruminations? If you have anxiety, depression, or have been diagnosed with OCD, you and many other people may have these thoughts, and there are many “tricks” to stop or reduce them. I came across this great posting, here, which describes 15 ways to take control of these bothersome thoughts.
Many of my clients have found some of these ideas described in the article useful. It can help to talk with a counselor to discover your specific fears, and to try unique strategies that work for you.

A Poem For Habit Change

Molina Davis — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:37:36 +0000

The following poem, as simple as it reads, says a lot about how depression, addictions, and poor habits can be perpetuated. Recognizing a behavior pattern that no longer works for you may be easy, but making the change could benefit from the help of others.
I.
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost…I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.
II.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in this same place. But, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
III.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in…it’s a habit…but, my eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.
IV.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
V.
I walk down a different street.

by Portia Nelson

Play For Stress Relief

Molina Davis — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:45:55 +0000

When did you stop playing? Did you stop? If you play now, how has it changed since childhood? If you play, how do you keep it balanced with work? Or are they synonymous for you? There are so many types of play to consider: playing with fire, playing with someone’s mind, playing with yourself, just playing around, etc. What affect does your play have on others? I’m going to assume here that play has a positive intention (omitting what deviants would beg)…

I talk with a lot of people who say they have no time for play because they are so busy working. What that tells me is that they 1) may not like their jobs, 2) they aren’t allowed playtime at work, or 3) they won’t allow themselves time to play. Many people express feeling guilt about play… or taking any time for themselves for their own creative pursuit. If you feel guilty about playing, how has that feeling served you so far?

If you give, give, give in the form of work, and never stop to receive, at some point you will give all you can until your job is done, and then you will have no choice but to stop and smell the flowers, play online scrabble, or pick up the kids early for ice cream at the park. On the other hand, if you just horse around all the time and/or do only unto yourself…eventually you will saturate your hedonism and will feel like giving back…or working.

So, why the extremes? Why can’t we work and play in balance? What would that balance look like for you? If you could learn to play without pressure of being “grown up”, what would you do? Creativity is necessary for brain development…for sensory integration and the development of new problem solving skills. Play also allows you to de-stress so that you are healthy enough to work.

What if you tried one new creative or playful activity each day? I double-dare you

Depression FAQ’s

Molina Davis — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 21:16:39 +0000

The attached New York Times article provides a pretty good summary about depression, the symptoms, and self-help options. Please keep in mind that the symptoms described may be related to issues besides depression.

Click here for article.

Alliance Matters More Than Technique

Molina Davis — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 04:47:21 +0000

The alliance, or relationship, between a counselor and a client has been shown to be more important in the therapy outcome than the counseling technique or model used. Also, the client (including his/her life influences) is the most important factor in whether therapy works. Reviews of the research on therapy outcomes, by Hubble, Duncan and Miller, determined the amount of improvement in therapy was the result of 4 major factors: the techniques used (15%), client expectations and placebo (15%), the relationship with a therapist (30%), and the client (including resources such as social support, positive events, and strengths, (40%). Meta-analysis by Bruce Wampold in 2001 actually shows that the client accounts for 87% of the therapy outcome, with the alliance still having a greater impact than techniques used. If you are interested in reading the relevant books and research, please see the following:

The Great Psychotherapy Debate > by Bruce Wampold
The Heart & Soul of Change: What Works in Therapy > by Hubble, Duncan, & Miller

My focus in my counseling practice is on building an alliance with you, the client. Whether you seek services from me, or from someone else, it is important for you to feel the therapist genuinely hears you and seeks your feedback about how the counseling is working for you.