#psychologist in Cranbourne

[childpsychologistmelbourne]

Locating a Psychologist in Cranbourne: Your Resource for Mental Health Assistance

When looking for the best psychologist in Cranbourne for your requirements, you might not know where to begin if you live in the region. We all need a bit more help navigating the intricacies of our thoughts, feelings, and actions since life may be difficult at times. A psychologist can assist you in better understanding your mind and provide resources to enhance your well-being, regardless of whether you're coping with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, or just personal development.

Better Symptom Understanding and Higher Quality of Life

ADHD testing in Melbourne helps people and their families better understand the disorder and how it affects day-to-day functioning. Clarity and relief can come from understanding the underlying reason for impulsive behaviour or attention issues.

Early detection of difficulties through a thorough ADHD evaluation can result in more effective therapies and improved results. Getting examined and diagnosed can enhance functioning and general well-being in relationships, the workplace, and educational settings.

Access to ADHD-specific services and support networks, including academic accommodations, treatment, ADHD coaching, and support groups, is made possible by an official diagnosis. Do not be reluctant to seek professional assistance if you believe that you or your kid may have ADHD. There are plenty of trained professionals in Melbourne who can test for ADHD and offer support to help people reach their greatest potential.

Better Mental Health and A Solution Using Coping Mechanisms

Therapy assists people in managing bad behaviours, comprehending their ideas, and processing their emotions. Better mental health and a stronger sense of control over one's life result from this. By helping you understand your ideas, feelings, and behaviours, a psychologist may help you grow personally and make better decisions.

Psychologists provide useful coping mechanisms for overcoming obstacles in life. These methods can support emotional stability, boost resilience, and lessen stress and anxiety. Seeking assistance from a psychologist in Cranbourne may be a significant step towards enhancing your emotional well-being since mental health is equally as vital as physical health.

A psychologist may help you better understand your thoughts and feelings, create coping mechanisms, and enhance your general quality of life, regardless of whether you're struggling with stress, anxiety, relationship problems, or personal development.

Source: https://childpsychologistmelbourne.blogspot.com/2025/01/locating-psychologist-in-cranbourne.html

[elitedigitalph26]

NDIS and Psychology

The NDIS Provides Psychosocial Services

Over 4 million Australians live with a handicap. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides cash to assist eligible Australians with impairments in getting the assistance they require. By 2022, more than 500,000 Australians will be receiving NDIS services, according to data. For the first time, support is being provided to more than 300,000 of them.

Psychological problems frequently obstruct people with disabilities. The NDIS classifies this as a psychosocial disability. There are psychosocial disabilities among at least 10% of NDIS members. The NDIS was expressly designed to offer support and help those who have been diagnosed with mental health issues cope and improve their quality of life.

 Psychosocial Services Offered by The NDIS

A psychosocially disabled person need ongoing mental health care. The NDIS provides non-clinical support for long-term healing and functionality. Non-clinical therapies consist of:

Assistance to Work Mental Health Professionals

Mental Health Coaching

Support for Daily Personal Tasks

Transport to Help a Person do Social Activities or Education

Job Seeking support 

Behavior Support Plan Development

Psychologists have been authorized as providers by the NDIS. The NDIS might also pay the expenses depending on financing and if required, of the following non-clinical treatments:

Assessment and Diagnosis service

Counseling

Evidence-based Psychological Management

Early Childhood Interventions

 Eligibility

A person with a mental health issue is not necessarily eligible for the NDIS. Not everyone who experiences mental health issues will also experience psychosocial disabilities. The following are the NDIS's fundamental requirements:

The person must be an Australian citizen and holds a permanent or protected special category visa

The person must be under the age of 65 

The person has a permanent disability or developmental delay

The person’s mental health condition causes impairment

The impairment is permanent

The impairment reduces the person’s ability to do daily activities

A person may select a provider to assist in the design of the NDIS plan after taking the application's approval into consideration. The procedures for obtaining one are as follows:

Meeting Preparation - The setting should be decided whether to have a meeting over a phone call, online, or face-to-face. The people involved in the meeting should also be considered, as well as the communication aids if needed. 

NDIS Plan Management - After the meeting, the decision will be done about the funding. Considering the budget, a person may manage the NDIS plan either with an agency or not.

Click on these links to learn more.

Psychologist Glen Waverley NDIS Psychologist  mental health counselling near me couples counselling cranbourne

[mentalhealthcounselling1]

Couples Counseling

For married couples looking to resolve issues and improve their relationships, couples counseling is a brief form of counseling. Addressing the issues at hand and examining the effects that juggling obligations has now and in the future are the main objectives. The benefits of couples counseling will be examined in more detail in this article, as well as how it addresses a range of issues.

Types of Couples Counseling

Finding the best strategy is difficult because different situations require different approaches, and communication styles should also be taken into account. According to studies, there are six main techniques to couples therapy.

Behavioral Approach - This method takes into account how a change in the environment influences people's attitudes and actions.

Humanistic Approach - Humanistic counseling focuses on how people's individuality and uniqueness within themselves, as well as how awareness of these things can either be helpful or restrictive, can affect a person.

Cognitive Approach -. The cognitive approach focuses on how people's cognitive limitations can distort reality.

Psychodynamic Approach - The influence of previous relationships and experiences on the current issue is taken into account in psychodynamic counseling.

Constructionist Approach - The constructionist method emphasizes that this knowledge is a "constructed meaning" based on how those actual events were perceived by the people. It follows that this information influences how they will respond.

Systematic Approach - Systematic therapy looks at the thoughts and actions that people have when they are made to fit into a social network.

In addition to adhering to their competency level, counselors use approaches that are most suited to the client's needs. Counselors find alternatives for clients who are not a good fit for them or refer them to other counselors who are more skilled in the approach.

What Are The Reasons Why Couples Seek Counseling?

Couples may find it challenging to coexist because of unhealthy behaviors. As issues linger, some of them become more challenging to solve. Because of the following common reasons, couples frequently decide to seek relationship assistance early on in the relationship:

1. Constant and Resentful Arguments

2. Financial Matters 

3. Growing Apart 

4. Extramarital Affair

5. Lack of Intimacy 

Benefits of Counseling 

Counseling is beneficial in addressing issues like parenting conflicts, responsibility disputes, anger management, mental health problems, financial hardships, infidelity issues, and other communication problems.

How to seek counseling support?

The initial step in the planning process is to identify the ideal mental health specialist to conduct the counseling. 

The therapist then outlines the couple's session's schedule. In addition to other mental health specialists like psychiatrists, psychologists, or clinical staff, counseling can be provided by licensed counselors. Talking about the problems in their relationships and the causes of their propensity to seek assistance is part of the process. The couple works together to achieve this goal as they receive advice from counselors on how to deal with their issues.

Counseling can assist in establishing a relationship that works for both of them, even though it cannot guarantee that it will last for the duration they desire.

It is difficult to improve a relationship. Couples counseling would be a huge help if you and your partner are going through a tune-up. To obtain the help you require, get in touch with your mental health provider.

SOURCE:

Neukrug, E.S. (Ed.). 2015. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Theory in Counseling and Psychotherapy. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Check this sites for all details.

