Most Downloaded Episodes #4: The Voices of Insight

Hi, it's Jess your friendly body centered marriage and family therapist and cohost of Insight Mind Body Talk. We couldn't be prouder of the content we have produced for you in large part because of the amazing guests who have so willingly donate their time and talents to better our community and spread awareness about the importance of mental health. I sincerely thank each one of them. 

Today's "Most Downloaded" episode is from our own community here at insight. I love that it's one of the most popular episodes because I respect every single one of them and I'm honored to be included as part of the staff at Insight Counseling and Wellness. I cherish this episode because it's not often that I get to hear all of our voices come together in an effort to educate and promote that mental health and mental wellbeing is essential to all of us individually, within our relationships in our families, in our communities and globally. 

In this episode, the whole Insight Counseling & Wellness crew joins in the fun!  Listen in as the staff answers 4 questions. 1) How do you get out of your head and into your body? 2) What have you learned from your work in mental health that you wish everyone knew? 3) What or who inspires you? How do you get motivated? And finally, just for fun, if you had a theme song that played every time you showed up for work, what would it be?


Continue Learning

Inspirations Mentioned

o   Bob Dylan

o   Bill Murray

o   Joseph Goldstein

o   Sharon Salzberg

o   Brene Brown

o   Ester Perel

o   Terry Walls

o   Pat Ogden

o   Cheryl Strayed

o   Sojourner Truth

o   Glennon Doyle

o   Michelle Obama

o   Sarah Laundry

o   Ani Difranco

Concepts Mentioned

o   Polyvagal Theory

o   Emotional Freedom Technique

The Voices of Insight Spotify playlist

o    https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1RJze5O7EmwAv40i55Lp1t?si=6051d10b8a814e54


Music
o   "This is Me", Song by Keala Settle and The Greatest Showman Ensemble
o   "Side Pony", Song by Lake Street Dive
o   "Champion", Song by Carrie Underwood and Ludacris
o   "I Will Survive", Song by Gloria Gaynor




Produced by Jessica Warpula Schultz , Jeanne Kolker, and  Jason Klein
Edited by Jason Klein and Jessica Warpula Schultz
Music Clip Editing and Mixing provided by Jason A. Schultz 

Insight Mind Body Talk. Also, check out our e-courses!

Transcript

[00:00:00] Welcome to Insight Mind Body Talk a body-based mental health podcast. We're your hosts, Jessica Warpula Schultz and Jeanne Kolker. Whether you've tried everything to feel better and something is still missing, you've already discovered the wisdom of the body. Okay. This podcast will encourage and support you in healing, old wounds, strengthening relationships, and developing your inner potential all by accessing the mind, body connection.

Please know while we're excited to share and grow together. This podcast is not intended to be a substitute for mental health treatment. It doesn't replace the one-on-one relationship you have with a qualified healthcare professional and is not considered psychotherapy. Thanks Jess. And thank you for listening.

Now, let's begin a conversation about what happens when we take an integrative approach to improving our wellbeing.

All right friends, a few [00:01:00] weeks ago, we decided that we wanted to share with our listeners, all of the voices that make insight tick, you hear a lot from Jess and me. So we wanted to give voice to everyone therapists, case managers and support staff. As part of an all staff in service. On a rainy spring day, we asked four questions of our team.

Number one. What helps you get out of your head and into your body? We are a body centered clinic after all number two. What have you learned from your work in mental health that you wish everyone knew? Number three? What or who inspires you? How do you get motivated? And finally, just for fun, if you had a theme song that played every time you showed up for work, what would it be?

Let me tell you, this has been such an entertaining project. We [00:02:00] work as a team, we're friends and colleagues. We know each other very well, but even I was surprised and humbled to learn more about these beautiful humans that make insights such a special place to be. Oh, and before we start just has something she'd like you to know.

And if our listeners want to know something fun about today's episode, it's being recorded in my car. In a park in Madison. So maybe you'll hear some of that beautiful rain sprinkling down on the roof. Hi, my name is Abby and I'm a licensed clinical social worker and certified parent coach at insight. So what helps me get out of my head and into my body is taking off my shoes and socks and feeling the surface underneath my feet.

It reminds me that I'm rooted, brighten up.  What have I learned from my work in that a mental health field that I wish everybody else in the world knew. I wish that everyone knew that intense feelings don't last [00:03:00] forever, oftentimes big feelings or superintendents, emotions feel like they're lasting forever, but in reality, they only last sometimes a few seconds or even a few minutes.

