www.tinkerpsychotherapy.com

GRATITUDE may sound like a woo-woo buzzword to many who are struggling with serious issues mental, physical, and situational in nature. However, it is a critical coping mechanism to surviving and thriving amidst such painful circumstances. My most poignant experiences in this vein were those I saw working with those with cancers, many terminal. While there were periods of "this is not fair" (and it was not fair), there were sustained acknowledgement of gratitude, for family, ...friends, lovers, co-workers, grandchildren, resources, means of expression, hobbies, and so much more. It was such a lesson! Think, if you were lost, frightened, confused, and desperate.... could you take half a minute to see an object of beauty, to admit relief that you had a granola bar and bottle of water, to have faith that it would be ok,- all that would be gratitude. ( I am not talking about celebrating in the midst of tragedy.) You would be coping in a proper way to help your head stay clear enough to find your way out. This is what I try to explain to my clients who are struggling with mighty issues causing them depression, anxiety, grief, anger, and confusion. It isn't easy. It isn't easy to teach as it is so rarely discussed. Just for today, THINK about gratitude in the midst of agonizing frustration. https://www.huffpost.com//practice-gratitude-everything-su See more

A Perfect Storm: COVID and SAD (seasonal affective disorder) are joining forces to demoralize the populace again. We need to be ready to combat it. First, if you tend toward anxiety, depression, insomnia, be ready. Secondly, have a plan to eat right, exercise, talk with friends, healthy distractions (think hobbies, books, tv/movies, meditation, cooking, volunteering, etc). Third, talk to your doctor to consider medication. Antidepressants, vitamin D3 supplements, and light therapy can be very effective. Lastly, seek out a therapist. We can do in-person or telehealth. We can do breathing exercises, in-person hypnotherapy can be helpful, and perhaps investigating any root issues could be very helpful. Winter does not last forever. https://www.cnn.com//seasonal-affective-disorde/index.html

95% of the people I know, both personally and professionally (including myself), are struggling with a lack of focus. This is called Cognitive Overload, as what was rote is now complex. Many believe that by negatively berating themselves with derogatory inner-self-talk ('stop being a lazy bum') and are surprised that the tactic does not work. Sure, when you need to get up on a cold morning, such talk might work temporarily.... but it lacks effectiveness long term. As the mot...her of a son on the Autism spectrum, who is consistently overloaded sensory and cognitively, I have found that there are two ways to handle. First step: break things down to simple tasks, organize, and do one thing at a time. Secondly: Speak nicely and reward yourself as often as possible. Simple example is that same cold morning to get out of bed: what do I NEED to do? Feed pets, let out dog, get ready for work. These can involved hundreds of steps! Try not to be distracted by other tasks, just yet. Keep it simple. Shuffle downstairs, turning on lights. The pet food and bowls are set up in advance, even the animals know the precise order of events and cooperate. Next is coffee, the reward for getting out of the warm bed. Guess what? It is all set up and ready to go, just push the button. Let the dog out. Put in the toast. See? One thing at a time, organized as much as possible, no rush or fuss. This is the way to combat overload. The entire day isn't like this, of course. But doing the best to set things up means stuff happens and it isn't your fault. Speak nicely inside your head because beating yourself decreases efficiency and joy! See more

The answer to many of the world's woes is education and community development and outreach. Trauma, addiction, and poverty drive a majority of crimes, so addressing these matters help. This is why folks are campaigning for funds to add social workers, trained by police, to facilitate more than a few criminal arrests. A 12 step program for hate would be beyond awesome! https://www.cnn.com//former-white-supremacist-h/index.html