Psychologist Glen Waverley,

NDIS Psychologist ,

Mental Health Counselling Near Me,

Couples Counselling Cranbourne.

[mikeyd1986]

MIKEY’S PERSONAL BLOG 147, March 2019

On Tuesday morning, I had an appointment to see Sleep & Respiratory Physician Dr. Sameer Kaul at Wattletree Specialist Consulting Suites in Frankston. Considering how little I knew from information there was about Dr. Kaul online, I really didn’t know what to expect from him today. I brought along a pile of medical evidence including my referral, letter from my neuro-psychologist, blood test results, mental healthcare plan and autism assessment report. And yet I still felt nervous and ill prepared for this morning’s consultation. https://www.healthshare.com.au/profile/professional/149074-dr-sameer-kaul/

I found Dr. Kaul to be very blunt, harsh and condescending one minute then carefree and casual the next. I really couldn’t adjust to his personality at all. Even in my zombified state, I did the best I could to answer his questions, though I could tell I wasn’t really explaining myself too well. “What are you worrying about? What’s keeping you awake at night?” I didn’t have specific answers for him. Work, money, lack of close friends, self esteem and self confidence issues, frustration, anxiety, sore joints and muscles. But these vague responses didn’t seem good enough for him.

When it came to describing my bed routine, it felt like he was putting me down. Sure it’s not exactly helping that I watch YouTube videos and use social media before my head hits the pillow. However, I do manage to keep the bedroom dark, dimly lit and cool with the ceiling fan switched on plus I play relaxation music to help me drift off to sleep. I also enjoy reading in bed occasionally, currently The Outsider by Stephen King. Dr. Kaul asserted that it was a terrible idea. He also implied that my sleep hygiene was shit.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to bring everything I wanted to up as I felt silenced and withdrawn by him. He was correct in saying that I do need to be more consistent about my sleep routine but he just made me feel inferior and dumb the way he was criticizing me. Perhaps I was being too sensitive about the things he was saying to me. I’m sure he had good intentions for me but ultimately I felt misunderstood by him. He wasn’t taking me 100% seriously and that bothered me a lot because I was the one who took action to make this appointment happen.

The one silver lining that I took away was that fact that he did give me a referral for an In-Lab Sleep Study held at the Peninsula Health Sleep Laboratory & Clinic. He ticked the following boxes on the referral form: Diagnostic Study, Insomnia, Unrefreshing Sleep and Daytime Sleepiness when sedentary. As I paid $245 for the consultation today, I wanted to get something out of it and I guess I did but not what I expected. Perhaps that will give me more definitive answers and make me feel more satisfied than I felt after today. https://www.peninsulahealth.org.au/services/services-f-m/medical-services/respiratory-services/

Sometimes I wish I could scream at the top of my lungs: I’M TRYING SO FUCKING HARD. I WANT TO BE LOVED. I WANT TO BE HEARD. I WANT TO BE APPRECIATED. It’s tough being introverted and quiet all the time, not having many close friends to spend time with, being alone and by yourself a lot. But I’m learning to embrace this solidarity and be more comfortable with my own company. Even doing my own shopping and going out to lunch by myself are significant achievements for me as I often have a need for company. Social media is often a go to for me and at times it’s been an unhealthy distraction from my problems.

As I’m on the verge of turning 33 years old, my health issues have taken on a greater focus in my life. Now when I look at blood test results, I take them much more seriously. I’m really concerned about my iron levels which have dropped from 97 to 56 over the past three years. So I decided to try out Ferro Gradumet & Vitamin C tablets which is a one a day iron supplement. I hope that by increasing my iron levels that it will reduce my daytime fatigue and increase my energy levels during the day.  https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/medicines/brand/amt,53373011000036103/ferro-grad-c

The other thing I’m focusing my attention on is my total cholesterol levels which are currently at 5.7. It really needs to be closer to 4.0 to be considered desirable. So I’ve decided to try eating foods such as Cholesterol Lowering Weetbix and Flora Pro-active margarine with added plant sterols in order to hopefully drop that number to a more optimum level for my age range. The last thing I want to deal with is cardiovascular health issues when I get older. https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-eating/food-and-nutrition/fats-and-cholesterol/plant-sterols

On Friday night, I went to a HIIT + Circuit small group fitness training session with CinFull Fitness. Tonight we did a series of exercises for 3 rounds and 45 seconds each. The first circuit involved doing non-stop wall balls, 10 kettle bell swings and 10 kettle bell squats, non-stop battle ropes. The second circuit involved 10 skull-crushers and 10 chest presses, single arm dumbell rows on the bench, tricep dips, 10 ball slams and 10 shoulder presses.

It was a tough class, sweating a lot as per usual and trying hard to improve my technique with guidance from Cinamon Guerin. I recently weighed myself and got a reading of 93.6kg which is a good thing. I’m making slow progress towards my goal weight again. It’s honestly been a roller-coaster ride when it comes to my body weight and trying hard to maintain healthy lifestyle choices but I’m doing better than I was 5 years ago in that department.

On Sunday afternoon, I had my birthday lunch celebration held at Kelly's Cranbourne. It didn’t register to me that it was St. Patrick’s Day until we walked into the bistro area and noticed the staff wearing green leprechaun hats. I really didn’t have huge expectations around today’s gathering. I’ve found that as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to appreciate things a lot more. And yet the ironic thing is that I feel younger than my biological age of 33. I personally believe that you’re only as old as you feel.

It was a very good thing that I booked the table in advance because it didn’t take very long for the bistro to get packed out. In terms of who came, there was Jen Angee, David Angee, Lucas Eldridge, Vanessa Bonica, Phil Anthony, Amy Amy plus my parents Angela Dixon and Rod James. It’s often difficult getting people to attend my social gatherings but I’ve learned that this is out of my control and not personal. Plus March is a very busy month for a lot of people. Just having a handful of people was enough for me today.

While the main meals at Kelly’s are typically very pricey, I do believe that they are worth it for how much food you end up getting on the plate. I ordered a Seafood Plate for $32.90 consisting of grilled fish, calamari, prawns, scallops, muscles, chips and salad and honestly struggled to get through it. The atmosphere was very relaxed and easy going. That’s the main thing I wanted was for everyone to get along and have a nice time.

“And we're all alone. And so tired of being underrated. So don't take me home 'cause I feel alive when you come and save me...I want to be someone. If you take me away, all the pain will change into a memory, of when we were amazing.” Darren Hayes - Casey (2007)

[morningtonpeninsulajobs]

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Psychologist, sessional work in private practice

Frankston Counselling & Psychology is a well established psychology practice located at the gateway of the beautiful Mornington Peninsula providing excellent therapy results for adults, adolescents, children and couples for over 30 years.

Our team of 5 Psychologists amd 3 administration support staff provide a highly supportive team environment to enable you to make effective changes for your clients. We treat a broad range of client group presentations including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, addiction, trauma, self-esteem and relationship concerns. Due to increasing demand we are seeking a skilled clinical psychologist or psychologist to join our team.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and dynamic psychologist with strong interpersonal skills to work with adults and adolescents. Clinical experience working with adults and adolescents will be highly regarded however prior private practice is not necessary.