So if you can ride them out and pay attention to the shift in your body, it will change. Who or whom inspires me or motivates me. I generally keep it two people in my mind at all times. They're usually women and people that I know. So in the pandemic, I often would think of my grandma who lived in Germany and went through world war II.

I looked up people in my life, and then I often look to sometimes celebrities or other people, presently Glennon, Doyle, Michelle Obama, and Sarah laundry are just to. If I had a theme song that I played every time I showed up to work, it would be, this is me from the greatest showman. I think that every client should listen to the song and pay attention to the lyrics in it.

Awesome. I love that song. I never thought of that song. I love it [00:04:00] too so much.

hi. Yeah, I'm Victoria and I am a mental health counselor and a body centered therapist here at insight counseling. What helps me get out of my head and into my body. There's a few things first, a body scan, just turning my attention inward and noticing the sensations are what I find in my body. Also connection with another being or an element like in nature.

So listening to the birds, looking out at a tree. And then the last thing is asking myself, how am I doing? [00:05:00] So just kind of asking in word and then actually listening to the answer. I think that's a really important part. So what I've learned from my work in mental health that I wish to pass on to everyone is actually mental health counseling works therapy works.

One can actually overcome mental health symptoms. I've seen it over and over again. And in the meantime, we can live fulfilling lives as we process and heal. And then what. Inspires me and motivates me is the good in all of us. I actually see it every day. Working with the humans I work with. If I had a theme song that played every time I showed up for work, it would be trusty and true by Damien rice.

Because [00:06:00] when I work, when I'm with others, I want to invite the whole of everyone and celebrate what's working. And heal what needs healing and attend to what needs to be attended to. And the song is about that. Hi, I'm Matt. I'm an LPC I T at insight counseling and wellness. And what helps me get out of my head and into my body is really anything that is sports related.

Just playing basketball, going for bike rides. I love throwing a Frisbee it's anything that can help me get into that flow. And one thing that I've learned that I wish everybody in the world knew is that it's okay to not be okay. I think is the most fundamental piece that we're human beings with human problems.

It's okay to not be okay. And something that really inspires me and motivates me is my family more than anything that just [00:07:00] have a wonderful family. That's been very supportive throughout my whole life. And I just want to do well and be well. If I had a theme song that showed up every time I come to work, it'd probably be never going to give you up when you pick that one, because it's fun and it makes me smile and I kind of can't help, but laugh every time I hear it.

That's fine. Hi, I'm Lynn Hyland. I am a clinical psychologist and what really is helps me get out of my head into my body is body pump. It's a class for weightlifting, and I just spend time focusing on each muscle group as I lift because the body pump does it in different muscle groups. It is my mindfulness break about three times a week, and I found that that's the best way to get out of it.

What I learned from my work in mental health that I wish everybody else in the world knew is that most of everyone fears, they are not normal or they're crazy, but almost everyone is normal and not [00:08:00] crazy. You look at others from outside their brains. You don't know what they are thinking, but their behavior says they're okay, nice, happy, whatever.

From inside your brain, your thoughts are not okay. Not nice, not happy, not whatever you assume they aren't having the same thoughts. So you think that you are abnormal or crazy or not nice or whatever. Believe me. Everyone has similar thoughts and you are all normal. I love that one. That's awesome. Yeah.

Who inspires me the most are my children. My son Taz is a positive force, so positive with so much care for others. My daughter will, is prepared to fight for others. They inspire me even when they're making it. Um, if I ended a theme song that they played, every time I showed up for work, it would be I'm all right by Kenny Loggins.

Because when I get to work, it's all about the clients and not me. So anything in my life that might be [00:09:00] bothering me, he needs to be set aside. So as it says, the song says, don't nobody worry about me. Hi, I'm Kelly Kendricks. And I'm an LPC I T what helps me get out of my head and into my body is listening to music.

Which will eventually lead to me singing, which will eventually lead to me dancing. That's awesome. And it's very true. And people who know me will, they'll say, oh, he's singing. So watch out the Disney show is about to begin. Huh? Singing is very regulating because it activates your vagus nerve. Yeah. I've learned from my work in the mental health that I wish everybody else in the world knew.

It's a good thing for everyone. There's a stigma about mental health. You go to a doctor for a physical need. You should see someone for a mental need. And I wish everybody knew that and knew that there's absolutely nothing wrong with finding someone to talk to who or what inspires [00:10:00] or motivates me. Well, it's actually.

