ASF Counselling
440 Elizabeth Street Unit 302 Burlington, ON, Canada

If you’re setting activities and tasks to do but find the push or motivation to go through with it difficult to find, try the 5 minute rule. Set yourself up to do the activity for 5 minutes. If you’ve been able to do the activity for 5 minutes, consider it complete. For example: if you’ve made a plan to dust furniture, set out to do it for 5 minutes. After that, you can consider it complete and check it off your list. You may surprise yourself with what you can get done in that time, or you might find yourself doing the activity longer than you expected. By doing the task, even for 5 minutes, you’ve taken a step towards engaging in an activity you may have previously avoided altogether. #5minuterule #behaviouralactivation #christinepadesky

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In his book, The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D., writes: Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives. Numerous studies of disaster response around the globe have shown that social support is the most powerful protection against becoming overwhelmed by stress and trauma...being truly heard and seen by the people around us, feeling t...hat we are held in someone else’s mind and heart. As we navigate through this uncertain time, it’s important to remember that social distancing doesn’t have to mean emotional distancing. Take the time to have those video calls or phone calls to keep in touch with your loved ones, just as you would have planned to meet them for dinner or a coffee, or otherwise. Check in with one another. Let each other know that you’re thinking of them. In some cases, it might provide a sense of comfort knowing that we are not alone, and indeed going through this as a collective. A sense of togetherness. If you’re having difficulty navigating through this time, and need a safe space to work through your thoughts and emotions, it’s important to note that many therapists, including myself, have moved their practices to virtual platforms to continue providing support for our clients. #telehealth #socialsupport #mentalhealthsupport #psychotherapy