Two years as I started teaching all of my classes on Zoom, I realized that mental health was going to be the greatest challenge I would experience with my students. I knew that my own mental health needed extra care and that my students needed models and pathways to do the same thing for themselves. … Continue reading Maintaining Our Mental Health Has Been Increasingly Challenging
Results for "mental health"
Improving Mental Health while Practicing Social Distancing During Covid-19
Social distancing is a good thing for slowing the spread of the virus, but it can be a challenge to our mental health. This week we began our outreach to our community using video conferencing.
The Buddha in the Hell Realm: How Finding Her May Help You Come Back to Health
The room closed in on me. My fingertips went numb. My heart raced. I was teaching a late night class at the college. We were discussing the series _Weeds_. I wasn’t high. But I knew something was wrong. I ended class early, and with effort made it outside and sat down trying to figure out what… Continue reading The Buddha in the Hell Realm: How Finding Her May Help You Come Back to Health
Crawling for a Stronger Body and Healthier Brain
Today I wanted to share one of the ways I work out that brings me the greatest pleasure. I usually do this a couple of times per week. The movement is simple and challenging all at once. It’s crawling. I’ve been crawling for some time, but it has especially become important as I have had… Continue reading Crawling for a Stronger Body and Healthier Brain
Yoga for Improved Health
Yoga offers tremendous benefits. 1-It works the whole body; 2-It helps reduce stress; 3-It offers skills to become less negatively reactive to life’s challenges.
In a Slump? Fix Your Posture – Harvard Health
A preliminary study suggests an upright posture may improve symptoms of depression. The study, in the March 2017 Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, involved 61 people with mild to moderate depression. The group as a whole was more likely to sit with stooped shoulders and a rounded back compared with people who did not… Continue reading In a Slump? Fix Your Posture – Harvard Health
Poverty and Race
Both my mom and dad grew up in extreme poverty. Neither one of them went beyond a 6th grade formal education. Their childhoods and youth were one of intense struggle and suffering. Their trauma was compounded with the loss of family and social support as they immigrated first to Spain and then to the United… Continue reading Poverty and Race
Play and Gratitude Valentine’s Day Edition
Hi everyone. I hope you had a good weekend. Yesterday we celebrated Valentine’s Day. Maribel and I went to the beach and saw the sunrise. It was wonderful to hold hands and feel the ocean breeze on our faces. Although we had a great day, I feel conflicted about these holidays. Often they lead to… Continue reading Play and Gratitude Valentine’s Day Edition
Showing Up
This past week I tried something different with my Zoom classes at Miami Dade. Instead of breaking into small groups, I placed students in individual breakout rooms. I told them to work on their writing projects as I took time to visit with each of them. What a remarkable experience. My aim was to be… Continue reading Showing Up