Life Renewal Counseling

Did you know?? (According to Psychology Today's October 2012 issue):

1. We automatically give a gender to everything, even when doing so doesn't make much sense. Those who speak or have studied a foreign language can attest to assignment of gender to words.

2. A pair seems more nurturing than one. We associate the number 1 with autonomy -- stereotypically a male trait -- while the association that we make with 2 is that of relationship and community -- more feminine traits. 

3. Even numbers are less cognitively taxing. Think about how much easier it is to count to 100 by even numbers than it is to count to 99 by odd numbers.

Now you know!

You might be wondering what it takes to “visualize imagery” and worry that you won’t be able to “see” anything to draw.  Don’t worry – the process is actually more simple than you might imagine!

It’s important to understand that people experience inner imagery in different ways.  Some see a very clear picture, other people merely sense an image with no clear picture, and still others have a shape or color flash through their mind as a thought or impression.  Try this activity to get an idea of how you experience your own inner imagery:

·      Gather your visual journaling materials and, with marker/crayon/pastel in hand, close your eyes and take several deep breaths.  Now, imagine a sailboat.  Finally, open your eyes and draw that sailboat.

Remember that your image is YOUR image, so there’s no “right” or “wrong” way to draw the sailboat.  For every thought of “Can I draw it like…”, the answer is “YES!”  and for every thought of “Does it have to be…”, the answer is “NO!”

When you have finished your sailboat drawing, answer these questions:

1.     Did the sailboat present itself to your inner eye as a kind of flash image or picture?

2.     Did you only sense what it looked like?

3.     Did you just begin to draw, having no idea what the final drawing would look like?

The most important part of expressing your inner imagery is to learn to trust your own way of accessing it.  If you close your eyes and nothing happens, don’t give up!  Just start making marks on the paper and eventually an image will appear.

The more you practice this “art”, the stronger your connection to your inner imagery will become! 

Feel free to post a picture of your first expression of visual imagery!  (And remember, judging or comparing yourself to others is not allowed!)

·       Adapted from Visual Journaling : Going Deeper than Words, by Ganim & Fox

Whether your kids are counting down the days, or they're groaning at the thought of studying the 3 Rs again -- summer is quickly slipping away, and now is the perfect time to begin to plan for the upcoming school year.  Here are 3 tips to ease into the back-to-school routine:

1. Plan ahead.  Stores are already advertising discounts on paper and pencils, and most schools have supply lists posted on their webites.  Shopping early also helps avoid the stress of the mad rush to find those annoying 3-prong pocket folders.  Don't forget to schedule appointments for physicals and get those blue shot forms filled out.  And now's the perfect time to begin shifting your child's sleep schedule to prepare for early school mornings.
2. Delegate, delegate, delegate...  In these final weeks of summer, choose 3 age-appropriate household chores that you can have your child become responsible for and implement a new chore schedule.  Find another parent to share carpool or soccer practice duties with.  Talk to your spouse about taking over dinner duty a couple of nights a week.

3.    Make yourself available.  In the first few weeks after school starts, make sure that you set time aside to check in with your child to see how the transition into the new routine is going -- without putting pressure on yourself or your child.  Take a walk after dinner, read a story together, indulge in a bowl of frozen yogurt and just listen.  Remember that parenting is ultimately about building your relationship with your child, even in the midst of the craziness of a new school year.

--  Yolanda Harper, MSW, ISW 6261

Parenting Support, Counselor

Life Renewal Counseling 813.434.3639   

 

**  Important dates to remember:

8/3/2012 – 8/5/2012 : Sales Tax Holiday

8/20/2012 : Pasco School Begins

8/21/2012 : Hillsborough School Begins

 to Go Back to School

Life Renewal Counseling is excited to announce it's grand opening on Monday, October 5th, 2009.  We would like to thank Sherry Culper, LCSW of Back on Track Psychotherapy for providing us space while our permanent office is being set up. 

We are excited to open the doors of our main office in Wesley Chapel.  We look forward to serving our clients and our community!
--Jennifer