Mental Health Tool Kit

I can imagine you thinking, "what on earth" is this lady talking about?"
Visions of hammers and nails going through your mind.
Does she expect us to do woodwork?


Please stay with me as this blog can assist anyone.
Regardless of whether you have a mental illness or not, most of us have days when we feel down.
We might not necessarily be depressed but just don't feel ourselves.
When counseling people, part of what we work towards is not only getting them better but also to help them return to a place where they were before they got unwell, a place of mental and emotional equilibrium.
We also work on improving their self esteem and feeling good about themselves.
This can be achieved with goal setting but it is also important to have a wellness plan to stay well and prevent a relapse.
Another important thing to consider is that building our self esteem needs to come from within ourselves. It is lovely when someone else gives you a compliment or makes you feel good about yourself but unfortunately we can not rely on this happening all the time.


Often months after someone has become well, they will come back and say that they think they are having a relapse. In so many cases this is not what is happening but they had stopped following their plan that we had made during therapy and prior to closing them from our service.


So you ask, what has this to do with a tool kit?
A mental health "tool kit" is a list of things that you identify that have helped you in the past or that you think may help you in the future.
When we feel down we often forget about the things we enjoy that make us feel good.
We also do this when we get busy with life, for many people treating themselves by having some "you" time is forsaken for your family or job.
With a mental health tool kit, you get out where you have made your kit and do one of the activities.


Examples of this are:
- talking to someone you trust
- meditation, you can find many good, free ones on YouTube
- exercise that you enjoy or try something new like a yoga class or aqua aerobics
- put on your favorite upbeat music and dance
- go for a cup of coffee with a friend
- treat yourself to a manicure, facial, hair treatment or cut, there are may recipes on the internet for making your own hair treatment, facial products using what is in your house already or fruit, oats etc.
- pack a picnic and take it to a park or the beach
- go shopping at a second hand store if you can afford it, even just browsing can be fun
- play with a pet
- do something you used to enjoy like gardening
- if you have bath, use it
- read that book you got for Christmas or join your local library and borrow one.
- do that crossword in the newspaper you have been meaning to do
- watch a comedy on television or hire a funny movie, humor is very therapeutic
- star gaze
The list is endless and you decide what to put on it.
I encourage you to do one thing a day for yourself that is easy and free like read that book, one thing a week that may require a bit more effort like cook dinner and eat outside with candlelight and one thing a month that is a treat like going to a movie or out for dinner.
Doing one of your activities will usually make you feel better, please try it and I would love to know how you go and what helps you.


If this idea does not lift your mood, please visit my website and contact me, I can help you.
http://www.valkeenalifecoachaustralia.com/life-coaching-and-counselling.html