Licensed Counselor Discusses Fostering Healthy Mind
Cris Cazarine Dutra shares his talk with Ric Griffin.
Our society has demanded so much from every person, even the young ones. We are overworked, over-studied, overwhelmed, exhausted, and still we think we are never doing enough — even in the Christian community, where the desire to be a good Christian has added yet another layer of stress. Although we all should strive to be more like Christ, sometimes we have to take a step back and analyze what we are doing to our minds. In addition to these things which we have taken as normal life, the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest have taken away many individuals’ sense of security and stability. Thinking about all of these issues and our need to “Be Kind to Our Mind,” I invited my friend, licensed professional counselor, Ric Griffin, for a chat on my YouTube channel. This was a delightful, informal conversation giving practical tips on how to foster and keep a joyful healthy mind.
The reality is that we are not able to completely change our society, but what we can do is change the way we confront everyday challenges. In our conversation, Griffin emphasized the importance of having a clear mind to think and make choices before responding to whatever situations come at us. While our lives are going a million miles per hour, the mind can be clouded and decisions are often rushed.
“The mind is an emergent self-organizing embodied and relational process that regulates the flow of energy and information,” says Griffin.
The mind is able to organize and reorganize in different situations. The difficulty that we are having is that we are not allowing our mind to do what it is capable of doing. The overload of information, activities, and worries does not allow the mind to rest.
Griffin offered some very simple, yet extremely effective coping mechanisms: Pay attention to your body, your rest, your heart rate, and your mind racing. Our bodies talk to us; you just need to pay attention. Our mind is made of three parts: our brain, our heart, and our gut. When all three are doing well, we are at peace. Also, pay attention to stress triggers. Take note of what is triggering your mind that makes you overthink, stressed, afraid, or have some physical reaction. Avoid multitasking. Although you are capable of doing it, it is not healthy. Take your time to accomplish what you need, one thing at a time. And finally, take time for yourself.
If you want to help others that might be having mental health issues, don’t assume that you know what they need. Spend time with people, ask what they need, and direct them to God. The One that truly knows what people need. Take time to seek God. He is kind to your mind and He will guide you to do the same.
Carolina | August 2021
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