Newsletter
December, 2011 - Happy Holidays from La Coop, PA!
Hello!
Just a little note from me to wish you all the very best this holiday season and in the coming year.
A lot of people use this time to huddle up in the home, spend time with family and isolate. I want to encourage you to do a little of that, but I would also like to encourage you to get out there and do something active.
A lot of the treatment I do is very active in the sense that I'm encouraging patients to get up and out and take action against their depression, anxiety, psychosis or whatever. Now, there's actually research out there to prove that this is an effective approach. It's called Behavioral Activation therapy and as many of you know - it works!
I have a little piece below to help you keep motivated to keep it moving even when the weather, food, and family tell you otherwise. Also, I have a project for each and every one of you that wants to be involved.
Happy Holidays!
Dr. L and family
BEHAVIORAL ACTIVATION IN MOTION!
What are your goals?
In treatment, it's all about reaching toward something that we we want. The first step in getting there is to make some goals. I'm going to use myself as an example so you can all see how I put this practice into motion in my daily life.
Personal Goal #1: Remind my husband that he is special and his own person and that it is my job to help him to realize that.
Personal Goal #2: Sell my home and buy a new one while the market is favorable.
Make a List
It's all about taking an inventory of your responsibilities in activity form and things that you enjoy and getting out there and doing them with intention and balance. The list will have to be much more detailed than this, but you get the idea.
Personal Goal #1:
- See if the friend can come into town.
- Get the ticket purchased.
- Plan activities/meals for him when he comes into town.
Personal Goal #2:
- With friends coming into town and me moving soon, I have to get the house in tip top shape. This includes cleaning, painting, planting flowers just to name a few.
Work It!
The fun in all of that is that at the end of a long project, I can look at all of the work I have done and really feel good about it. I have achieved something that I not only thought was impossible, but it came out pretty good and I got my husband involved and that made the activity that much better because we spent time together, as well as, achieved a goal. The benefits are that we will be enjoying the company of his friend and also have the house nice for its upcoming sale.
Balance Work and Play
Now I need to BALANCE the work and the play. I enjoy learning and right now I'm listening to a course on Existentialism on my drive to and from work. This gives my brain the stimulation that it needs and I'm doing something good for myself while I'm doing something I have to do which is drive in rush hour traffic.
HOW ABOUT YOU?!
You want to get involved in the mix? I have a project for all of my patients. Many of you comment on my art and I am making a new installation that I want you to be a part of. In the next month, I'd like you to bring in something, anything that is max 3 inches by 3 inches. This will have to be something you part with because once it's incorporated into my art project it stays in the office forever. Also, to protect your confidentiality, make sure it's not something that can identify you as a patient (personal picture, etc.). Also, make sure it's not perishable because it's potentially going to be in the waiting area a long time and I can't have it mold or go bad out there.
I'm looking forward to building a project together with all of you!
Sincerely,
Dr. L
LA COOP, PA
