Lately, we’ve been noticing a little (okay, a LOT) of information on social media, TV commercials, and yard signs regarding Proposal 3 (aiming to provide a state constitutional right to reproductive freedom in Michigan), quite a bit of which is inflammatory, misleading, or downright incorrect. The language of the proposal can be pretty dense, so we wanted to take a minute to provide a simple overview of the facts around what this proposal would mean, especially through the lens of mental health care.

Like everyone else at the start of the pandemic, my meetings and trainings moved online to Zoom and have mostly stayed there since. One of the main trainings I facilitate is a 1.5-2 hour training on Trauma, ACE’s (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and Trauma recovery. Unlike pre-pandemic, by the time I am done, I feel exhausted.

So why does spending our day on Zoom feel so much more tiring than being in-person? There’s multiple factors at play.

The best way to feel differently is to do differently. Yoga helps combat anxiety because it’s present-focused. When we get too far into the future, we start to feel anxious. By learning the skills of staying in the present moment, or focusing on your breath, you can use these techniques to calm down when your anxiety starts to increase. 

Have you ever heard of Somatic Dance Movement? Chances are you probably haven’t. What you might have heard about recently is the relationship between our bodies and our emotions – especially related to stress, anxiety, or trauma. For a long time, psychologists and doctors thought just talking through our emotions and past experiences could help us heal and move forward. Sometimes this works, but often it doesn’t. The body keeps score.