Holiday Stress

Holidays are approaching and many people are experiencing a slow increase in stress.

Here are a few ways to help yourself feel better and less frazzled during this busy time:

1.  Increase exercise.  Add 5 minutes to your normal work-out.  Take the stairs.  Stretch for 30 seconds. Spend two minutes deep breathing.

2.  Reduce the number of holiday gatherings you attend.  This can be a difficult action to take, but it will yield dividends in greater space in your schedule for relaxation and inner peace. 

3.  Re-consider your expectations.  Literally writing down your expectations for the major upcoming holidays will demonstrate to you just how much pressure you (and other people around you) may be putting on yourself.  And guess what?  That pressure is (mostly) PREVENTABLE.  If you are an adult, then you are in control of your schedule and what you do and do not agree to do.  You can reduce your expectations of yourself and others, and save so much time and stress.  Think "reasonable" expectations.  If you are an introvert, it is not reasonable to host a holiday gathering at your place and invite more than 70 people, especially when you are the parent of three kids ages 12 and under, and two of those said kids are on the autism spectrum and have severe ADHD.  And you make all the food yourself, including dozens of homemade gingerbread cookies. (Ask me how I know.)

4.  Schedule a check-in with your therapist or counselor for extra guidance, support, advice, and tools to help you navigate the holidays with lowered stress and more peace.

Now that's something to celebrate!

Teresa

Teresa Heald LCSW, MSW, ASDCS

Housing Concerns

 In case you haven't heard, there is a lack of affordable housing in the United States.  

And while I completely recognize many of the systemic reasons for this crisis, there are individual things you can to to increase your personal and your community's access to affordable housing.  Here are a few ideas:

1.  Attend city council meetings to make your voice heard about the need for affordable housing.

2.  If you are a homeowner and have an empty bedroom, consider renting it out, or build an accessory dwelling on your property to provide at least one low- (or lower-) income person or family with safe and affordable housing.

3.  If you do not have a medical or mental health reason for living alone, consider living with roommates.  This immediately drops your rent in half (if you have just one roommate) or drops it by two thirds if you have a second roommate.  The American obsession with living alone is a privileged position to be in.  Living with roommates frees up more housing options for those who NEED to live alone for their health.  Plus, you save money, have ready and hopefully pleasant social interactions daily, and always have someone to feed your cat when you leave for a weekend to catch a concert or attend a friend's wedding.

And as a psychotherapist and certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist, if you tell me that autism prevents a person from having roommates, I call baloney on that one.  Autism does NOT NECESSARILY prevent someone from having roommates (but in some cases it can).  I literally know dozens of individuals in my community who are on the autism spectrum who have one or several roommates, and live rich and fulfilling lives that are enhanced by the presence of roommates.  Having roommates can in many cases HELP with some of the challenges faced by autistic individuals.  Living with roommates creates fertile ground for practicing social skills, collaborative problem solving, overcoming social fears, reduction in living expenses (and thus freeing up more money for nutrition, therapies, and hobbies) and fostering a sense of community, inclusion, and belonging.

4.  If you qualify, apply for a Section 8 housing voucher, or get your name on the (oftentimes too long) waitlist.  There are also income-based government subsidized apartment buildings (Section 42 housing) in most communities in the United States where you can apply in person directly at the buildings' rental office on-site. 

4.  Consider relocating to a more affordable neighborhood, even if it means moving out-of-state.  This is a tough decision to make.  But when you look at your income, housing expenses, neighborhood safety, community culture, political climate, the needs of your loved ones, proximity to health care (or to education, cultural opportunities, recreation opportunities, climate, and geography, and work/volunteer options), and other personal factors, it might be the best decision you can make for your long-term well-being to pack up and get the heck outa Dodge.  (That will also free up housing for someone who wants to live in your current dwelling/neighborhood/state).

This is not an exhaustive list of course.  But these few ideas could help you make more informed (and affordable) housing decisions.

All the best,

Teresa

Teresa Heald LCSW, MSW, ASDCS

Weight Loss Resulting from Mental Health Conditions

Did you know that weight loss can have mental health, emotional, and sensory roots?

Individuals on the autism spectrum and/or diagnosed with ADHD, people dealing with depression, and people struggling with eating disorders may need strategies to increase their daily intake of calories at times.  Here is a great way to increase daily calories:

Meal replacement and/or high protein shakes.  

Why?