You will enjoy experiencing the excellent growth of our ‘stand alone’, non bulk-billing practice with a large referral base from General Practitioners along the Mornington Peninsula; working across a range of presentations and age groups. You will receive full administration support and we can provide supervision (peer group and/or inidvidual supervision) to accelerate your growth as a clinician.

More information about Frankston Counselling & Psychology can be found on our website at www.frankstoncounselling.com.au

ROLE DESCRIPTION

Clinical Psychologist / Psychologist, contract position, with a minimum of 2 years post-graduate experience.

Starting at 1-2 days per week with the view to increase hours. Days and hours are flexible and negotiable.

WHAT WE OFFER YOU

You will work in a highly supportive and friendly environment providing you with the opportunity to enjoy your role as a private practitioner within a collegiate environnment; You will have access to individual/peer group supervision to meet your needs; You will receive generous and highly competitive remuneration; You will be provided with full administration support and receive access to the online diary system with SMS client appointment reminders; You will work in north-facing, light filled and inviting therapy rooms with a wide range of clinical resources and assessment tools; You will be able to maintain work/life balance with flexible working hours. ABOUT THE SUCCESSFUL PSYCHOLOGIST

You have a compassionate and enthusiastic approach and have a genuine desire to  improve your client’s emotional well-being; You will value building strong therapeutic relationships with your clients and value developing relationships with referrers; You will have registration with AHPRA and ability to register with Medicare; Experience working with adults and adolescents providing evidence-based treatments; You have excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills. DESIRABLE CRITERIA

Experience working in clinical settings; Experience working with trauma; Workcover and TAC approved; Interest or experience with EMDR. If you would like to join the our team, we very much look forward to hearing from you. Please email a cover letter and resume to Alex Panagiotopoulos.

0401 926 686

alex@frankstoncounselling.com.au Contact Details Alex Panagiotopoulos

51 Cranbourne Road

Frankston 3199

[childpsychologistmelbourne]

Child Psychologist in Cranbourne: Supporting Your Child's Success

It's critical to get professional assistance from a child psychologist in Cranbourne when problems emerge, whether they have to do with behaviour, anxiety, social challenges, or mental concerns. Your kid can greatly benefit from the assistance of a child psychologist in overcoming these obstacles and thriving.

The ADHD assessment in Melbourne is for determining whether ADHD is present and distinguishing it from other possible disorders. ADHD, which is characterised by symptoms including impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention, can affect relationships, jobs, education, and emotional health, among other areas of life. Obtaining a precise diagnosis is essential to comprehending the effects of ADHD on a person and determining the best management techniques.

Precision Diagnosis With Tailored Care

The symptoms of other disorders, such as anxiety, sadness, or learning disabilities, frequently coexist with those of ADHD. By excluding alternative possible explanations for the symptoms, a comprehensive evaluation aids in ensuring an accurate diagnosis. This is essential for putting into practice the best treatment programmes catered to the unique requirements of each patient.

A precise diagnosis enables medical professionals to create a treatment strategy that best manages the patient's symptoms. This might involve lifestyle modifications, medication, therapy, or a mix of these. A thorough evaluation guarantees that people get the assistance they need to manage their ADHD. Although raising children is a fulfilling experience, there are drawbacks as well. It is your responsibility as a parent or other carer to support and nurture your child's emotional and mental health.

Better Quality of Life With Support and Resource Access

If ADHD is not treated, it can cause social, professional, and academic difficulties. People and their families have a greater understanding of the disease through the diagnostic process, which improves coping mechanisms, academic or professional performance, and interpersonal connections.

Access to a range of resources, such as counselling, ADHD coaches, educational assistance, and job adjustments, is made possible by a documented diagnosis resulting from an ADHD evaluation. The management of ADHD in children can be greatly impacted by early identification. Better results are frequently achieved with early intervention because kids may get help and direction early on to manage their academic and social challenges.

Source: https://childpsychologistmelbourne.blogspot.com/2025/01/child-psychologist-in-cranbourne.html

[mentalhealthcounselling1]

Couples Therapy

Couples counseling is a brief form of counseling that helps married couples work out their differences and build stronger bonds. Addressing the issues and examining how juggling obligations affects the future are the main objectives of this. This article will delve more into the advantages of couples counseling and how it solves a range of concerns.

Types of Couples Counseling

It can be difficult to determine which strategy works best because the differences in the scenario and communication preferences should also be taken into account. Studies have found that there are six main approaches to couples therapy.

Behavioral Approach - This method takes into account how a change in the environment influences people's attitudes and actions.

Humanistic Approach - Humanistic counseling focuses on the originality and distinctiveness that each person possesses and how being conscious of these qualities may either be empowering or constricting.

Cognitive Approach - The cognitive approach is focused on how people's thinking challenges might affect reality.

Psychodynamic Approach - In psychodynamic counseling, the impact of prior events and connections on the current issue is taken into account.

Constructionist Approach - According to the constructionist perspective, this information has a "constructed meaning" that is based on how individuals have chosen to interpret those real events. Therefore, this information influences how they respond.

Systematic Approach - Systematic counseling investigates how individuals act and think when required to fit into a social network.

Counselors employ strategies that, while remaining within their scope of competence, best serve the client's needs. Counselors look for alternatives or send clients to other counselors who are more skilled in the method when dealing with clients who are not a good fit for them.

You can check Psychologist Glen Waverle or click NDIS Psychologist.

[mikeyd1986]

MIKEY’S PERSONAL BLOG 108, June 2018

On Queen’s Birthday public holiday, I decided to go down to YMCA Casey RACE for a Body Pump class with Natalie Blanch. As it was a “typical” Monday, I was struggling with both time and motivation but was still determined to get down to the gym regardless. Surprisingly, for a public holiday, there was a decent amount of members in the class today. I spent some time reflecting on how far I’ve come from my very first Pump class until now. I’ve certainly grown in confidence, able to follow Nat’s directions easier, can usually keep up and I feel fitter as well. https://www.lesmills.com.au/bodypump

Today we did tracks from Release 96 including Tiesto - Blow Your Mind, Panic! At The Disco - Hallelujah, Flo Rida - Wobble, Galantis - Peanut Butter Jelly and Zedd featuring Bahari - Addicted to a Memory. It was a pretty tough release especially the dreaded lunge track which Nat claimed was “fun” (My thighs were burning a lot). Some of the exercises we did included overhead presses, power cleans, deadlifts and rows (Warm-up, Back), push-ups, dips and bicep curls with the bar (Biceps, Triceps), flying raises, side raises and revolved raises (Shoulders) plus crunches, crunch pulses and Hurdler’s stretch (Core, Cooldown). https://www.siphilp.com/les-mills-bodypump-96-music-track-listing.aspx

On Tuesday morning, I had my final Employ Your Mind session for Phase 2 at WISE Employment in Cranbourne. It was a little disappointing and anti-climatic that I was the only participant leave at the end of this phase. Whilst it’s obviously nobody’s fault that clients can’t always attend due to having other commitments, it did make me feel awkward seeing as this was meant to be a “group” session.

