The days are getting slightly shorter. It’s barely noticeable, but the mornings and evenings are a bit less reminiscent of stepping in to a sauna. There are even Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations for sale at the neighborhood stores. All these signs indicate that we are in the last few days of summer before we, in Florida, can experience what we call fall around here. As summer winds down and school events pick up and holiday activities get closer and closer, it is easy to let our well-being slowly slip into the background of our lives. Earlier this year, you may have committed to spending more time on your health and wellness but the closer the end of the year gets, the busier our calendars become and the easier it is to forget to take care of ourselves. I see this frequently when working with my patients. Suddenly, you realize that all the really great coping skills you were using a few months ago have drifted away, one at a time, until you are feeling as overwhelmed, stressed, and unbalanced as you did before you discovered all those awesome ways to protect your well-being. You were spending a few minutes a day in quiet meditation, but that may have dropped off after that summer trip… You were making sure to journal before bed, but that faded away when the kids started school… You were nourishing your body with nutrient-dense food, but since fall sports kicked off, you are eating whatever you can throw together in under five minutes… I urge you, as the year continues to slide by, to take an honest account of how well you are caring for yourself. Are you taking time to recharge? Are you being proactive and making wellness plans with your therapist? Are you equipping yourself for the busy months ahead? If you answered any of those questions with a sheepish “no…” and you are unconsciously waiting for crisis to strike, then it may be time for you to give us a call and make sure you are as mentally fit as you deserve to be this fall. If you struggle to find time to physically come in to the office, Pamper Your Mind is happy to share that all of our therapists are currently offering telehealth services. Using this service, you can meet with us remotely, from the comfort (and convenience) of your own home. To learn more about this and any of our services, please give us a call at (321)209-4796 or send us an email at Contact@pamperyourmind.com.
By: Susana Marikle, PsyD
