News and Articles:FALL SHORTIES

July 2010

Dear Colleagues in Ministry,

Here they are already: your Fall Shorties, ready to use when you need them.

The enclosed topics for this Fall are:

September - When 9/11 Won’t Stop (how to address symptoms of PTSD)

October - Being Larry Bird (tapping into one’s inner resources)

November - Savor Food Month (being intentional about the joys of eating)

What did you think of this season’s Shorties? I welcome your feedback. My office number in Jenkintown is: 215-887-8092 and in Hatboro is: 215-675-8646. My e-mail address is: mardhub@comcast.net.

May you find many moments of joy and refreshment this summer. Blessings!

Peace,

Mary

Mary Dyer Hubbard Pastoral Counselor and Shorty Author

September Shorty 2010 When 9/11 Won’t Stop

You know exactly where you were when you first saw that plane slicing into the tower. Maybe that image seared your mind, forever altering your taken-for-granted sense of safety. Or perhaps other more personal events have induced in you this pervasive vigilance: a car accident, a violent crime, the suicide or sudden death of a loved one, a natural disaster, war, family violence or abuse, the diagnosis of a life threatening illness, rape. You may be dealing with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) which is harming your life physically, emotionally and relationally. Seek help.

Therapy with a mental health professional can validate your experience and give you skills and support to reclaim your life. Medication may be recommended. You can be proactive in your own healing: talk about your experience, be intentional about relaxing, eat right, seek inner peace, exercise, stay involved with people. You were traumatized in the past - don’t let it steal your present and future.

Contacting a mental health professional could be your first step in easing the high-alert anxiety of PTSD. (Call 215-247-6077 for the Samaritan Counseling Center nearest you.)

October Shorty 2010 Being Larry Bird

He was a tall strong man who didn’t know how to claim his own body. He walked with shoulders hunched and eyes averted. He was my counseling client. A looming holiday business party filled him dread and intensified his shyness to panic proportions. I asked if he could think of anyone he wished he could be when walking into that event. “Larry Bird,” he said after a long pause. “He was big and gawky but seemed comfortable in his skin both on and off the basketball court.” “Do it!” I said. “For one night, walk into that room and be Larry Bird!”

He came back to the next session with elation. Being Larry Bird was terrific! He walked tall, looked people in the eye and laughed unselfconsciously. “But I’m not Larry Bird!” he wailed. “But you are!” I said. “There is a Larry Bird part of you inside that you didn’t even know you had. You just had to access it and thinking of being Larry Bird gave you the key!” (So who is your Larry Bird?)

If you need some guidance in tapping into your powerful, graceful or self-confident inner self, consider a consultation. (Call 215-247-6077 for the Samaritan Counseling Center nearest you.)

November Shorty 2010 Savor Food Month

“Twenty-one minutes,” my sister said in sad disbelief. “I spend all week on that Thanksgiving dinner and it gets gobbled down in 21 minutes.” Contrast that with the woman who took a class on savoring. “We each had one raisin,” she explained, “and we were to experience it with as much awareness as possible. So I looked at it from all angles, I smelled it, I rubbed it between my fingers, I even listened to it! Then I put it in my mouth and let my tongue discover its contours and flavors. Moments later, I gently chewed it and experienced various tastes and textures. I kept that raisin in my mouth until the last morsel disappeared. I will never forget that raisin!”

November is a fabulous month for food. Before, during and after Thanksgiving, there will be treats to delight our senses. Make the most of them! Close your eyes. Inhale the aromas. Let your tongue decipher flavors and seasonings. Chew with awareness. Swallow well before taking in the next bite. It may will be the best you ever ate!

If you find yourself rushing through experiences of taste and pleasure, you may want to discover why you can’t allow yourself the joys of savoring. (Call 215-247-6077 for the Samaritan Counseling Center nearest you.)