1.  These drinks are easy to store, easy to open, and super easy to consume.  

2.  These drinks contain essential carbohydrates, fats, and protein that your body needs for survival.

3.  They contain vitamins and minerals for optimum health. 

4.  Having a complete meal available at any time is helpful for people who have difficulties with shopping, meal prep, rumination over calories, recognizing their body's signals for hunger (or experiencing the absence of hunger as in depression), or have aversions to certain food textures or cooking odors.

Additionally, if you or someone you love takes a medication that causes loss of appetite (such as stimulant medications to treat ADHD), then supplementing with shakes can be such a great tool to help you/them maintain a healthy weight or to re-gain lost weight.

I am not a dietician, an occupational therapist, or a medical doctor.  So please see your primary health care provider or other medical provider(s) to rule out other causes of weight loss and to get the go-ahead to supplement your diet in this way.  And once you have received your doctor's approval, consider supplementing your diet with liquid nutrition.

Cheers!

Teresa

Teresa Heald LCSW, MSW, ASDCS

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Memo to myself:  A silent voice is no different than a silenced one.

Stand up. 

Be heard.  

Advocate for social justice at every opportunity.  

Oppose EVERY form of oppression, discrimination, and bigotry that seeks to strip ANY individual or group of their humanity, safety, and rights. 

All are sacred.

You are sacred.

Your voice, your words, your history, your ancestors, your present, your future, your story, your body, mind, soul, spirit, and your being-ness deeply matter.

Teresa

Teresa Heald LCSW, MSW, ASDCS

Help for Seasonal Depression

Has your mood taken a downward turn now that the nights are longer and the daylight hours much shorter?  

If this describes you, you may benefit from increasing your exposure to daylight, especially in the mornings before noon.

However, if you have to spend most mornings indoors due to school, work, or caregiving duties, then you might want to talk to your doctor or therapist about light therapy.

Light therapy is using really bright light to treat seasonal symptoms of low moods and depression.  You can buy light therapy lamps online and at some big box retailers.  Look for lamps that give off 10,000 lux (a measure of intensity or brightness of light).  And be sure to ask your provider about how long and when to use your light therapy lamp.

A brighter mood may be just a light switch away.

Be well!

Teresa

Teresa Heald LCSW, MSW, ASDCS

Autism Certification

This month, I am officially a Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist, certified by Evergreen Certifications!

The training I completed in order to achieve this certificate has well-equipped me to provide even higher quality service and more targeted treatment to individuals on the autism spectrum, as well as their families and other loved ones.

Contact me at teresahealdconsulting"at"gmail.com if you would like to schedule a consultation (nationwide in the USA) or an assessment for yourself or your child/teen (Idaho residents only).

Be well!

Teresa

Teresa Heald LCSW, MSW, ASDCS

How to Help Your Teen Understand and Resist Peer Pressure

One of the best ways to help your teen understand and resist peer pressure is to spend more time around your teen.

And by "time," I don't mean sitting in different parts of the living room while you both are slouching, heads down, glued to your different devices.

All humans crave connection.  When you stay connected to your teen, they are less likely to be overly influenced by peers and the pressure they feel to fit in with their peers (virtual ones, ie their "peers" on social media, and their real-life peers at school and in their neighborhood and community).

Plus, when you schedule activities that both you and your teen enjoy and participate in them together, your teen has less time to doom-scroll, on-line game, SnapChat, and TikTok for hours on end. 

Why not try scheduling an extra few hours per week with your teen?  It's one of the best antidotes to peer pressure out there!  And it's within YOUR control.

Be well!

Teresa

Teresa Heald, LCSW

Mindfulness for Stress Reduction

Mindfulness can be an excellent tool to help reduce your experience of stress and help you to live a better life.

Mindfulness is simply being aware of your present situation, emotions, environment, body, thoughts, etc.

Let me give you an example: 

You and your teen-ager are discussing their use of the car this Friday night to go to a school function.  You say that this privilege is contingent upon their completing three missing assignments in math class.  Your teen begins to whine, complain, and resist.  Your blood pressure rises, as does the volume of your voice.  Then your teen gets defensive.  Before you know it, both you and your teen are in a full blown argument.  How did that happen again?

Without self-awareness and other-awareness, situations like this will continue to play out until your little darlin' launches off to college, career, or the military.

How do you practice mindfulness?

Good news!  Mindfulness is a learnable skill.  Here is a quick way (of many ways) to begin using mindfulness:

Take a deep breath.

Seriously.

Five or six in a row.