However, support workers Karen and Vadim did the best that they could given the circumstances. Today I did a review of my Goal Setting Plan from Phase 1, going through the list and seeing if I needed to add or modify any of the goals that I set for myself. These included: Improving conversational skills and self-confidence. Being able to cope better with my mental health issues. Improving my memory, focus and concentration at work and in social situations. https://www.themhs.org/resources/1605/s58-employ-your-mind-improving-thinking-skills-for-work-and-community-engagement.

I decided to add two goals to my list: Making more friends and improving my social life. Losing weight and maintaining a healthy body weight. These two goals in particular have been things I’ve been continuing to work on over the past couple of years and have both had their share of challenges. But these goals are extremely important to me so I’ll continue to do what it takes to achieve them. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/goal-setting

The next part involved having a brainstorm about reaching my goals. The things that help me to reach my goals include breaking them down and setting myself a plan, getting support from family, friends, support workers and counsellors as well as trying to eat healthy foods and exercising regularly. The things that get in the way of reaching my goals includes lack of motivation and struggling with my mental barriers (self doubt, worries, anxieties). Things that I’ve used to overcome these are positive affirmations, reminders of my strengths and personal qualities, meditation, deep breathing and asking people for help when needed. https://www.naturalhealthmag.com.au/content/6-ways-achieve-your-goals

On Tuesday night, I attended my Body Combat class at YMCA Casey ARC in Narre Warren. Tonight’s class was a bit different in that Cinamon Guerin invited Caitlin up onto the stage to demonstrate half of the tracks. She is essentially an instructor-in-training and I have to say that she did a great job. She had a really good rapore with Cinamon and was able to confidently instruct by herself as well.

As usual tonight’s Combat class was a tough one with plenty of high knees, lunges, esteevas, jab boxes, uppercuts, front kicks, back kicks, side kicks and tricky combos. I was dripping in sweat halfway through the class and had to pull back a bit due to fatigue and soreness. I’m still proud that I’m able to come to Combat classes and smash it, no matter how I’m feeling inside. I’m determined to drop those kilos again. https://www.lesmills.com.au/archive-bodycombat

On Thursday morning, Mum and I dropped into Insight Accounting on the rooftop of Cranbourne Park Shopping Centre. Ever since the bad experience I had with my tax return last year, I’ve been trying to shop around to find another accountant who I might be more suited to. A quick Google search pointed me towards Insight Accounting and today I thought I’d drop in to make an inquiry about getting an individual tax return claim done.

The Cranbourne office located next door to Anytime Fitness (Cranbourne) seemed a little daunting at first with a long white hallway leading to the reception desk. The receptionist named Emma ended up asking one of the accountants, Stacey, to have a chat with us in her office. The space was very inviting and comfortable. Whilst Stacey was a lot younger than my last accountant, I could tell that she was switched on and had the right know-how about the preparation involved with tax returns. I feel pretty confident that I’ll end up doing my tax return through them this year. http://www.insightaccounting.com.au/individuals/

I personally don’t think there’s any harm in changing companies if you don’t feel satisfied or happy with their services. That is the prerogative of a client and you should make zero apologies about it. I used to be much more passive about it in the past but now I apply this to everything in my life...psychologists, counsellors, personal trainers, teachers, doctors and now accountants. If you don’t do this, you end up getting stuck in a rut and feeling depressed, frustrated, annoyed and/or upset. Don’t settle for second best.

On Friday morning, I dropped into my local Centrelink customer service office in Cranbourne to (hopefully) sort out the birth certificate issue from last week. Thankfully the lady who was serving me was much more helpful and less vague than Ms. Sue from last week. I could feel my anxiety levels spiking up as she was busily typing away behind the counter. I was praying that this time the system would actually accept my birth certificate now that I had my Change of Name Registration certificate with me.

Unfortunately, we had the same issue again and not even the expertise of the male staff member next door could resolve it. However, she did make copies and scans of both documents to send away to Births, Deaths and Marriages to get them verified and matched up. Whilst it was another frustrating result for me, at least this time some progress was getting made and it didn’t feel like a waste of time. https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/enablers/confirm-your-identity

On Friday night, I attended the re-opening night of Aaron Petty’s yoga studio, Level Up Yoga in Berwick. It’s really no secret that I find social situations to be tremendously difficult particularly when it comes to making conversation. How do I break the ice? What do I say? I don’t know 80% of the people in the room. And of course the wet weather had continued into the night. But I wasn’t going to let any of these barriers stop me from coming tonight.

Aaron has spent the last two weeks renovating and transforming the existing space located upstairs inside Personal Performance Training Centre into a proper yoga studio. It now features: a peach coloured feature wall, ceiling fan, air conditioner/heater, flooring vents, polished cork flooring, a storage cupboard and benches for the yoga equipment, mirrors, a new door and added wall. Honestly, Aaron and his team have done a magnificent job and all the hard work has paid off.

Tonight the space was beautifully lit up with lamps and fairy lights. The bench was decorated with little chocolates, love hearts, strawberries, tealight candle holders, a diffuser, native twigs and gum leaves. They also had some canopes and a glass teapot set up. I decided to start by having a chat with my good friend Daniel Cooper, whom I know from his band Spectral Fires. I actually did surprisingly well despite the obvious stumbles and mental blanks, grasping for the right words to say.

Then my anxiety was starting to kick in. I checked my phone and discovered that I’d only been there for 20 minutes. I was determined to push myself and not simply bolt out the door. It didn’t take long for the yoga space to start filling up with people. The volume level was also increasing pretty rapidly. I thought I’d sit down, grab some tea and read one of the orange timetables that Aaron had made up.

I was sitting next door to a tray full of peanut butter and coconut protein balls. In that moment, I could have honestly eaten the whole tray but that was the comfort eater inside of me talking. I was trying hard to be disciplined as weight loss is still an uphill battle for me. And here come the anxious thoughts (God this is so difficult. I hardly know anybody here. So many people know each other. Why do I find talking to people so hard? Maybe I should leave).

Thankfully this stream of thought was interrupted by Aaron Petty making an announcement. There was probably around 30-40 people in the room now which is a very impressive turnout. After delivering his thank yous and having one-too-many applauds, he started talking about his new concept for Level Up Yoga, Freedom and Stillness and what these words meant to him. Then he gently lead us all into a short guided meditation with Daniel Cooper playing some beautiful music in the background.

Finally he got us to introduce ourselves to a person we didn’t know and ask them “What does freedom mean to you?” Cue to typical thought of “OH SHIT!” But honestly this was exactly what I needed. To get out of my comfort zone and meet people. A couple of people actually approached me and it felt good despite how flustered my face was getting. But at the same time, my anxiety was easing a little and I didn’t feel quite as social isolated or withdrawn.

