Lisa Wolk RDN, LD The Center for Mind Body Nutrition

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1 Lisa Wolk RDN, LD The Center for Mind Body Nutrition

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3 Coping well with disruptions Bouncing back easily from setbacks Overcoming adversity Ability to change direction when the old way is no longer working

4 with a fresh, green living core. When twisted out of shape, such as a twig bends, but it does not break; instead, it George Vaillant in Aging Well

5 developing brain is the most malleable and most sensitive to experience, (This is why we so easily and rapidly learn language, social nuance, motor skills, and dozens of other things in childhood, and why we A. Masten (1994)

6 Most of us, at some point, will be struck by one or more major traumas For some, these events will cause chronic stress, possibly lasting for years Some, may become depressed, withdrawn, cynical or angry Some, will take up drinking or drugs to numb the pain In contrast, some will meet the challenge and after a period of time, bounce back and carry on Some will evolve better than before the tragedy and find it as an opportunity for growth

7 Realistic Optimism Confronting Fear Social Support Healthy Moral Compass Religion or Spirituality Healthy Role Models Physical Fitness Brain Fitness Cognitive and Emotional Flexibility Meaning and Purpose in Life

8 The opposite of learned optimism is learned helplessness Positive emotion helps us increase our creativity, physical health, and relationships There is a hereditary component to an optimistic personality, but this can be improved, even in the pessimist Optimism provides energy to power the rest of the resilience factors Optimists are more likely to report that their lives have meaning

9 The greater the optimism in the caregiver, the more likely he or she is to be engaged with the patient A patient who expects an optimistic outcome will be more likely adhere to treatment goals and actively pursue them

10 Make a true statement of your abilities and increase it by 10% Stamp a clear picture in your mind of your success no matter how badly things seem in the moment Journal a list of positive and peaceful thoughts daily Do not build up obstacles in your imagination Start each day by affirming positive, successful, peaceful, and happy attitudes Cultivate friendships with those who share this hopeful attitude Avoid conversations that involve heavy amounts of worry

11 When something bad happens: Where there is currently pain, over time, good things will return One day at a time Bring in resources and support where you can Find the good in the situation

12 When something good happens: Give yourself credit for your role event Think of ways to extend the good happening into other areas of your life Ask yourself the following questions: What is the evidence for this negative belief? Is there a less destructive way of looking at this belief? Am I catastrophizing or exaggerating the potential negative impact of the situation? How useful is my pessimistic approach at hand?

13 What you think, you become; What you feel, you attract; What you imagine, you create. Buddha, The Dhammapada

14 The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light; But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. Bible, Matthew 6:22

15 All or nothing Mind reading Fortune telling Magnification/Minimization Should statements Labeling Emotional reasoning Perfectionism Comparison Self- righteousness Approval- seeking

16 The Science of Resiliency

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18 Fight or Flight Reaction Release of catecholamines HPA Axis (Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis) is the flight system These responses are perfect in a dangerous situation but not on a chronic basis

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20 Stress (Allostatic Loading) Selective = Vulnerability Resiliency Factors Adapted from Dr. Greg Fricchione, Benson Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine Propensity to Illness

21 Associated with elevated allostatic loading Higher levels of HTN, Coronary Disease, Diabetes, Depression and Anxiety

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24 We live in different subjective worlds even though the world we live in is the same Happy: Motivated by reward (top- down response) Unhappy: Motivated by fear (bottom- up response) Same situation can have 2 different responses depending on where your brain is living

25 Techniques to protect the brain and body from the toxic effects of stress can be learned You can develop a stress- resilient mindset You can learn stress resilient skills to: Reduce anxiety Elevate mood Experience a more positive mood Enhance calm, mindful behavior

26 MINDFULNESS

27 The awareness that arises by paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and non- judgementally. Jon Kabat- Zinn

28 Understanding mindfulness as a practice rather than an idea Any transformational changes must be experienced

29 Most of our day is governed by habit and inattention Our thoughts tend to travel from past events to future anticipations spending very little time in the present We have little understanding as to why we have particular thoughts or repetitive thoughts When we do stay in the present, we tend to churn out relatively useless information.