And just observe how you're feeling, what you're seeing, if your jaw or shoulders are clinched, what sounds you're hearing.

And pause.

Practicing mindfulness when you are alone and not agitated is a great way to improve the skill, so that when you ARE in a situation like I described above, you will be able to calm your nervous system and be able to think and act in a calmer way.

Try it, not just for a few times, but for a few times per day for several weeks.  Your experience of day-to-day stress is likely to drop, if not a large amount, then at least a small (but not insignificant) amount.

I believe you'll be very surprised at the results.

Peace and calm to you,

Teresa

Teresa Heald, LCSW

Tools For ADHD Success

  Here are three ideas for thriving with ADHD in day-to-day life:

1.  Individuals with ADHD may benefit from having important objects out in the open where they can see them (and not forget they own them).

2.  It can also be highly beneficial to store things with the least amount of effort and fewest hand motions, to foster ease of putting an item away and the ease of its retrieval (multi-step actions have a much higher risk of not being completed).

3.  Make life easy:  

    Reduce inventory (reduces visual chaos and decision-making on unimportant things)

    Reduce visual chaos (have things that match  and or many in the same color so that they're easy to wear, easy to identify across a room, and easy to decorate with--too many colors is visually overstimulating and chaotic).

Let's talk about these ideas, starting with #1.

Many individuals diagnosed with ADHD like having all their tools, supplies, books, papers, within eyesight because they often forget what they own.  It's not laziness, it's a symptom of the ADHD brain.

But if everything is always within eyesight, then a home, office, closet, car, or storage space can look overwhelmingly cluttered fast.

Solutions?

• Place items face front.
• Open storage.
• Clear bins and files.
• Large calendar on desk top.
• Divided bin in the trunk.

Ok. Let's address #2:  storing and retrieving things with the least amount of effort.

What we're looking for here is a one-step motion.  ONE hand motion to put clothes away on a hook, vs. multiple steps to fold in sleeves then fold the shirt over then stick it back in a drawer; grab two socks, line them up, fold the tops together, THEN put them in a drawer; find the DVD case, open the case (then insert DVD, close the case, put it back on the shelf) etc.  

Marie Kondo (bless her tidy heart) is the antithesis of ADHD simplicity:  Fold your t-shirts? Fold your jeans?  Not happening with ADHD.  Sure, you might have a major folding session after reading one of her books, but then the system falls apart after just a few days.

Stop setting yourself up for failure.

ONE hand motion!  Use things like

•     Hooks
•     Open bins
•     Lidless hampers
•     Lidless trash cans
•     A dresser drawer or bin/basket in the closet in which to DUMP freshly laundered socks (don't bother matching them or folding them...see below)
•     Open hanging file folders in an open file box (without lid)
•     Open storage shelves in the garage
•     Hanging shelves that you hook over the closet rod to increase shelf space and inspire quick sorting

For #3, we're literally going to make life easy (or, easier...some things we face or have to do ARE a challenge, but let's look at things we can do to make life easier now).*

Buy easy to use and coordinated objects:  

•     bed in a bag
•     same color towels
•     all socks (yes, ALL socks) the exact same color, brand, and style so that they match (and so you don't have to pair them up after washing them)
•     matching end tables
•     matching lamps
•     matching food storage containers
•     matching dishes
•     limiting clothing to colors and styles that go with each other

And one of the best tips ever for ADHD?  Reduce inventory!

If you're really looking to make life easy, attempt minimalism.  You will have fewer things to keep track of, to distract you, to clutter your visual field, and to clean up which will equal a BETTER life with ADHD.

For example, one of my sons with ADHD moved house this year, from a small apartment, to a larger home which he shares with roommates.  During this move, he made the decision that he wanted as BARE A BEDROOM as possible.  He literally got rid of over half of his possessions, including several large pieces of furniture, clothing and shoes, books, papers, other media, and wall art.  His room is a minimalist's (and gamer's) dream:  a large closet for storage, a nice bathroom with plenty of counter and cupboard space for health and hygiene items, and his bedroom:  high-quality mattress on a modern black frame (with coordinating designer-look linens thanks to a bed-in-a-bag where everything matches), matching black-out curtains for better sleep, big screen tv, table, gamer chair, and PS5**.  He's living the dream with ADHD.

You can too!  Try some of these tips, and make your life easier.

But go finish that boss battle first!