I try to keep going and try to make myself a better person, make myself better at the things that I want to do, whether it's work, whether it's play. Um, if it's my writing, if it's singing and dancing and theater. So I actually inspire myself. It's like, I can do better. And it makes me want to keep going.

Awesome. I love that because for each of us to find a part of ourselves that inspires us is just as important as looking to external sources. Right. So if I had a theme song to play, every time I showed up for work, it would be my shot from the musical Hamilton, because I feel that I am young scrappy and hungry, and I am not throwing away my shot.

There's an opportunity for something each day. And, you know, life, life is just a lot shorter than you think it is. So I like to take my shot every single day. Very cool. Thank you. Hey, I'm Joe Lambert with insight counseling and [00:11:00] wellness. I'm an LPC and a C SAC, which means clinical substance abuse counselor.

What helps me get out of my head and more into my body? I have discovered. Pinball in the last year during the pandemic. And it takes me from my worries into something that I have to use my census for. So I have hand-eye coordination and I have to pay attention to different prompts with dings and bells and whistles and sounds and multiple flippers and multiple objectives throughout the board.

What have I learned from my work in mental health that I wish everybody else in the world knew a couple of things, how important it is to take care of yourself. So many people spend so much time [00:12:00] on energies going into things for the house or things for the kids or things for the job or things with family.

And. All those things are important, but if you're not there for yourself, spiritually, emotionally, and physically, then you can't be as present for those other people in your life. And those are the things that you have to what inspires me, motivates me different kinds of artists in different kinds of fields, people that are.

Purposeful and don't care about critics. I think of a Bob Dylan, as an artist, his words inspire me. I think of Bill Murray's actions and popping into different places, not listening to those external voices and judgments, but [00:13:00] getting the most out of what you want to bring to the world. Those kinds of people.

If I had a theme song that played every time I showed up for work, it would be I've saved the world today by the Eurythmics. Something about Annie's lyrics that I really identify with. So look it up. Hey, Hey, I've saved the world today. Hi, I'm Elyse and I am an LPC and work with children, adolescents, and families.

So what helps get me out of my head is playing and snuggling with my dogs and my son. I'm also really into the sensory stimulation. So if I'm really stuck in my head, I'll mix it up and do something to kind of shock my sensory system. What I've learned from working in the mental health field that I wish other people would know is it's [00:14:00] okay to be selfish with your time and energy.

And if something is bothering you speak out rather than shoving it down only to burst later, who inspires me? My son inspires me. He's been through so much in his short life and through it all, he's the happiest, most easy going little human I've ever met. And the last question, my theme song that would play every time I showed up for work would be shake it off by Taylor swift, because I'm all about empowering clients to be themselves and embracing it regardless of what other people think.

Hi, my name is Kate. What helps me get out of my head and into my body is stretching and breathing. I like to feel the floor, roll my neck, reach my arms up above my head. Give me my jaw and my neck, a little massage and take some deeper some things. Yeah, I've learned from my work in mental health that I wish everybody else in the world knew is [00:15:00] that people are almost always doing their best.

A little empathy goes a long way. Every behavior is an attempt to meet a need and every person possesses the innate capacity city for healing. So many people who inspire me, my family, especially my mom. There's so many family members in my immediate and extended family who are passionate, fierce, bright they're lawyers, doctors, social workers, teachers, environmental activists.

That's really amazing. I'm also inspired by many leaders in the field of mental health and wellness and spiritual development. Like Joseph Goldstein, Sharon Salzberg, Brene Brown, Esther Perel, Terry Walls, Pat Ogden, Cheryl Strayed, and 70 Selassie to name a few. If I had a theme song that played every time I showed up for work, it would be, this girl is on fire by Alicia keys.

I can't listen to that song and not feel pumped up. [00:16:00] That's a great song. Yeah. Yeah.

Hi, my name is Ann. I'm a licensed professional counselor. When I want to get out of my head and into my body. I just stretch. What I love about stretching is that you can do it anywhere and it's not a special skill. I can reach my hands up to the sky or I can roll my shoulders at Ben from side to side.

It's so simple, but there's nothing like it to quickly get me out of my head and into my buddy.

I learned so many things in my work in mental health, but one of the big things. That I'd love to tell everybody in the world is that you're responsible for your own feelings. It's a game changer. I'm inspired by the people I work with every day in so many ways. But the person who inspires me every single day is my mother.

After a head-on collision in her forties, she had to relearn everything from holding your head up to [00:17:00] reading a book. This was an exhaustive process. She never fully recovered. She couldn't go back to teaching because of the limitation she had. She had only been a teacher for about five years as she got to teaching later in life.