I aimed to stay for over an hour and I smashed that goal. I tried to do my usual sneaky ninja exit but was easily detected. To be honest, I didn’t mind because it showed that quite a few people in that room care enough about me to acknowledge my existence. Whilst it was hard for me sitting through the anxiety and the uncomfortable feelings I had inside, I’m really proud that I did it because that shows true strength. I deserve to be a part of the Level Up Yoga community. https://www.aaronpetty.com/teaching-schedule/

On Saturday morning, I did a Vinyasa yoga class with Aaron Petty at Level Up Yoga in Berwick. As I had the day off work, I figured I’d come along to one of the free yoga classes Aaron was offering this weekend. I was still feeling a bit restless from last night as I didn’t sleep very well but I somehow managed to motivate myself to go this morning. It was a small class with only two other girls joining me but I was very content with that considering how packed the studio was last night.

Being a Vinyasa class, I knew that this would be challenging but I just did the best I could. We did several different sequences of poses including:                      Vinyasa Flow: Downward Facing Dog, Plank, Chaturanga, Baby Cobra/Cobra/Updog.                                                                                    Warrior Sequence: Three Legged Dog, Crescent Lunge, Warrior 2, Reverse Warrior.                                                                                                      Strength: Half-Pigeon, Mermaid, King Pigeon, Side Plank, Elbow Plank.              Inversions: Legs in the air, Shoulder Stand, Handstand.

This morning I tried to use laughter as a coping mechanism to deal with my struggles particularly with the strength and balancing poses. Holding my own body weight is something I’m still continuing to work on. I also knew what my limits were and there were a few times where I had to pull back due to fatigue, especially towards the end of the class. This is not a sign of weakness. It’s actually a good thing to have enough self-awareness to figure out when I should be resting or pulling back. The last thing I want to do is injure myself. https://www.popsugar.com.au/fitness/Benefits-Normal-Plank-vs-Elbow-Plank-28902118

“It takes a voice to make a change. It takes courage to not be the same. If the world is silenced today. I make sure to scream my name. Don't lose your heart. If you're willing to change, willing to fight. Promise me. Remind yourself. You're breathing. Remind yourself. That you are bleeding.” Dream on Dreamer - Don’t Lose Your Heart (2015)

[mikeyd1986]

MIKEY’S PERSONAL BLOG 106, May 2018

On Monday night, I went down to YMCA Casey RACE for a Spa/Sauna/Steam Room session as well as a Water Workout class with fitness instructor Janine. It’s been a month or two since I last did both of these activities down at Casey RACE due to the flooring upgrade works but thankfully it’s now been completed around the Spa areas. I generally allocate about 10 minutes to each of the facilities which is usually long enough for me. https://www.caseyrace.ymca.org.au/aquatics/aquatic-facilities

It felt great to engage in some hydrotherapy using the high-pressure jets to massage the tension in my joints, obliques and lower back muscles. Deep sweating in the sauna and steam room also have plenty of health benefits associated with them and you don’t have to stay in those rooms that long either. https://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-health-benefits-of-steam-rooms-and-saunas.html

Tonight’s Water Workout session was really fun and enjoyable. The pool was packed being a Monday night with around 20-30 people in the class. We did many different movements and exercises including Jogging with High Knees, Mermaid, Rock ‘N’ Roll, Tuck Jumps, Front and Side Kicks and Dumbell Rolls. Janine put on a varied mix of tracks including TLC’s Waterfalls, Meagan Trainor’s All About That Bass and Richard Marx’s Right Here Waiting. https://www.livestrong.com/article/133611-water-aerobics-benefits/

On Tuesday morning, I had my Employ Your Mind session at WISE Employment - Cranbourne office. Today’s session was more intimate with only three PHaMs workers in attendance (Ally, Jane and Vadim). This actually made for a more productive session as I tend to work better in smaller groups. We worked on the area of conversation including how to start one, thinking about your presentation, body language, attitude and the social situation.

The second half of the session was about linking the computer activities in the ThinkingGym to thinking skills used in everyday life. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been doing lots of exercises related to short term memory, visual working memory, problem solving and executive function. These are all areas in which I’m still continuing to improve. I discussed with the group how writing lists, using a journal or planner and saving important reminders in my phone have really helped in improving my cognitive skills. http://www.fifeemploymentaccesstrust.com/employ-your-mind.html

On Tuesday afternoon, Mum and I visited our GP, Dr. Mah Mah Thet, at Narregate Medical & Dental Centre in Narre Warren. Firstly, I wanted to get my results from the Glucose Tolerance Test that I did a couple of weeks ago. Thankfully I got a normal result which is <6.1 mmol/L fasting glucose and <7.8mmol/L after two hours. The second thing was to get another Mental Heathcare Plan organised. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/glucose-tolerance-test/about/pac-20394296

I had to get a few things updated like my K10 questionnaire with my score of 31/50 lying just inside the severe mental disorder range. Clearly some aspects of my mental health have improved over the last few months but my moods are still up and down. My sleeping patterns  and energy/motivation are still poor. I still have phases of social isolation, moderate-high levels of depression and high levels of anxiety. Hence why continuing sessions with my counsellor and psychologist is really important. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/mental-health-care-plan

On Tuesday night, I attended an NDIS Community Information Session at Balla Balla Community Centre in Cranbourne East. I wanted to remain open minded about tonight’s meeting as I knew it would be pretty biased towards the NDIA. A lady named Sharna began by going through the steps involved to become a participant using a brochure called My NDIS Pathway. She touched on things including who is eligible, how to access the NDIS, what a planning meeting would look like and the types of things they fund and support. https://www.ndis.gov.au/event/cranbourne-info-29may

The next presenter was Kylie from the Department of Human Health Services briefly discussed when the NDIS will be rolling out in Southern Melbourne as well as what defined and undefined programs are, the future role of the Government in funding the NDIS. Next was Chris who talked about the role of Local Area Co-ordinators (LACs) which includes helping with developing and implementing your plan, connecting you to supports and services, helping you connect more with the community and the planning discussion. He also mentioned a website called Reimagine Today which is dedicated to people with a mental health condition and how the NDIS could support them. https://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/ndis

Finally we had a lady from the Disability Services Commissioner (DSC) who is a body which helps resolve and deal with complaints related to the NDIS. She went into the types of things you can complain about include planning, personal care, case management, day and respite services, behavioural and financial support services. It was nice to see a neutral, unbiased speaker presenting her point-of-view considering how many issues and flaws there seems to be so far with the NDIS. http://www.odsc.vic.gov.au/

However, I’m trying to remain optimistic about the possibility of becoming a participant myself. There’s also the possibility that I could fall under the category of having a psychosocial disability which is basically means having a mental health issue as well as a disability where one impacts or influences the other. So in my case, I have High Functioning Autism as well as Anxiety and Depression. https://reimagine.today/step-1/disability-and-psychosocial-disability/

As much as I found parts of this meeting to be boring and essentially a recap of information the NDIS already have available on their website, I didn’t find it to be a waste of time to be there. Learning about what LAC’s do and that the DSC even existed shows that I did take something way from this meeting. I feel like arming myself with as much information as possible before September 1st is a very smart move on my part even if a lot of it is repeated, confusing or overwhelming. https://www.ndis.gov.au/