To your best health,

Teresa

Teresa Heald, LCSW

*Bonus tip for people with ADHD, depression, anxiety, or who are experiencing high stress: 

Make, prepare, or purchase one-dish meals:  

• stews/soups/chili/roasted meat with vegetables in slow cooker
• casseroles 
• hearty salad
• burritos/tacos
• pizza
• Angel-hair pasta or gnocchi with canned sauce (these types of pasta take 2-5 minutes to cook, start to finish, and after draining them you can use the same pan to briefly heat up the canned sauce)
• stir fry with pre-cooked rice added (or egg roll in a bowl).

**Full disclosure:  There's usually a pack of soda on the floor by my son's gamer chair, and empty cans surrounding it too, and sometimes a floordrobe, and his fully color- and pattern-coordinated bed is rarely made, you know.  Just keepin' it real...  But he can clean it all up in like 3 minutes.

Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Irritability

Do you feel that recently you have developed a shorter temper?  

Do you become overly angry when someone cuts you off in traffic?

Are you grumpy for no reason?

Is it difficult to NOT take things personally at home, at work, at the grocery store, or with friends?

Do you frequently become impatient while standing in lines at the post office, cafe, or movie theater?

These are all examples of irritability.  

Irritability can be a symptom of depression or anxiety (and also of stress, lack of sleep, being really busy, and many other situations and conditions, so please don't try to diagnose yourself with depression or anxiety).

When we become irritable, we tend to say and do things that we may later regret.  Maybe not big things, but smaller things that impact our jobs, our marriages, our kids, our neighbors, our friends, and our larger communities.

If you suspect that your irritability may be a symptom of something else, perhaps it's time to get some professional help.  A good place to start is with your primary medical provider, or a counselor or psychotherapist.  These professionals can provide screening for depression and anxiety, and they can also treat these health condition so that you begin to feel better and not so grumpy.

You don't have to suffer with irritability.  

Be nice to yourself and get some help.

To your best health,

Teresa

Teresa Heald, LCSW

Test Anxiety

Are you a student?  Are final exams (sometimes called EOC's, or end of course exams) fast approaching?  Do you struggle with nervousness over taking tests?  

You might have test anxiety.

It's a thing.

It's not a mental disorder per se, but it is very real.  And the fall-out is real too:  individuals with test anxiety perform worse than their actual potential, and it can impact long-term quality of life.*

So, how do you "fix" it?

There are so many strategies to help you reduce text anxiety.  Here are a few general tips.

1.  It starts with good preparation the week or day before:  being well-prepared for a test will help you to feel more in control, and feeling more in control of a situation reduces the anxiety you will feel.  So, review your homework assignments, re-read or skim specific chapters, make flash cards (Quizlet.com allows you to make your own flash cards on your smart phone!) and complete the study guide given out by your instructor.

2.  Get a good night's sleep the night before your exam.  Here are some tips.

3.  On the day of the exam, try to eat a healthy breakfast, make sure you arrive at the test site early, and take deep breaths to lower your anxiety.  When anxious, humans take small, shallow breaths.  You want to breathe deeply, as if you were inhaling the aroma of a beautiful rose.

4.  Continue to breathe deeply during the test.  This will help you to think more clearly, and thus, perform better.

Bonne chance!

Teresa

Teresa Heald, LCSW

* Zwettler, C., Reiss, N., Rohrmann, S., Warnecke, I., Luka-Krausgrill, U., & van Dick, R. (2018). The relation between social identity and test anxiety in university students. Health psychology open, 5(2), 2055102918785415. https://doi.org/10.1177/2055102918785415  Retrieved on 04/20/2022 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6069033/

ADHD Treatment Options

Contrary to what you might have heard on social media, ADHD treatment is not solely limited to taking prescription medication.  Medication is just ONE way of treating ADHD in children, teens, and adults.  

Here's another way of looking at it:  if you have a toolbox and all it contains is a hammer, you would be missing out on all the other wonderful things you could build if you had a full toolbox with various other tools inside it.

Medication is just ONE tool.  It's a good one, but it's not the only one!

If you or some you love has been diagnosed with ADHD, please consult with a counselor or psychotherapist to discuss treatment options.  Medication is just one tool in the toolbox of helping individuals with ADHD to thrive. 

Be well!

Teresa

Teresa Heald, LCSW

How to Celebrate Safely

 So the holiday season approaches and brings up the big question:  how do we celebrate and stay safe from Covid?

Great question!

For the most up-to-the-minute health recommendations, follow this CDC link: 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html

Stay well!

