Parenting through the Holidays

FREE WORKSHOP 12/4/13 FROM 5:30-6:30pm: PARENTING THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS

Join us at Pfeiffer Institute Reach on Wednesday, December 4, from 5:30-6:30. You may be on your way home from work or school, worrying about getting through the evening and getting everything done before tomorrow. If you stop, though, and take this time to plan the kinds of things you'd like to do with -- the way you'd like to be with -- your children, you will notice that your holidays will be more what you want, instead of just reacting to what happens. At the workshop, you will have the opportunity to learn some parenting tips, as well as brainstorm about what you want to do for your specific situation. Whatever your goal, come to Reach on Wednesday, December 4, from 5:30 - 6:30. The hour you spend with us can make a positive difference for your holiday season!

Spend the Holiday Honoring Your Values

by Laura Bryan, PhD, Clinic Director

The holidays are fast approaching, and with them plenty of stress! It would help to be thoughtful about making the holidays a time you honor your values -- time spent with family -- instead of joining the rush of consumerism and parties.

Easier said than done. That's why Pfeiffer Institute Reach is offering a free workshop to help you focus and consider your options. Join us at the clinic on Wednesday, November 20, from 5:30-6:30. You may be on your way home from work or school, worrying about getting through the evening and getting everything done before tomorrow. If you stop, though, and take this time to plan, you will notice that your holidays will be more what you want, instead of just reacting to what happens.

At the workshop, you will have the opportunity to learn some stress/time management hints, as well as brainstorm about what you want to do for your specific situation. Do you want to focus on honoring your relationship with your partner, expressing gratitude for the gift of being together? Do you want to help your children understand your family traditions, and why they're important to all of you? Maybe you want to be sure you enjoy your "family of choice" -- the friends who get you through the rest of the year.

Whatever your goal, come to Reach on Wednesday, November 20, from 5:30 - 6:30. The hour you spend with us can make a positive difference for your holiday season!

Self Care

by Mackenzie Toland, Reach Therapist Intern

       All too often we find ourselves burning the midnight oil in our careers, our friendships, and our families. As Americans we have a tendency to work ourselves out of the pleasures of life. We are doing our careers and our interpersonal relationships a great injustice by not taking out time just to breathe and relax. This blog post is about granting ourselves permission to let go and do something for ourselves.
It is important to understand that self-care can help us when we least expect it. Self-care can be looked at as a shield of protection when things get difficult. The healthier we allow ourselves to be on the inside; the easier it will be to accept challenges that come our way. It is like the preventative maintenance tool of coping. Although challenges will remain difficult, we will have an extra tool in our toolbox to help us combat the stress. Not only will we be able to combat stress better but self-care also helps to enhance the overall experience of life.
       A great example of this is that I recently ran across an incredible artist and she was telling me the story behind one of her pieces. She explained to me that she was feeling lost and stuck and was having an extremely difficult time finding inspiration. She spoke of the great frustration and distress that it brought her to be without inspiration. She said that she decided to go on an artistic retreat in order to reset and renew and on the last day she created the piece we were speaking of. She described the piece as just flowing out of her once she had found peace within her self.
      Perhaps this scenario sounds familiar to you. Maybe you are feeling "stuck," whether it is in your career, your marriage, your life, and you are looking to find peace.  Therapy is an amazing vehicle for self-care, as well as, personal growth. With Pfeiffer Institute Reach’s affordable prices and empathetic ears, what are you waiting for?