This happened during the Vietnam war as a military wife, she was in a military hospital with young soldiers who had been injured. She had so much compassion for them. Once she recovered as much as she could. She tutored many students and became a lifeline to these students' parents. She showed me every day, how to lead a good life in spite of what life throws at you.

I couldn't think of a theme song. But my sister asked the question of my nephews and they said that my theme song would be defying gravity from wicked. I'm really not quite sure what they were thinking. Have you heard that song before? Oh, that's beautiful that they pick that for you that says a lot about how they feel about you.

That was a surprise. Hi, I'm Emily Natera. I'm an LPC [00:18:00] at insight. Some of the things that helped me get out of my head and into my body, the very first thing that I try to do, if it needs to be kind of quick and dirty, and I don't have a lot of time to do some of my larger skills, I use EFT tapping from emotional freedom technique.

The whole purpose of that is to kind of create some healing and some changing of the energy in your own body. So for me, I actually just use two tapping spots. So I tap on the inside of my eyebrow and I tap under my eye about six to eight taps with two fingers repeatedly until I kind of feel that release.

And that's the easiest and quickest way for me to get out of my head and get grounded again. That is so cool. And it makes me go, I'm going to research that when I get home and like, figure out how to tap, I love it. I love it so much. So it it's a whole thing. And there's nine tapping spots. You're supposed to do it in a specific order.

You do a frame, you change your thoughts [00:19:00] for me, honestly, it's like tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap. There's some things that I've learned working in mental health, you know, it's really hard to pick just one, but I think the most important thing is that it's okay to ask for help. And not only is it okay to ask for help, but it's connection and relationship.

That's what actually cultivates an environment for growth and change. And isolation is what creates that environment, where your struggles get amplified. So it's not a sign of. Yes to ask for help. It's actually a sign of deep care and compassion for yourself and strength to recognize. I can't do this alone because we're humans and none of us can do it alone.

The other thing that I think is really important. People aren't defined by a moment in time. Right? So one action, one choice, one feeling, isn't the thing that's going to define your forever. The only thing that's [00:20:00] constant is change. So we have the ability to reinvent ourselves, to reinvent our very sense of being at any time.

I just, I just think that's the coolest thing. Yeah. It's so important to remember that too. And I completely agree. Yeah. Even just hearing it, I settled a little bit listening to you. We all need to hear that and be reminded of that. Yeah. And I recognize this is probably, you know, it's cliche, but it's a cliche for a reason.

My goal every morning is to just leave my little corner of the world a little bit better, a little bit brighter, a little bit happier and anything I can do in my little corner of the world to know that, Hey, I made a difference that that's kind of the end goal, right? Hi, I'm Tara Rollins. I am a licensed professional counselor and a board certified dance movement therapist.

My favorite thing to do to get out of my head into my body is to either do some yoga poses or watch a yoga video. [00:21:00] Do some stretching get outside for a walk or my ultimate favorite turning on music and dancing surprise surprise. One of the things that I've learned being part of the mental health field that I wish everyone would know is that there isn't one method or technique that works for everyone.

Usually the best intervention is a creative blend of techniques. Everyone can benefit from having a safe person to listen to them and make them feel heard and understood. Going to therapy or getting other forms of mental health support. It doesn't mean that something is wrong with you. It means that you're taking good care of yourself because you deserve to have a happy and fulfilling life.

I am motivated and inspired every day by my clients were worked with who worked so hard to work through so many amazing challenges in their life and keep showing up every week to see me, I'm also really inspired by the people in helping professions who have stepped up to help us all during COVID-19.

[00:22:00] And if I had to have a theme song playing every time I walked into a room, a that would be just awesome. Probably be side pony by lake street, dive because they are my favorite band. And I listened to them all the time to make me smile. And because the song is about having fun, being silly and just

Hey, it's Jeanne here. If you have ever met Tara Rollins, you know, side pony is the perfect song for her. Check it out on our Spotify playlist that accompanies this podcast. All right. So full disclosure at this point in our recording, we had some computer issues go figure. So from here on out, we had each person record their answers [00:23:00] up.

First is Catherine Wooddell. One of our talented case managers. What helps me get out of my head and into my body is listening to music with kitchen. And good smells like sniffing my lemon verbena plant. I love the smell of lemon. Verbena what I have learned from my work in mental health that I wish everybody else in the world knew is that people are made of their experiences.