Teresa

Teresa Heald, LCSW

Please Get Vaccinated for Your Neighbors' Sake!

Fellow Idahoans, as a mental health care professional, I am strongly urging you to go get vaccinated against Covid-19.  Governor Little had to activate the National Guard three days ago because we are down to FOUR (yes, just four) ICU hospital beds available in our entire state. *

These beds are being taken up mostly by unvaccinated people.

The situation in our great state is COMPLETELY unnecessary if all the unvaccinated Idahoans would simply go to their closest pharmacy and get the COMPLETELY FREE vaccine!  

If you won't do it for yourself, please go get vaccinated to protect your friends, neighbors, immune-compromised individuals, and all the children under age 12 who CAN'T get vaccinated yet.  

Covid is KILLING Idahoans.  Every. Single. Day.

And it's so unnecessary!

Idaho, we can do SO much better. 

If you're worried about it being "safe" to get vaccinated, well the FDA granted full approval of the Pfizer vaccine just over a week ago.**  Yay!!  This means it's proven to be as safe as your standard flu shot that most of us get each fall.  

We don't overthink getting a flu shot.  

So let's stop overthinking getting a Covid shot.  

I've been vaccinated since late winter.  I'm doing whatever I can to not be a petri dish of Covid for the people around me, including my 10 year-old grandson.

Please, just do it.

Please, friends.  Go get vaccinated!

With heartfelt love to you all, from a born-and-raised in Idaho gal,

Teresa

Tereas Heald, LCSW

* https://gov.idaho.gov/pressrelease/gov-little-activates-national-guard-again-directs-hundreds-of-new-medical-personnel-to-help-idaho-hospitals-overwhelmed-with-unvaccinated-covid-19-patients/

**https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-covid-19-vaccine

Heat Wave

 If you live out West, you already know that temperatures are reaching triple digits.

This puts many people at risk of heat-related illness, hospitalization, and possible death.*  

The CDC has a free pdf on risks and how to prevent heat-related illness.*

The CDC report shows that the risk for hospitalization is highest for people 85 years and older.  

Other risk factors for heat-related illness are 

• infants and young children, 
• people with medical conditions, 
• those who are socially isolated (oh yeah, thanks Covid), 
• those who participate in strenuous physical activities (such as athletes and people working without air conditioning) and 
• people living in poverty.*

What to do?

Educate yourself on signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.*

Stay hydrated, out of the sun, and in air conditioned buildings or vehicles if possible.

During extreme weather conditions such as high temperatures, please check in on your friends, family, and neighbors to make sure that they are safe and staying cool and hydrated.  This includes pets too.

Never leave a vulnerable person (child, disabled individual, elderly person) or a pet in a hot car!

If you're taking certain medications such as lithium**, it can put you at higher risk of dehydration.

If you have a mental health condition, please take extra precautions to stay hydrated, stay in temperature-controlled environments, and stick to your normal sleep schedule if possible.**

Be cool!😎

Teresa

Teresa Heald LCSW

*https://www.cdc.gov/pictureofamerica/pdfs/picture_of_america_heat-related_illness.pdf

**https://www.npr.org/2019/09/04/757034136/how-high-heat-can-impact-mental-health

What To Do When You're Tired Of Everything Covid

No doubt about it: we're all tired of Covid and all the restrictions, changes, and challenges that have occurred over the past 14-15 months.  Many of us have lost friends and family members due to the virus.  My heart goes out to each of you who have experienced this heartbreak.

So there is grief over losses.  Sometimes from those big losses, sometimes from smaller losses.  

Please feel the feelings.  Even when they hurt.  This process takes time, and you will eventually feel better as you allow yourself to grieve.

So, in addition to feeling those feelings...what else can you do this week to feel better?

Get vaccinated.  

The sooner we all get our vaccines, the sooner we can all resume life with some amount of normalcy, and the sooner this pandemic will end.

Listen friends, are you worried about the long-term impacts of the vaccines?  I was too.  But not after I spoke with my doctor.

Earlier this year when I saw my dermatologist, our discussion immediately jumped to Covid.  Through our masks, we talked about the benefits and risks of the new vaccines.  When I mentioned that I was concerned because we don't yet know the long-term impacts of these new vaccines, my doctor said, "But we DO know the long-term impact of Covid.  People are DYING from it!"

This site from Johns Hopkins University reports over 3 millions deaths worldwide as of the date of this post.

