Episode 31 Reinvent your Counseling practice with Holistic Mental Health Strategies, with Katy Rader

The Holistic Counseling Podcast

How is movement scientifically proven to assist emotional processing? What can clinicians do to help their patients commit to forming healthy habits? Can you integrate the principles of movement, sleep, and nutrition into your counseling practice for treatment?

MEET KATY RADER

Katy works with clients to manage anxiety and trauma responses through the lens of Holistic Mental Health. She is a Certified Mental Health Integrative Medicine Practitioner (CMHIMP). Katy utilizes physical health and lifestyle methods, like nutrition, movement, and sleep, to help clients manage their mental health symptoms.

Katy works in private practice as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the north Indianapolis/Carmel area. Katy lives in Indianapolis and is married with three children.

Visit her website, Beacon of Change. Email her at [e-mail], or contact her practice at 317-530-3050

IN THIS PODCAST:

• Movement for mental health
• Forming healthy habits
• Sleep for mental health
• Nutrition for mental health

MOVEMENT FOR MENTAL HEALTH

Bilateral movements such as swimming, walking, cycling, and running all help clients process their emotions.

This is because the constant alternating repetition of movement helps their brain to move through the issue and complete the emotional cycle.

When the body is stuck, so is the mind. Move the body to help the mind find new perspectives and ways of interacting with a situation or problem to solve.

FORMING HEALTHY HABITS

The trick is getting it enough in a routine that it reinforces itself … typically that’s about three times a week. (Katy Rader)

Once a client has practiced a new activity three times a week for three weeks, that is when the new habit starts to be formed.

Getting a client to carve out that time to commit to trying something new three times a week will make it easier for them to assimilate this new habit into their lifestyle.

Keep in mind that it is important to validate their emotions as committing to a new routine may be difficult for them in the beginning.

SLEEP FOR MENTAL HEALTH

When we’re low on sleep we have increased stress hormones, we have more cortisol coursing through our veins and that’s never good because it impairs thinking and emotional regulation. (Katy Rader)

A patient must decide for themselves that their sleep, health, and movement are worth the effort to take care of.

Often teaching a patient about the importance and benefits of getting good consecutive sleep is enough to motivate them to try correcting their sleep schedule, because they desire those benefits.

NUTRITION FOR MENTAL HEALTH

There are benefits to keeping a food diary. This is not to have people keep count of their calories, but instead to keep track of what they eat, how often they eat it, and when they eat it.

These insights can be greatly helpful to discerning how the client copes with stress or anxiety throughout the day when it comes to food.

It’s something that helps you take a look at what you’re actually taking into your body and what the things [are] that you’re low on. It’s not about calories … it may [show that someone] is not getting enough magnesium, and magnesium is something that helps our bodies fully relax. (Katy Rader)

It is also beneficial to see which food groups of nutrients they are missing out on because properly nourishing the body is a foundation of mental and emotional health.

Be sure to have a disclaimer that states that you are not a doctor and nutritionist, and refer your patients out to them if your patients are asking about nutrition specifics.

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Resources Mentioned And Useful Links:

Self-Care for the Empathic Person with Sarah Granahan

Free 8 Week Email Course with Lisa Lewis

Practice of the Practice Podcast Network