On Thursday morning, I did a session on the Treadmill at YMCA Casey RACE in Cranbourne East. I’m slowly gaining more confidence every time I jump onto the treadmill now, though I also know where my limits are. I’m still not quite comfortable to let go of the handles nor run or jog on the treadmill yet but I was able to maintain a power walking pace for most of the workout, around 6-7 kmph. Over about 50 minutes or so, I burned around 320 calories, traveled over 5 km and got my heart-rate up to 150 bpm. I working to make this a regular habit even if it’s once a week because I’m determined to shed some body fat.  https://www.caseyrace.ymca.org.au/gym/gym-facilities

On Thursday night, I went to an Open Level Vinyasa yoga class with Aaron Petty at Level Up Yoga in Berwick. Tonight was very quiet attendance-wise and so I ended up having a private session with Aaron. The last time I was by myself with a yoga teacher, things went pear shaped. I hadn’t really had much experience doing yoga yet and I was feeling self-conscious as hell. I wanted to run out of the studio. But tonight I was feeling a lot calmer and reassured. I think having built up trust with your yoga teacher helps a lot and to let go of the nervous tension and awkwardness. https://www.aaronpetty.com/about-me/

I generally have three main barriers when it comes to doing yoga: Anxiety, Self-Doubt and Fatigue. It’s the “What if?” type thoughts, feeling like I’m not doing a pose or movement right, being too hard on myself, not keeping up or going too fast, struggling to slow my breath down, dealing with the discomfort associated with tight muscles and joints. But barriers can always be overcome. This is what I kept telling myself tonight as I went through the class. Those harsh, critical voices inside my head are always going to linger but I don’t have to let them take over and become a burden. https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/yoga-by-benefit/anxiety

Aaron let me choose what I wanted to work on tonight. Unprepared, I followed his suggestion of focusing on the shoulders and hips. Vinyasa is a strength-based yoga practice so of course there was lots of deep stretches, core work and sweating going on. I felt really proud that with Aaron’s help, I was able to push myself enough to get deeper into my poses including Wide Squats, Lizard Pose, Wheel Pose and Wide-Legged Forward Bend. Plus my Vinyasa Flow sequence has improved a lot as I was able to do full push-ups and up dogs. https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/types-of-yoga/vinyasa-yoga

Aaron will be closing down the studio over the next two weeks for renovations and will be opening up again in mid-June. Updates can be found on the Level Up Yoga Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/levelup.yoga.berwick/

On Friday morning, I went to my Body Combat class with Cinamon Guerin at YMCA Casey ARC in Narre Warren. Something I really struggle with in the morning especially leading up to Winter is motivation. I literally had to drag myself out of bed, have breakfast, watch last night’s episode of Home & Away (Priorities! :P), get dressed in my workout gear, leave the house by 8.30-8.45am, beat the school and morning peak hour traffic, find a parking spot at Casey Arc and walk into the Group Fitness Studio. All of this takes a great deal of effort, physical and mental energy, stamina and time but honestly it’s worth it.

Just like most Friday morning Combat class, this one was packed, intense and sweaty. Cinamon chose a mixture of tracks from previous releases including Break The Rules by Annoymous Hotel (Lower Body Warm-up), Dark Horse by Katy Perry (Martial Arts) and Watch It Burn by Camo & Krooked Feat. Ayah Marar (Power Training). The most challenging parts of the class for me were the endurance jab boxes, dynamic lunges with front kicks and the high knee repeater. I actually felt really confident about my round-house kicks today, I was smashing it. https://lesmills.com.au/bodycombat

It’s safe to say that the whole class was struggling today with their levels of fatigue and muscle soreness but at least we could all have a laugh about it. As soon as that last track came on (I don’t wanna do this anymore), I think most people were feeling that sentiment. But we all pushed on regardless. It’s incredible how I’m able to pull some last minute energy out even when I’m feeling stuffed and I’d just rather collapse on the floor or into a comfy chair. http://w3.lesmills.com/israel/en/classes/bodycombat/learn-the-moves/

On Friday afternoon, I had a counselling session with Ruth from Piece Together Counselling in Narre Warren. I think the biggest thing that I learned today was about not allowing stereotypical labels such as “I have High Functioning Autism” or “I’m an anxious/depressed person” to define me. That I am more than my mental illnesses and disabilities. It’s so easy to let the negative connotations take over but I should never see myself as weak, incapable, not good enough or that there’s something wrong with me. https://www.sane.org/mental-health-and-illness/facts-and-guides/reducing-stigma

The other thing was around personal growth and self-actualisation. Ruth describes it as similar to a plant growing towards the sunlight. It’s our ability to realise our potential and be the person that you’re meant to be. On reflection, I can see a lot of the progress I’ve made in many different aspects of my life. From setting a weight loss goal to making fitness a regular habit to learning ways to cope better with stress, anxiety, depression to attending and educating myself on what it means to be autistic to pushing the boundaries in social situations. https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/theory-and-psychopathology/201308/the-theory-self-actualization

There’s also my interests such as reading, writing blogs and reviews, journaling, yoga, meditation, nature, movies, puzzles, domestic animals, art, drawing, painting, music and supporting local bands. Plus engagement and participating in courses and programs including basic cooking skills, mental health support, introduction to mindfulness and strength-based fitness. These are the things that truly reflect the person that I am. https://www.piecetogethercousellingnarrewarren.org/

[mikeyd1986]

MIKEY’S PERSONAL BLOG 96, March 2018

On Monday morning, I went to see Dr. Mah Mah at Narre Gate Medical Center in Narre Warren. I was running late as usual having slept in this morning, that classic Beatles song “A Day In The Life” could be a running monologue to describe most Mondays for me (Woke up, fell out of bed. Dragged a comb across my head. Found my way downstairs and drank a cup. And looking up, I noticed I was late...).

The issues with my ears from the infection to blockage and soreness through the glands and sides of my face was becoming like an episode of Days Of Our Lives (Previously on Michael’s auditory health issues). I was doing everything possible to treat myself, even spending my actual birthday resting up in bed and giving myself regular doses of pain killers and antibiotics. And yet it still hadn’t cleared up or stop hurting.

Being a Monday morning, the waiting room was packed with mum, dads, tradies and annoying screeching children running around (luckily I could only partially hear them). I wished that my doctor could simply prescribe me with a new set of ears (maybe an ear transplant?) but alas that’s not realistic. She advised me to stop taking the Ciproxin ear drops and instead put 10 drops of Waxsol in each ear for the next two nights and came back to see her on Wednesday. I’ll seriously do anything at this point just to get rid of the pain and discomfort. https://1800bulkbill.com.au/medical-centre/narregate-medical-dental-centre

After my appointment, I had birthday shopping to do as it’s my Mum’s birthday tomorrow. Truthfully, I wasn’t in the best state health wise nor in the mood to be shopping but I didn’t really have a choice. Plus it’s my Mum and she’s important to me and I’ll happily put up with an ear infection for her. My first stop was JB HI-FI Narre Warren where I bumped into my friend Tom Armstrong who happens to work at the store. I briefly caught up with him and he helped me out with getting a powerbank. Tom is an absolute sweetheart, no joke!