And when you are honored with even a small piece of someone's story, if you listen closely, Everything about them and where they are, will make sense. If you can listen closely enough to really hear where they've been, what or who inspires or motivates me, I'm going to go with [00:24:00] some. A little bit as torical Sojourner truth's story about how she escaped slavery as she was in a county in New York where slavery was legal and it was, it was legal county by county at that time in that state.

And so a couple of counties over it was not legal and she knew that. And one day she said, the story goes, that she says that she heard. Jesus speak to her. For me, it doesn't really matter who or what you name it. She, she felt what some people might think of as intuition that like right now was the moment to go.

And at the time she had a baby girl that was there with her and she went and she got her daughter and. Took off running. She just took off and she kept going until she was in a free county and [00:25:00] then she was free with her baby. And what she did next was she sued a white man for selling her son across state lines, because that was illegal.

Slavery was legal where he was enslaved, was legal to enslave somebody. But selling him across state lines was illegal. And so she sued and she became the first black person to Sue a white man. And when she won and she got her son, his freedom, and I think that's amazing if I had a theme song that played every time I showed up for work, it would be Nina, Simone feeling good.

Giving people, the justice of being heard as I'm able to do in my work gives me life. [00:26:00] Hi, my name is Maureen Grosse and I'm a yoga therapist at insight to counseling and wellness. What helps me to get out of my head and into my body is my morning practice of grounding. I put one hand on my belly and one hand on my chest, and then I just breathe.

And first start off noticing how my body moves. And I just imagine my breath filling up my belly front and back and my chest front and back all the way up and follow it back to. And then I tend to visualize myself as a tree growing roots into the ground and reaching my branches to the sun for light and energy.

And so when I get dysregulated or stressed during the day, I can recall myself as a tree with a few breaths to just ground and connect. And since I do it every morning, it's pretty easy for me to access it in times of distress. One of the many things I've learned from my work in mental health that I wish everybody else in the world knew.

Honestly, it seems so simple, but it's [00:27:00] just to breathe. If we could all learn how to use our breath as a tool. It's so powerful. I had an experience with my son when he was two that took me from sheer panic to a grounded sense of ease and peace. And it was all because of my breath. And I've seen this work with clients time and time again, once people experience it or get it, it's like a light bulb that goes on and they have their own super.

The thing that inspires me or motivates me the most is to see people who are living on purpose, who are living intentionally. And it doesn't have to be an activity that I'm passionate about, but to see other people living intentionally in ways that feed their passions. When I see someone in tune with their passion and living it, it inspires me to do the same with my own passions.

I don't really have a theme song, but I do honestly have what I call a morning mix and a happy bomb [00:28:00] playlist. So I have Spotify and I make a morning mix playlist that I play every morning. So kind of dance and move and get my vibrate kind of shifts any stagnant energy and kind of helps me just focus on positive things.

And then I'm able to put myself in a better place for others. So I always listened to that on my way to work. My name is Kylie. What helps me get out of my head and into my body is yoga. I had no idea how disconnected from my body I was until I started and I'll feel forever grateful for yoga in my life.

What I've learned from my work in mental health, that I wish everybody else in the world. Is that we're all a lot more alike than we are different. So many of us struggle with the same things. I think if we all tried to be more understanding and listened, so other people felt heard, we would realize this and could avoid a lot of strife in terms of what inspires them.

To me, that would be music. [00:29:00] It has the ability to make me cry, gives me goosebumps and makes me feel alive. If I had a theme song that played every time I showed up for work, it would be a tie between foo fighters. Times like these, because it reminds me that there are times of renewal and growth and also JJ grey and Moe fro the sun is shining down because it reminds me to be eternally grateful for all the wonderful things in my life.

My name is Nikki cook and something that helps me to get out of my head and into my body is being outside, especially when the sun is out and just feeling the warmth of the sun on my body. It immediately takes me into that body space where I'm starting to notice what my body feels like. Like another thing that is helpful to me.

That I can do at any time [00:30:00] is a breathing technique where I focus on lengthening my exhale. When we lengthen our exhale, we engage the part of our nervous system that helps to invite more calm and ease in. And then by connecting with that movement of the breath, you can really feel it in the body. So again, that's, uh, inhale through the nose and then a slow gentle exhale out through the mouth helps to lengthen that exhale.

Something that I've learned from my work in mental health that I wish everyone else would be aware of is that mental and physical health are not separate. They are intertwined and equally important for us to attend to both. So we can have the improvement in our wellbeing and in our lives that we wish for so much.

