Positive Transformation During This Difficult Time

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Written by: Roni Horak, RSI Clinical Director for Behavioral Health and Counseling Services

 

Our vision for moving forward continues to shift as our world is adapting to many changes in our safety needs, protocols, and day-to-day practices. Living in a time of pandemic is difficult, to say the least. However, how we choose to navigate this journey can have a profound impact on what our lives will look like on the other side of this. If, for a moment, we were to work with the notion that the only choice was to navigate this time period with a mindset of opportunity for personal growth, what would our world look like? What positive changes would we see?  Embracing an “opportunity mindset” and framework when in difficult situations will help us rise to a level of positive transformation.    

 

This is a time to look for transformation in ourselves and our lives.

 

A time for changes, of discarding things that bogged you down and brought negativity or influenced you to go outside of your own values or ethics. It’s making small agreements with yourself about what will continue to be important in your life and what you want to let go of.

 

A time to focus on long-awaited goals and dreams, of looking at the things we felt we didn’t have the time for and can now dedicate ourselves to accomplishing.

 

A time to prioritize what we value, and what we want to spend more time doing in the future. A time to recognize what has been put to the side due to the rush of life, conflicts, or lack of support. 

 

This is a time of refocus and renewal.

 

 

Learn more about Roni’s work at RSI on our Outpatient Counseling page.

It’s National Nurses Week!

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Written by: Claire Farmer-Lies, Marketing and Communications Specialist

 

National Nurses Week starts today and goes til May 12th!

We are so grateful for our team of talented RNs and LPNs, and the crucial support they provide to our homes, the people we support, and to all of our direct-care employees.

An excerpt from a letter to our Health Services team, written by Executive Director Jon Nelson:

May 6, 2020 is National Nurses Day, part of National Nurses Week that runs through May 12, 2020. May 12 is the birthday of Florence Nightingale. If you do not know who she is you should Google her. Especially because our very own Health Services Director, Mary Hallsten, is nominated for the Florence award this year. This award recognizes the nurses in our region who best represents the traits of Florence Nightingale – Empathy, Innovation, and Mission.

When Mary learned of her nomination, she was quick to point out that any success she has had is due to the wonderful group of nurses at RSI.

RSI’s nurses had us prepared for dealing with something like COVID-19 because of all the training, protocols, and support mechanisms they have put in place. Their focus on the details of proper handwashing, cleaning and sanitation, use of protective equipment, and monitoring people for signs and symptoms, has put us in a good position to manage the concerns that come with COVID-19. None of us should take this for granted. Having nurses available to support us during this crisis is making the fear and anxiety that comes with COVID-19 more manageable.

Please join me in thanking RSI’s nurses for everything they do every day at RSI. For the caring and compassion they bring to their jobs and for their commitment to supporting anyone who wants to live more independently at RSI. Please extend a word of appreciation to any nurse you see this week and let them know you recognize the value they bring to RSI.

Thank you to all RSI nurses, you deserve the recognition.

 

Searching for Certainty in Uncertain Times

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By: Jeff Mortimore, RSI Community Connector

 

I’m probably like many people these days, spending a lot of time trying to dissect the news and educating myself on how best to navigate these uncertain waters. Unless I’m missing something, I have yet to see anything certain about the path ahead. We think there are experts, looking to science and modeling, who can see the future ahead. However, we often see these claims refuted, only to be replaced with blame and frustration. We make ourselves delirious, spinning our minds through the same handful of scenarios we come up with over and over, never feeling any closer to a resolution.

However, it seems a great paradox of life that it is actually through embracing the uncertainty, we thrive. Our lives are greatly determined by what we do when faced with uncertainty. Without uncertainty, we might never grow because we would never be pushed beyond our comfort zones. Contrary to popular ideas, not knowing exactly what will happen in our lives is okay. In fact, it can actually be quite liberating…if you can begin to let go. We are all different in how much uncertainty we can tolerate in our lives. Some people seem to enjoy taking risks and living with unpredictability, while others find the randomness in life deeply distressing. But, we all have our limit. If you feel overwhelmed by uncertainty and worry, it’s important to know that you’re not alone. As they say, “we’re all in this together!”

I don’t pretend to have all (or any) answers to this new crisis, as it’s new ground to cover and the landscape is a little less defined. However, I do know that worrying about the future is a bit tricky.  Unfortunately, chronic worrying can’t give you more control over uncontrollable events; instead, it just robs you of enjoyment in the present, saps your energy, and keeps you up at night. But, there are healthier ways to cope—and that begins with adjusting your current mindset. 