Next stop was Chemist Warehouse to stock up on my drugs (of the prescription variety of course). I’ve made a couple of trips here recently and now it’s not as daunting and overwhelming as it usually is. I guess you slowly get used to where all the products are located plus it wasn’t that busy. I managed to be in and out within 10 minutes or so. I needed more waxsol drops, cotton balls, a liquid inhalant for my Euky Bear vapouriser and panadeine forte. https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/

Lastly I dropped into a lovely little shop called the Berwick Curtain Nook located inside the Village Arcade and off High Street, Berwick. Whilst I was feeling a little awkward coming here by myself, I pretty much knew what I wanted to buy Mum. I got her a paperback notebook with an elephant on the front, a ceramic ornament with a beautiful inspirational quote and a grey Scottish Terrier ornament.

The lady went to the trouble of wrapping the ornaments in tissue paper and placing them in a bright red gift bag as I mentioned that it was my Mum’s birthday tomorrow. Thankfully it didn’t quite turn into the scene from Love Actually with Rowan Atkinson going overboard with the gift wrapping (Any ribbon? Cellophane? Rose petals? A box? NO THANK YOU!) but my pain threshold wasn’t letting up. However, I was very grateful for her service considering how last minute this was. http://www.berwickcurtainnook.com.au/

On Tuesday morning, we celebrated Mum’s birthday by each having a much deserved massage at Body & Balance in Cranbourne Park Shopping Centre. We decided on getting the oil neck and shoulder massage plus reflexology foot massage and hot stone therapy. The lady did a really thorough job without going too intense in the pressure department. I could actually relax into it even with the noise of the broken air conditioner above me.

I did get myself a little confused though as the lady said something quickly and left the room. I was left there wondering if she was coming back or if I was supposed to go outside the room. I was still feeling half deaf and she was also softly spoken so it was difficult to hear her. Looking at the digital clock on the table, it read 10:30am meaning that I still had another 20 minutes and my massage wasn’t over. So therefore I trusted my instincts, got dressed and met her outside.

Mum and I both reclined back on these circular rotating arm chairs whilst our female massage therapists went to work on our feet. It’s been months since I’ve had a proper foot massage done so I could feel how tense and sensitive they were in places but it was still a lovely experience all the same. The only thing that bothered me was that the massage staff were all having a conversation in Chinese the entire time which I thought was kinda rude. But I decided to let it go and tried to focus on enjoying the massage. https://www.cranbournepark.com.au/stores/body-balance/

On Wednesday afternoon, Mum and I saw Dr. Mah Mah at Narre Gate Medical Center in Narre Warren. I think I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been to the doctors in the past fortnight but now I’m getting over it. Thankfully the pain in my ears has eased up quite a bit and the waxsol drops have helped to soften up the ear wax blocking up the ear canals. So it was a huge relief when Mah Mah could syringe my ears so that I could hear clearly again.

I also decided to get a blood test ordered as it’s been over a year since my last one. She added a FBE (Full Blood Count), Urea/Electrolyte/Creatine, Cholesterol/Triglycerides/HDL/LDL, Glucose, TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) and TES (Testosterone) levels. Over the past couple of months, I’ve noticed that I’ve been having periods of low energy and chronic fatigue so I think a blood test would be really helpful in figuring out what I’m deficient in.

In addition (I literally had a list of things to see her about today, no joke!), I wanted to get the dosage of my antidepressants increased. I’ve been taking Zoloft (Sertraline) tablets at 150mg for about 5 months now and my psychologist recommended that I increase it up to 200mg due to scoring a severe level of anxiety on a recent assessment I did. Plus I have noticed that there are times where the antidepressants seem ineffective when it comes to my mood so it couldn’t hurt to try increasing it.

On Thursday morning, I had my first Employ Your Mind session with my support worker Ally Lamb at Wise Employment Narre Warren. Basically, EYM is “a program that helps build the thinking and social skills that are important for work and other areas of life”. Ally recommended it to be as she knows how much I struggle with communication in social situations and dealing with my mental health issues. http://www.fifeemploymentaccesstrust.com/employ-your-mind.html

The first session was pretty straight forward and more of an introduction to the program. There are four phases in total which each run for 6 weeks with a short break in between. Phase 1 is done individually with the learning coach (Ally Lamb) whilst Phases 2,3 and 4 are run in small groups. We went through what her role as a learning coach is and I also filled in a questionnaire called the General Self Efficacy Scale.

The second part of the session involved the concept of cognitive remediation and going through parts of the human brain (frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, cerebellum, temporal lobe, brain stem). Basically it’s about being able to improve cognitive or thinking skills. Lastly we discussed how mental health issues can affect or impact upon cognitive skills and make it even more difficult to learn, concentrate and retain information. http://www.wiseemployment.com.au/en/community/ndis-supports-and-services/

Unfortunately my ears were still not 100% clear even after I got them syringed/irrigated at the doctors yesterday. It’s hard to explain but they still “feel” blocked even though my hearing is a lot better than it was earlier this week. I could be experiencing tinnitus or that my ear canals are too dry and not lubricated enough. Hopefully it clears up and heals naturally over the next few days.

On Friday morning, Mum and I went to the Morning Melodies social function at the Waltzing Matilda Hotel in Springvale. We were running late (no surprises there!) so we didn’t end up getting to the function room until around 10.45am or so. Thankfully we caught most of the performance though. Today we had Brian Muldoon doing the “Johnny O’Keefe tribute” show. It was partly a history lesson as Brian talked about Johnny’s life back in the early 60’s and 70’s, the television shows we became known for and the downward spiral that followed due to his mental illness.

Brian performed many of his classic hits including Shout!, Sing Sing Sing, She Wears My Ring, So Tough, The Sun’s Gonna Shine Tomorrow, It’s too late she’s gone, The Wild One and She’s My Baby. Most of Johnny O’Keefe’s songs carried a positive, uplifting message to them in order to help people’s moods up and push through the tough times in life. I feel like this is very relevant to the challenges we face in life today. https://www.entertainoz.com.au/listings/brian-muldoon/artist_profile_details

On Friday night, I went to a Vinyasa flow yoga class with Jade Hunter at YMCA Casey ARC, Narre Warren. I haven’t been to a fitness class in nearly two weeks now due to my health problems and being busy with other commitments like my birthday, appointments and my VCAT hearing. However, considering my ears were feeling a lot better, I decided to go back tonight. It’s funny how quickly you miss the gym when you haven’t been for a while.

I also read that certain yoga poses can help to unblock and relieve the pressure built up inside the ear canals so there’s another good reason to do. Tonight was a little more challenging than usual with lots of balancing, twists and binds thrown into the mix. I wasn’t really prepared for all of that nor did I have the flexibility to do everything Jade was demonstrating (Putting my legs behind my head? Yeah right!).

We did our usual Vinyasa flow sequence (Downward Facing Dog, Plank, Chaturanga, Cobra/Updog) plus Standing Poses (Warrior 2, Standing Forward Bend, Half Lift, Chair pose, Reverse Triangle pose), Seated Poses (Boat pose, Staff pose, Wide Legged Forward Bend, Happy Baby) and Inversions (Shoulder Stand, Plow pose). I could hear my ears popping which was a good sign plus my body heated up quite quickly during the class.