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31 Intoxication Food Entertainment Over- devotion Incessantly busy lives Hours on the internet

32 Make snap judgements about ourselves and others based on little evidence Spin out false stories Compare ourselves to others. Put ourselves down

33 Cultivation of Attention Sustained Awareness

34 Beginning Check In This is a brief 3 minute practice that you can use to be mindful of the present moment and center yourself for whatever is coming next in your day. Although short, it can help you recognize how you are feeling mentally, physically, and emotionally. This practice can be incorporated into your daily life, using it as often as you like throughout the day. I suggest practicing with your eyes closed and in a quiet environment where you will not be disturbed. It can be done sitting or lying down, but in a way that will not promote sleep. Take a few moments to be still. Take a few deep breaths. Feel the belly rise and the air coming in through your nose on the in breath and feel your belly contracting as you breath out. Once more, breathing in through your nose and releasing through your mouth. Begin the mindful check- in by feeling into your body and mind and simply allowing for any waves of thought, emotion, or physical sensation. Perhaps this is the first break you have taken during a busy day. As you begin to enter the world of being, rather than doing, you may notice several feelings that you have been carrying around throughout your morning/day. You may notice sensations in your head or neck or shoulders that you had not previously noticed. There is no need to judge, analyze, or figure anything out. Just allow yourself to be here and now, amidst everything that is this present moment. Allow any thoughts to be acknowledged and watch them dissipate. As you come to the end of the mindful check- in, congratulate yourself for taking the time to take care of your health and well- being. Begin to come back to the room and when you are ready, you can open your eyes.

35 Practice 1: The Three Minute Breathing Space Minute 1 Awareness Take a pause. If you care to, closing your eyes. Bringing your attention to your body: noticing bodily sensations (heaviness, lightness, temperature, breath rate, heart rate, ect.); then attending to your thoughts: Is your mind calm? Are your thoughts racing? What is the quality of thought? (dense, light, fleeting, ect.) Then attending to mood states: How do you feel in the moment? (peaceful, anxious, joyful, sad, ect.). Acknowledge and register your experience, even if it is unwanted. Minute 2 Gathering Then, gently bring your attention to your breathing, to each in- breath and to each out- breath, as they follow, one after the other. When your attention is drawn away, noticing that, and gently bringing it back to the breath. Minute 3 Expanding Expand the field of your awareness beyond the breath, back to the sensations in the body, thoughts and mood state. Checking in to how it is with you now. This breathing space provides a way to step out of automatic pilot mode and reconnect with the present moment. Freely adapted from Segal, Z.V. Williams, J.M.G., and Teasdale, J.D. (2002) Mindfulness- based cognitive therapy for depression. A new approach for preventing relapse, new york: Guilford Press Practice 2: Relaxing Sighs Inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth, making a quiet, relaxing sigh as you exhale. Taking long, slow, gentle breaths that rise and lower your abdomen as you inhale and exhale. Focusing on the sound and feeling of your breath. You can use cues throughout your daily routine to remind yourself to take three to six relaxing sighs (red lights while driving, telephone sounds, waiting for elevators, waiting in line, ect.) You may want to place stickers in areas where you look frequently, or MBSR for Professionals: presented by Jefferson- Myrna Brind Center for Integrative Medicine

36 ALLOW By Danna Faulds There is no controlling life. Try corralling a lightning bolt, containing a tornado. Dam a stream and it will create a new channel. Resist, and the tide will sweep you off your feet. Allow, and grace will carry you to higher ground. The only safety lies in letting it all in the wild and the weak; fear, fantasies, failures and success. When loss rips off the doors of the heart, or sadness veils your vision with despair, practice becomes simply bearing the truth. In the choice to let go of your known way of being, the whole world is revealed to your new eyes.

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39 Benson, H., Proctor, W. (2010).Relaxation Revolution: Enhancing your personal health through the science of genetics of mind body healing. New York, NY: Scribner Contu, D. (2002). How Resilience Works. Harvard Business Review. May, Folkman, S. (1997) Positive psychological states and coping with severe stress. Social Science and Medicine (1982), 45 (8), Kabat- Zinn, J. (2013). Full catastrophe living. New York, NY: Bantam Books Peale, N.V. (1952). The Power of Positive Thinking. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice- Hall. Seligman, M.E.P. (1998) Learned optimism: How to change your mind and your life. New York, NY: Free Press Seligman, M.E.P. (2002). Authentic Happiness: Using the new positive psychology to realize your potential for lasting fulfillment. New York, NY: Free Press Southwick, S., Charney, D. (2012). Cambridge University Press Stahl, B., Goldstein, E. (2010). A mindfulness- based stress reduction workbook. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc. The role of mindfulness in Positive Reappraisal. Author manuscript; available in PCM 2009 Jul 31. Published in final edited form as: Explore (NY). 2009;5 (1): doi: /j.explore