For myself, I have to begin by forcing myself to look at my mindset. What real control do I have to save our world, our community, even our businesses? However, I do have control of who I contact, how I contact them, and what message I convey. It all comes down to my attitude and emotional response, and that can make a difference to a person who needs love and connection in their life. Some of my recent conversations have been transformative, yet so simple. I don’t think that we as human beings are looking for anything sensational at this point, but it is in the reflection and reassurance that we get our strength.

I think there is a sense of peace when we can learn to accept uncertainty, and recognize when you feel the need to be certain. One of the surest ways to avoid excessive worrying about the future is to focus on the present. Instead of trying to predict what might happen, switch your attention to what IS happening right now. By being fully connected to the present, you can interrupt the negative assumptions and catastrophic predictions running through your mind. I have heard it said that the furthest distance in the universe is from the head to the heart, but it is in the stillness that we find this path. It is in the quiet space that we can get out of our heads and connect deeply with ourselves, thereby allowing ourselves to be open to possibilities and opportunities when they arrive. But, here’s the big takeaway: this might take a new dedication, a new mindset, and a new way of seeing yourself and the world. But, I do think that this is a time to be kind to yourself, be more curious, and attend to your need for becoming more grounded in the reality of uncertainty.

 

Learn more about Jeff’s work at RSI on our Community Connections page.

Supporting our Children While Caring for Ourselves

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Written by: Roni Horak, RSI Clinical Director for Behavioral Health and Counseling Services

 

Everyone struggles in their own way, and we always view the world from our own lens. When we experience challenging moments and traumatic events, we naturally react and respond in different ways as well. Through the aging process, we also develop tools and coping mechanisms based on our past traumas, triumphs, and life experiences. 

Have you ever noticed that when you are around calm people you feel calm? Similar emotional exchanges can occur with stress, anxiety, and frustration coming from others, and we may respond in the same way. Young people are no different in this. While children have the ability to experience a range of emotions and challenges just like adults, they may rely more on changes in behavior and emotional dysregulation to express their feelings.

Helping children during this time can be challenging, as we are also attempting to understand what’s going on around us and trying to maintain balance. Parents will make more progress by taking care of themselves and by “putting their oxygen mask on first” so that they can take care of others. In my practice, I often use metaphors to help us understand concepts, and this is one I find particularly helpful. I know there are parents out there trying to manage these sudden and drastic changes to our everyday life, so there is no better time to make sure you put your “oxygen mask” on first right now. Allow yourself some grace during this time. I know that things have changed in so many ways and you’re suddenly cooking more meals, doing more cleaning, helping your children with eLearning, and spending long hours at home. So, to all the parents out there: you are amazing and you are doing the best you can, so remember to be patient with yourself. It’s also important to extend that patience to the children in your life who may be struggling to understand everything that is going on in the world right now.

A round of applause for all of the young people who have been through so much this year and continue to push through. They are staying in more, they are away from friends and loved ones, they have new routines and rules, and so many other changes that they may not understand fully. Children can be extremely resilient but every day our little humans are experiencing this right along with us.  

 

Things to watch for during this time:

Here are some things that can indicate anxiety, fear, stress, and confusion in children: 

  • Excessive crying or irritation
  • Returning to behaviors they have outgrown
  • Excessive worry or sadness
  • Unhealthy eating (undereating or binge eating)
  • Change in sleeping patterns
  • Irritability and “acting out” 
  • Difficulty with attention
  • Decreased concentration
  • Avoidance of activities enjoyed in the past
  • Unexplained headaches or body pain
  • Small tasks appear to be overwhelming

Ways to support children:

  • Reassure safety by going over everything that your household is doing to prevent illness such as good exercise, cleanliness, and social distancing.
  • Offer to help them look at what they CAN control and let the rest go. Offer to help them look at what they CAN do versus what they aren’t able to do at this time.
  • Honor and validate their feelings. Facilitate a conversation about what each family member is feeling during dinner time and share how your family unit will overcome.
  • Encourage and model a hopeful attitude. This will pass in time, and our lives are forever changed, so look at the positive aspects this time has provided and will continue to provide for our new future.
  • Share tools and coping options such as stretching, tag in the yard, yoga, or writing a letter to a friend or loved one.
  • Limit news coverage. We want to stay informed, but excessive coverage may have a negative impact on emotions and increase fear.
  • Monitor misinterpretation of news and correct it. Pay attention that comes from organizations like the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and other credible sources.
  • Keep a routine (structure your day, take breaks, and maintain a high-quality evening routine that promotes good sleep)
  • Find connections in new forms (phone calls, handwritten letters, and video meetings)
  • Last but not least for the parents and caregivers, “put your own oxygen mask on first.”