Jade does go the extra mile though considering we are doing yoga inside a creche. She added candles, burning incense, beautiful yoga music and some brass Tibetan bowls and chimes to the space which gave it the appropriate atmosphere for a yoga class. https://www.doyouyoga.com/the-perfect-vinyasa-flow-routine-for-beginners-30159/

[baysidecounsellingconsult-blog]

Bayside Counselling and Consultation provides high-quality of counselling psychologist service for children, adolescents, adults, and families for whom we have expertise. We provide appointments across Frankston Cranbourne Glen Waverley.

[mikeyd1986]

MIKEY’S PERSONAL BLOG 41, February 2017

On Monday afternoon, I had my first appointment to see my new psychologist Ms. Angela Ewing at New View Psychology through Casey Allied Health in Berwick. This was organised a few weeks ago through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) due to being unable to cope with my high anxiety levels and work related stress. Of course I was feeling a bit nervous meeting her as I always am meeting somebody new for the first time but I slowly eased up to her during the session. http://caseyalliedhealth.com.au/pra...

Her office was quite clinical and pokey with a handful of leather-backed arm chairs, an artificial orchard plant and a large hanging wall decoration featuring rusted butterflies. I warmed to her fairly quickly despite a few moments of stumbling over my words. She gave me a few suggestions to take away from this session including increasing the dose of my medication and practicing controlled breathing techniques on a daily basis. http://newviewpsychology.com.au/emp...

Angela also asked me to fill in a DASS 42 self-report questionnaire which measures the severity of symptoms from depression, anxiety and stress. My results indicated that I had a extremely severe level of anxiety, severe level of stress and a moderate level of depression. http://www.psytoolkit.org/survey-li...

On Tuesday morning, I went to my Just Breathe yoga class at Now, Yoga. in Narre Warren South. I was amazed to see so many others enrolling and joining the class today. Normally, you’d be lucky to see 2 or 3 others but today there were about 8 of us. And these ladies were quite a jovial bunch, cracking humourous jokes about struggling through poses and dealing with sore joints especially as you get older. I find laughter so important. Yes yoga is a serious practice but sometimes you just have to let it go...literally! http://nowyoga.net.au/timetable/

Today we did quite a few flowing sequences as well as our Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana Pranayama) exercise and deep yogic breathing. Some of the poses we did include: Flowing Warrior Sequence (Forward Fold, Warrior 2, Peaceful Warrior, Reverse Warrior, Side Angle Pose, Revolved Triangle Pose), Pigeon Pose, Wide Legged Forward Bend, Downward Facing Dog and Cat-Cow Pose. https://www.verywell.com/get-fierce...

After the class, I got back into doing some acrylic painting on canvas panel. It’s been a few months since I’ve done any artwork due to losing the motivation but now I really want to get back into it. This week I decided to focus on the use of blending warm colours together to create an abstract landscape. This piece depicts the summer sky with tones reminiscent of the Australian Outback (reds, blues, yellows, oranges, pinks, white, black).

On Tuesday night, I attended my Body Combat class at YMCA Casey ARC in Narre Warren. Unlike a couple of weeks back, I was feeling more focused and switched on tonight. I was becoming more aware of my stance, my body movements and co-ordination whilst doing the workout. I’m reminding myself to keep my guard up in between jabs, uppercuts, hooks and the like as well as turning from the back heel and working into my hips more. 

I’m a little slow at times and I do miss reps but that’s okay. Like our instructor Cinamon Guerin keeps telling us, I don’t give up even if I make a mistake or I’m struggling. I really pushed myself hard tonight and it felt good even though I was dripping in sweat. I’ve formed a connection with this particular class now and it honestly encourages me to keep coming back. https://www.goodlifehealthclubs.com.au/... 

On Thursday morning, I had my third counselling session at Piece Together Counselling in Narre Warren. The door was slightly ajar when I got there for my appointment. Imagine my surprise when I didn’t see Rachel sitting down on the sofa but her colleague Ruth. She told me that Rachel couldn’t be there today due to illness and that she was a qualified counselor and psychotherapist. https://www.yelp.com.au/biz/piece-t... 

Considering I’m usually really reserved and hesitant when it comes to new therapists but I found her easy to open up to about my problems. We went through the ABCDE worksheets that I’ve been filling out in the last couple of weeks which have helped me to see things from a more rational and realistic perspective. She also told me about the acronym for FEAR...False Evidence Appearing Real. http://www.awaken.com/2013/01/overc...   

We spent the last 5-10 minutes of the session playing with some kinetic sand which has the consistency of play dough or a cookie mixture but doesn’t stick to your hands. It’s supposed to calm your mind and reduce your symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress simply by touching and feeling it slip through your fingers. http://www.kineticsand.com.au/ 

On Friday morning, I had an hour long whole body Chinese Massage at Top 1 Therapy in Cranbourne East. I was a little apprehensive and nervous about it considering how intense my last Chinese massage was but for $29, I really couldn’t complain too much. In the waiting area, I glanced up to see the wall covered in framed certificates of qualifications. That put my mind at ease a bit knowing that at least these people were trained professionals. 

The Asian lady was extremely thorough during the entire session. She really worked hard into my tense neck, shoulder and back muscles. Admittedly, the pressure was a little strong at times but it wasn’t excruciating and she did ask me if it was okay. The slapping and thumping of my legs and lower back was something I wasn’t quite prepared for but I rode through it and felt better for it. She also used hot stones, towels and oil which all felt really good. http://www.top1therapy.com/

On Friday afternoon, I had my first one-on-one training session with my new personal trainer Luke Davey at Breakaway Fitness in Narre Warren. It must have been fate that brought us together after being invited to like his page. I soon discovered that he trained at UFT - CrossFit Fountain Gate where I used to go last year. The truth is that I did enjoy some aspects of the training I was doing with my former personal trainer but due to personality clashes and being unable to fit in socially with his group of clients, I decided to leave for the sake of my mental health. 

Still I was pretty nervous walking through those doors again. I decided to treat this experience as a fresh start rather than dwell on past hurts and bad experiences. Luke was very welcoming and easy to get along with. I did a 40 minute trial workout which included warming up with the stick master game, doing 20m bear, gorilla and crab walks and then a 7 minute AMRAP (15 Squats, 10 push ups, 5 ring rows and a 20m bear crawl). I managed to do 3 rounds and several squats which was better than I expected.

Luke asked me a lot of personal questions throughout the session. I did feel a little guarded as I’m still getting to know him but so far things went really well. Of course I had to sign a mountain of paperwork but I’m kinda used to that by now. I’m planning on doing one session a week as I want to continue going to classes at Casey Arc, Just Be and Now Yoga. https://www.facebook.com/breakawayf...

“It’s clear you think that I’m inferior. Whatever helps you sleep at night. Whatever helps you keep it tight.” Broods - Free (2016) 

  “Hand in hand you led me into things I never knew. You’re drinking up a cure now. Forget what you have seen. I sit analysing what the hell is wrong with me”                                 Broods - Recovery (2016)