marynaimielcsw-blog

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Whether it's difficulties falling to sleep initially, light sleep, frequent waking, or unwanted early morning waking; sleep troubles are rampant. My 20 minute audio, "Sleep Meditation" Is available for FREE for a limited time my blog. Sleep Meditation is a 20 minute audio recording designed to help you improve your sleep. Meditation is one part of an overall holistic approach sleep. For optimal sleep improvement, it's important to practice daily sleep hygiene habits that include food intake, stress management, exercise, and lifestyle habits. Sweet Dreams!Download

[marynaimielcsw-blog]

Whether it's difficulties falling to sleep initially, light sleep, frequent waking, or unwanted early morning waking; sleep troubles are rampant. My 20 minute audio, "Sleep Meditation" Is available for FREE for a limited time my blog. Sleep Meditation is a 20 minute audio recording designed to help you improve your sleep. Meditation is one part of an overall holistic approach sleep. For optimal sleep improvement, it's important to practice daily sleep hygiene habits that encompass food intake, stress management, exercise, and lifestyle habits. Sweet Dreams!Download

[marynaimielcsw-blog]

10 Days in the Jungle: Reflections From A Girl's Trip

10 Days in the Jungle: Reflections From A Girl’s Trip

I’m so very fortunate to have a tribe of women that date back to ten years of age.  We’re all turning 53 now.  I’m the first birthday each year and they roll out from there.  It was fun when I turned 16 first, 18 first, 21 first, now…..not so much.

All of my besties have taken different paths in life – some had kids young, some later, I didn’t have children of my own at all.  Together we are…

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High Achieving Teens & Stress

High Achieving Teens & Stress

  When I first started working with teens, almost 30 years ago, the demographic of issues was what one would think for teens entering counseling – off track, poor grades, high conflict with parents, drug use, etc.  In the early days of my practice it was very rare for a high achieving teen to come through my doors.

In the past 10 years those numbers have switched.  By far the greatest number of…

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Anxiety and Sleep

  Restless and sleepless nights frequently accompany anxiety disorders.  It’s one of the most troubling symptoms presented by my clients, and typically the first symptom they want help with.

Prior to landing in my office, some have been prescribed sleep medications by their physicians.  And while the medications may “work”; in that the client is now falling to sleep, they come with a host of…

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Holistic Therapies for Anxiety

Holistic Therapies for Anxiety

I’ve been asked over the years if I have a specialty in my practice.  My answer is that I’m a generalist and work with a wide variety of people and diagnoses.  However, the largest diagnoses I see in my practice are anxiety disorders.

Anxiety comes in many forms:  Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Adjustment Reaction with Anxiety, Social Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive…

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The Loss of My Mother: Part 3 Home Hospice

Part 3: Home Hospice

I had always promised mom that I would take care of her at the end of her life.  We had the discussion so many times over the years – her insisting that would be a burden, me insisting that I wouldn’t have it any other way.  These conversations started when I was only in my twenties, and mom in her fifties.  But these past months, eerily, we had the conversations in a much…

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The Loss of my Mother: Part II The Hospital

Here's the release of Part 2 of my blog series about the loss of my mother.

I’ve never had a problem with hospitals.  I know many people do.  The smell, the squeaky shuffle of feet down hallways.  Machines beeping.  Medical personnel in scrubs.  It doesn’t bother me at all.  I find the machines interesting, the cleanliness appealing, and I  find myself wondering who the other visitors are seeing that day.  Scanning their faces for clues; are they here to celebrate the…

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The Loss of my Mother - Part 1

The Loss of my Mother – Part 1

Part 1: The Emergency Room

I’ve not written for a while.  I took time off to care for my mother during her final month on this planet.  I have so much to say, and didn’t want to condense it – didn’t want to leave anything out of such a life-changing event.   I thought it best to write this piece as a series; the stages I experienced with my mother’s journey to exit the earth.

Let me first say,…

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How to Conquer Your Fears

How to Conquer Your Fears

  At the age of 11, a lifeguard pushed me off this pier in San Clemente, CA.   My stomach lurching up to my throat. With legs and arms flailing, I dropped more than 40 feet down into the cool Pacific Ocean, briefly submerged, before popping back up above the surface to a roar of cheers from my friends, and fellow junior lifeguards. Grinning with a combination of pride and relief, I joined the…

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Is Your Secret Making you Sick?

Is Your Secret Making you Sick?

  Everyone has secrets.  I’m not talking about happy secrets – like gifts and surprises.  I’m also not talking about private information; things universally seen as personal information in our society.  I’m talking about deep secrets.   Secrets that are kept to avoid shame and/or judgment.   Secrets, that the keeping of which, eats away at a person’s mental and physical health.  Secrets where the…

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What Kind of Friend Are You?

What Kind of Friend Are You?

What kind of friend are you? I’ve been told I’m a good friend.  I’m there for people when they really need me.  I’m reliable and follow through with plans.  I show up.   I say nice things about their food photos, pet photos and kid photos on Facebook.  I click the “like” button.  I listen. I remember birthdays.

I’ve never been told I’m a bad friend, but I assume some people have thought it. …

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How to "make time" for everything

How to “make time” for everything

Work, family, household chores, shopping, exercise, hobbies, driving, school, socializing, sleep, favorite tv shows, social media, meals.  The list is endless.  We live in a culture full of responsibilities and abundant in activities.   Most people will say they are overstretched, overtired, and need more time.  If you are one of those people, keep reading.  If you know one of those people, keep…