Like we might schedule hours. Yearly physicals and our check-in with our doctors and our [00:31:00] dentists. It's also important to take time, to check in with a mental health professional so that you are getting that support that you need as well, someone or, or a group of people that inspire me, motivate me are my three teenage daughters, especially over this past year plus.

In the pandemic. I have seen them navigate so many difficult situations, loss of so many important milestones, graduations problems, homecoming, that really important time with friends at this time on your life. And they've continued to move through these challenges with grace. Also creating some space to really grieve and feel that disappointment.

And it's been so helpful for me to see them do that, that it's given me permission to do [00:32:00] that as well.

Hi, my name is Janet. I am the office manager at insight and what helps me get out of my head and into my body is anything. To do with nature. I spend a lot of time outside winter, summer, spring, fall, and I find laying on the ground and connecting to the earth always brings me back to where I need to. One of the things that I've learned from my work in mental health is when I started this job, I really thought that trauma was something that only could be defined by the police being called or something really horrific by starting this.

I realized that, um, No being bullied in school is trauma being bullied by a parent. It was really eye opening for me because my background is not educationally and mental health. So that was [00:33:00] actually quite amazing for me to discover for myself. It's like, wow, I really can say I did not like being bullied and it affected me my whole life and that's okay.

Who inspires me or motivates me. There's just so many people that I see out in the world now that can inspire and motivate me. I really enjoy the generation. I like to call them the tic-tac generation. They just have done some incredible things through the pandemic, just been so clever and it gives me hope for the future.

I. Get motivated by just knowing that the world is out there for me to see. So the world motivates me because that's what I like to do. I like to go out and travel, see the world. Every culture motivates me every country. And of course, nature does all the time. It keeps me going because it keeps me always being curious and exploring.

[00:34:00] If I had a theme song that would play every time I showed up for work, what I thought originally was God save the queen. But, um, I don't know. I kind of under pressure keeps coming to mind, but I don't totally feel huge pressure, but it's just something that came to mind. And there you have it. Thanks so much for this.

Next step is Julie Anne  Orenstein. Another one of our super fabulous case managers. Something that really helps me get out of my head and into my body is doing box breathing. When I box breathe, I like to close my eyes. I breathe in through my nose while counting to four slowly, then hold my breath inside while counting again, slowly to four, then I began to slowly exhale for four seconds.

I repeat this about three times. I love box breathing because it is a powerful, yet simple [00:35:00] technique that really helps to clear my mind and relax my body. Something I've learned from my work in mental health that I wish everybody else in the world knew is the most important relationship is the one we have with ourselves.

I am motivated and inspired by the folks that I work with, their strength, resiliency, and dedication to accomplishing their goals. If I had a theme song that played every time I showed up for work, it would be, you've got a friend by Carol King because well, friendships and Carol King are everything. Hi, I'm Jason, the VP here at insight.

What helps me get out of my head and into my body is being out in nature, especially fly for you. We're lucky enough here in Southern Wisconsin to have some great streams for trout. And it's a sport [00:36:00] that combines both your mind and your body, and you have to be in the moment. It can be tremendously frustrating at times, but it can also be really rewarding.

And even in the worst case scenario, you know, you can't catch anything that day. You're out in nature, you're got to bubbling stream, you've got birds, you've got deer. So it's almost always a win. What I've learned from working in mental health is just how much energy and empathy and skill goes into the mental health business.

All of our therapists here at insight are just so invested in that. Clients and the people and it's probably not just us. I think it's everyone in the mental health industry. It's something you don't fake. [00:37:00] What our home inspires me is any one who is creative, especially when it comes to the visual arts.

Um, my background is in graphic design and art. So whenever I see. Printmakers or woodworkers, th the things out there that people are doing are just incredible and it doesn't have to be a grandiose project. Just a little things can be quite outstanding. As far as a song I'm going to go with Billy Braggs, “handyman blues”.

Uh, mostly because when I'm not doing the payroll or the website, I'm the one who gets the phone call that the fax machine is broken or the doors are stuck. So we'll go with a little bit of irony there. Hi, this is Ariana [00:38:00] and whatever helps me get out of my head and into my body is heat. Especially living here in Wisconsin.

Anything that is a hot temperature, whether it's a hot shower or hot bath, even just running my hands under hot water. Um, during the day a heating pad, a heated blanket, you name it. I have it. And it's just one of those ways that really gets me back in my body and ground. And what I have learned from my work in the mental health is that everything is temporary.