 

 

Learn more about Roni’s work at RSI on our Outpatient Counseling page.

Resilience in Life’s Challenges

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By: Jeff Mortimore, RSI Community Connector

 

“Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”
― Nelson Mandela

I love the word resilience and have always been drawn to stories of survival and overcoming the odds. Adversity is sure to come to each of us in life. Will we be crippled by it or see an opportunity for growth? The answer lies in our ability to be resilient.  

Perhaps the best definition of resilience is: “the power or ability to return to original form or position after being bent, stretched, compressed; elasticity. The ability to recover from illness, depression, setback, or the like: buoyancy.” 

This pandemic has challenged us in many ways. Many of the stories I hear these days are framed as stories of loss. Whether it’s losing a loved one, employment, or just everyday routine. We have all experienced loss in some way. But, for many of us, this loss has led to opportunity. 

First, resilience takes a lot of self-discipline. It takes a lot of concentration to block out the noise and the clutter of all the negative voices trying to get through. It would take a lot of self-reliance to avoid blame and contempt. That self-reliance to know that in your heart and mind you have the skills, the talent, and the strength to overcome adversity. Cultivating a resilient character turns failure into success. Our history is riddled with these stories, from celebrities to everyday heroes. A resilient person doesn’t give up. A resilient person will, in spite of obstacles and setbacks, transform failure into success. Resilience is not always an easy practice. Unfortunately, it is built through challenging experiences. However, after some personal experience and research, I‘ve been able to see some common threads.

Resilience comes from within: Resilience requires personal initiative. As a resilient person, you have to count on yourself to bounce back. Although resilience is an independent practice, it’s also tied to others. The more people you are responsible for, the greater your motivation to begin again- the stronger the reason, the stronger the motivation!

Resilience has an element of creativity: Resilience is rarely scripted. With resilience, you are able to look at a situation, assess the landscape, and creatively take the best way out. You need to develop the ability to ask yourself tough questions and answer honestly. If you had something to do with your outcome, be honest and take responsibility for it.

Resilience requires an element of humor: It’s hard to see the humor in loss, and you may cry until you start laughing, but a sense of humor is so important when turning your life around. You’ve got to take your goals and strategy seriously, and you have to take yourself seriously. But when the time is right, it’s also important to be able to laugh at yourself and your situation.  

The funny thing about resilience is that it has a compound effect on our sense of self-awareness.  Survival can lead to confidence and an ability to see yourself differently. This pandemic is challenging us all in different ways, some more than others. But in the end, it will be those that have developed resilience who will bounce back with more insight and confidence. It starts with clarity, and you don’t get it through the news. I urge you to take the time to look deeply into yourself and the lessons learned daily. What can I do better? Who can I treat better? What do I need to add or subtract in my life to lighten the load and heaviness of this situation? Resilience requires initiative, and today is a great day to start!

Learn more about Jeff’s work at RSI on our Community Connections page.

The Power of Words and Positivity

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Written by: Roni Horak, RSI Clinical Director for Behavioral Health and Counseling Services

 

The language and the negative lens we sometimes use to view things have become increasingly bothersome to me. The words we use impact how we interpret the information that is coming to us. I worry that some of the terms I have been hearing more of recently could lead to increased anxiety, depression, and feelings of isolation. 

 

Social Distancing: In the context of health and safety, “social distancing” means to physically stay six feet or more from others to limit the spread of infection. Here, “distancing” is used to describe physical space. However, we know now more than ever that we can remain social without sharing a physical space. We could think of “social distancing”  as physical safety or our safety bubble.

Social Isolation: This is another term that is often used when talking about safety measures. However, we know that people are actually using social media like Facebook, video conferencing like Zoom and Skype, TikTok, YouTube and a variety of social tools to stay connected. There is no need to isolate completely. We do, however, have to find a way to connect differently. I’ve heard some people say that they actually feel closer to others now. People have reconnected, mended fences. I prefer to use the term “social reconnection.”

 

 

There are a variety of new words being used during this time. We may not always choose the best way to describe or influence during a crisis, but we can reframe our understanding of these words without losing their meaning and importance. At times of crisis, it is natural to experience a variety of emotions from one moment to the next. It is my hope that after the dust settles we see this experience for what it is and then put things into a healthy perspective. 

 

Remember that these words are used out of necessity, to be sure we share a common understanding of the world around us at this moment in time.  However, there are ways we can take these ideas and look at them more positively without losing the importance of their meaning and our shared mission for safety.

Learn more about Roni’s work at RSI on our Outpatient Counseling page.