Please, if you meet the age requirements and your doctor approves, go get vaccinated.

If you're in the USA, the CDC has a handy vaccine site locator.  Follow the link below to find a Covid vaccine location near you: 

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/reporting/vaccinefinder/about.html

If you're in the USA, it's totally FREE to get vaccinated, regardless of your insurance coverage and even if you have no insurance at all.

Let's wipe this rotten virus off the face of the planet!

To your best health!

Teresa

Teresa Heald LCSW

The Best Way to Treat Depression

There are so many reasons that people may feel depressed, too many to count!  But please know that depression is a medical (mental health*) condition and as such, it generally requires medical treatment.

The best way to treat YOUR depression may not be the best way to treat your neighbor's or your child's or your friend's depression.

So, what is the BEST way to treat depression?

Seek and follow the treatment recommended by your licensed health care providers.  

A great place to start is with your primary care provider--such as a doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician's assistant--or a psychotherapist or counselor.  Any of these medical providers can assess you for depression and create a treatment program tailored just for you and your unique needs and situation.

You don't have to endure depression.  There is treatment available.  Take the first step today and contact a licensed medical provider for help.

You deserve to feel better!

Teresa

Teresa Heald LCSW

*Some medical conditions, such as thyroid disorder and Celiac disease, can cause depression as a symptom of those conditions.  Often once those underlying conditions are treated, depression lifts too.  Please talk to your primary care provider for more information; your provider may run some blood tests or other tests to rule out an underlying medical condition that may be the cause of your depression.

Help for Infertility

Couples who want to conceive a child but can not achieve pregnancy successfully may experience many emotional challenges.  Infertility can lead to stress, depression, and anxiety, among other issues.1  

But here is some great news:  psychotherapy can increase the odds that a couple facing infertility can become pregnant.1   Isn't that exciting?!

In addition, talking to a psychotherapist may reduce depression, anxiety, and the distress that oftentimes accompany infertility treatment.1

A type of therapy, called cognitive behavioral therapy, actually works better than the anti-depressant medication fluoxetine in treating infertility stress.2 

Who knew that going to a therapist could increase the odds that a couple can achieve pregnancy?  

If you are struggling with infertility, perhaps seeing a psychotherapist or counselor trained in treating infertility would be a helpful addition to your treatment.  

Be well!

Teresa

Teresa Heald LCSW

1 Frederiksen,, Y., Farver-Vestergaard, I., Skovgard, N., et al. (2015).  Efficacy of psychosocial interventions for psychological and pregnancy outcomes in infertile women and men: a systematic review and meta-analysis.  British Medical Journal Open, 5(1). 

2  Faramarzi, M., Pasha, H., Esmialzadeh, S., et al. (2008).  The Effect of the The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Pharmacotherapy on Infertility Stress: A Randomized Controlled Trial.  Journal of Affective Disorders, 108(1-2), 159-64.

Easy Way to Increase Your Focus

Looking for an easy way to increase your ability to focus?  

Try a fidget!

Fidgets are anything you use that keeps your body in motion while doing a task.  We may tap our fingers, bounce our legs, click pens, squeeze stress putty, or fiddle with our nails or our keys.  

Research proves that fidgeting improves the ability to concentrate, especially in individuals with ADHD.  This article gives you more information on how fidgets improve your focus. 

Fidgets also help reduce the experience of anxiety and stress, and can help to calm a person who is mildly agitated.

Here's a great glow in the dark fidget that mimics popping bubble wrap, and you can use it over and over.  I got this one at amazon.com.  

You will probably want to mute your microphone if you're using a pop bubble fidget like this during a conference call or while attending a webinar.  It makes a very faint but noticeable sound.  

But not all fidgets make noise; most of them don't.  Fidgets come in many sizes; some are small enough to carry in your pocket or on your keychain.  And almost anything can become a fidget if it keeps your hands busy while you talk, read, listen, watch a training, attend a conference call, study, or contemplate your bank statements as you prepare for tax season.

Have fun while you focus!

Teresa

Teresa Heald LCSW

A Simple Way to Feel Less Anxious

Want a quick tip to help you feel less anxious?

Organize something.

Organizing is you exerting control over some group of objects, like your kitchen spices, a shelf full of books, or your sock drawer.

When you put something small or minor in order, you experience a greater sense of control, and that feeling of control lowers your anxiety. 

Try it for yourself and see if organizing something makes you feel a little less anxious.

Be well!

Teresa

Teresa Heald LCSW