It's one of those things that it's easy to get stuck in a moment and think that that moment, right, it's going to be forever, that emotion is going to be forever. And what I've learned in this field is that emotions never stay. That things are so temporary and just let the moment passed because anything could be possible for that next month.

The person that inspires me the most is my grandma. She was raised [00:39:00] in India in the early 1930s, 1940s. And wasn't allowed to have an education as a woman. And she fought to study on her own and fought to get a, an education for herself and ended up getting her master's and working as a chemist. So it's a reminder as myself, as a grad student, especially those little reminders of how we take a lot of things for granted and how.

Uh, privilege there is in just these little things. Next step is Angela Schueffner, licensed marriage and family therapist, and the leader of insights, a team. What helps you get out of your head and into your body? I use the five senses, grounding, a lot, pushing my heels into the ground feeling. Any sensations on my skin or the body, what do I taste?

What do I smell? What do I hear? What do I see? [00:40:00] As well as any sensory input, strong sensory input, like ice. To really bring attention to the body. What have you learned from your work in mental health that you wish everyone else in the world knew? I would say that there's a lot of getting stuck in though.

Why am I doing this? Or what is wrong with me or the frustration with ourselves as well as others. Um, rather than understanding that. We and everyone is behaving in a way that they learned that they needed to, that has served them in some way or that they just had to, based on the people around them at the time that they learned that.

So other than getting stuck in the frustration. With ourselves and others, um, understanding that they're behaving in a [00:41:00] way that has served them at some point, or they needed to, or they learned and thinking about rather than the why and getting stuck in the frustration though. Okay. The meeting ourselves with compassion, for where we learned that and focusing on how we want to respond now.

Meaning herself as compassion and then shifting into, okay. And now I am safe. Now I'm in this situation. How do I want to respond? And focusing on the now presencing self and the now what or whom inspires motivates you? I would definitely say my kids seeing the obvious impact day-to-day that I have in them.

My own behaviors, language interactions, being reflected in them, and really having me continually reflect on what I want for [00:42:00] them as well as the world and their impact on that and their relationships. And then see w how those shifts that I made. Then show up in them and change their interactions. Like how I interact with other people.

I see them interacting with other people in similar ways and thinking about what I want for them and the world. Knowing that each person has a vast impact, unknown how each interaction, not knowing what the impact will be. So really motivating me to do my own work and my own healing and being really intentional in my interactions.

My theme song, I guess I will just have to go with the random song that seems to just always pop up in my head whenever I'm trying to get things done and not knowing where it [00:43:00] came from. Exactly why, but it is a team. And I do not understand why, but I'm going to. That since it has just naturally become my beginning.

Next step is Tammi Zine, a licensed professional counselor here at insight. What I like to do when I'm in my head and not in my body is I like to do, what's called 5, 5, 5. And that is five things that I see in the room or the environment around me. And then five things that I hear, whether it's in the room or outside of the room.

And then five neutral [00:44:00] sensations that are in my body, such as the temperature of my hands or the top of my head or my heartbeat. And that really can help bring me back. The other thing that I like to do as a grounding technique, where I feel my feet on the earth and I really focus on them. And then I lift my toes and I really anchor those heels into.

The ground and feel that connection. And then I slowly move to where my toes are on the ground and my heels are up. And then I placed my foot flat on the ground that can also really help me focus and be more in my body. What I've learned in the mental health field that I wish everybody else in the world knew.

That is a difficult question for me. To answer, because I think the mental health field is always changing. [00:45:00] I've been in the field now for 20 years and it has changed. It continues to evolve. There's still so much that we don't know. In fact, the more I'm in this field, the more I want to learn and discover, I do think that we all have a unique healing.

Inside of us. And we can learn to access this in lots of different ways. We can learn to validate our own pain story. We can heal. Recovery is possible. When I think about who inspires me or motivates me, honestly, it's my clients. I know how much courage it can take to walk through that clinic door and then to open up potentially other scary or painful doors.

And I get to work in a field where I get to witness all the ways that people are amazing. And I truly am honored when someone chooses me as a guide to walk with them on a part of that healing journey. [00:46:00] And finally, it's time for Jess and I to wait in, take it away. Thank you Jeanie. Hi, my name is Jessica

I'm a licensed marriage and family therapist, sensory motor psychotherapy, and I'm also the co-host of insight, mind by the attack. When I went to get out of my head and into my body, I lift weights. I feel really strong. I feel powerful. And not only that, but when I'm lifting, I have to be really mindful because of previous injuries.

And also because of breath, what it does is it really shifts me out of my thoughts. I don't have room for. I worry, I don't have room for self judgment. I just have to notice my rib cage expanding to ensure that I'm getting a great diaphragmatic breath. I have to ground my feet and push [00:47:00] through the floor.

I have to watch to make sure my shoulder and my arms are moving in a way that supports my body. I feel really strong and amazing. And I think that anything that helps you feel that amazing is something you should practice as often as possible. When I think about what I've learned from being a therapist and that they wish everyone else in the world knew is our nervous system is so powerful.

We have something called the autonomic nervous system. It uses neuroception to continually scan our internal experience, our external environment, as well as the nervous systems of people around us, always scanning for threat. And what happens is anytime there is a danger or even something that feels like a life threat, or is a life threat, our nervous system and brain respond so fast, faster than we could ever even think to come up with the risks.

Our bodies have this amazing system that protects us. We either [00:48:00] flee. We have a fight response, attachment cry. We'll befriend the threat. Maybe we'll freeze, maybe will shut down or collapse. And while those responses have a negative stigma to them, they're actually beautiful way to ensure our survival and often has nothing to do with us.

And when I learned about the autonomic nervous system and how it was shaped throughout my lifetime, and when I learned I could shape it to respond in a new way and I could shape that system to feel safe more often, it was a real game changer for me. And in the work I've done, it's been a game changer for some of my class.

What inspires me and motivates me. That's a really hard one. Uh, I think I have the type of brain that finds inspiration wherever I go. I have always felt like there's something more and that I've got to find it. I have a hungry mind people though, people that inspire [00:49:00] me. There's professional inspirations, such as my colleagues.

I love working at insight. Especially the clients that I work with, the vulnerability and courage displayed on a daily basis. I often end my day feeling so grateful to even have been witness, let alone a guide on the journeys of the people that I've worked with. I feel very privileged to be a therapist, very honored.

Personally what inspires me? I think the rule breakers and I mean, the people who break intergenerational patterns, the people who create voice for themselves. The people who stand up for others, the ones who believe that it's their responsibility to help change the world. And that can look different on every person.

I think about the musician on the, to [00:50:00] Franco, one of the loves of my life and how much her music has changed, who I am, my partner who grows and challenges himself and, and checks his implicit bias. And wants more for himself and for us and for the world. Lastly, the women in my life, I often go to them for support and for guidance.

And I don't know what I would do without them. And if I, I had a theme song that played every time I entered a room, depends on my mood and what I'm doing. Of course,  got to have some Lizzo “feeling good” “soulmate”. When I'm moving my body, Carrie Underwood song champion makes me feel like I kick ass and so strong.

         [00:51:00]        And lastly, Meghan Trainer has this really fun song called “bad-ass woman”. That for me, epitomizes I'm more than a body. I am a voice and a heart and a soul and a mind it's Jeannie again, when I need to get out of my head and into my body, I go upside down. Just getting my head below my heart shifts my system.

It could be something as simple as reaching down to touch my toes in a forward fold. Maybe I go into a downward facing dog or a child's pose wherever I am, or even a headstand if I'm feeling saucy. But some physical change of perspective is usually all. I need to reset myself. Something that I [00:52:00] wish everyone knew.

Something that I've learned in therapy is that we are so resilient. Humans are so strong and we need to be reminded daily of how epically awesome. We are. I've seen people endure so much pain and transform that pain into growth. I'm constantly inspired every day by my clients, my team, and my friends and family.

Speaking of my family, I am so motivated and energized by them. My parents worked so hard every day to give me this amazing gift, this life that I'm living intentionally to try to help as many people as I can in my little corner of the world. So I thank my family for continuing to serve as motivation for me every day.

[00:53:00] If I had a theme song for every day that I show up at work, I'm going to reach back into the archives back to my days of karaoke, dive bars and downtown Dubuque Iowa. My favorite song to sing was “I will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor. When I show up for work with my clients and my team. I want everyone to hear the message that they will survive.

As Gloria sayings, I've got all my life to live and I've got all my love to give and I'll survive. It's necessary to be reminded of our power and our resilience plus its disco. And I just dare you not to dance.

And that's all folks. I hope you enjoyed hearing all of our voices. If you want to find that Spotify playlist of all of our theme songs, head over to insight [00:54:00] madison.com/podcast. Thank you again for joining us on insight, mind, body talk, a body centered mental health podcast. We hope today's episode was empowering and supported you in strengthening your mind, body connection.

We're your hosts, Jeanne and Jess, please join us again. As we continue to explore integrative approaches to wellbeing