Welcome to Part 1 of our 2 part series on the stress responses. These responses are sometimes referred to as trauma responses. They are the body's natural biochemical reactions to stress, real or perceived, internal or external.

The fight-flight response developed as a primitive response to danger - it's purpose is to help us survive. In modern life, many of us experience a fight-flight response in reaction to relatively minor stressors like traffic, meetings, challenging conversations, which tend not to be life-threatening. Yet our body's autonomic nervous system doesn't know the difference between being chased by a predator, and stressing over a meeting with an asshole boss. Many of us become "stuck" in fight-flight mode, living from one stress response to the next, full of adrenaline, cortisol, tense muscles in the neck and shoulders, rational mind on auto-pilot, as we prepare to either defend ourselves physically or flee. Over time, living in such a heightened state can wreak havoc on all kinds of internal systems, causing lots of health problems, not to mention poor mental health.

In our usual way, the Instigator and the Yogi talk about our own experiences with fight-flight, and share some of the tips and tools that we've found helpful in managing stress. Karen shares some yoga-inspired practices that serve her well, and Tim talks about Kevin Tracey's book The Great Nerve, the vagus nerve, which plays a critical role in the autonomic nervous system. Next week we tackle the other 2 manifestations of the stress response - freeze/fawn.

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This week the Instigator and the Yogi sit down with a therapist from Ellie Mental Health in Latham, NY, Aletheia! Aletheia specializes in treating people who have experienced trauma as well as individuals living with autism and ADHD. Aletheia's approach to helping people recover from trauma includes many embodied, sensory practices.

In this episode, we discuss Aletheia's experience as a person on the AuDHD spectrum. AuDHD combines the neurodevelopmental diagnoses of autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, traditionally abbreviated ADHD. People living with AuDHD tend to experience symptoms that can impact their ability to tolerate sensory stimuli (light, sound, tactile), as well as challenges related to social communication, and a preference for routine/predictability.

We are so grateful to Aletheia for her vulnerability during this conversation, sharing so openly about her own challenges, the steps she takes each and every day to maintain her own wellness, and how all of this enhances the support she's able to provide to her patients.

To schedule an appointment with an Ellie counselor, visit: elliementalhealth.com. They have locations all over, including 2 offices in NY's Capital Region: Latham and Clifton Park.

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
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This week, the Instigator and the Yogi are unpacking joy. As usual, we're taking a slightly different approach, Tim calls it a perspective slap. We're digging deep and distinguishing manufactured or performative happiness from true, authentic joy. In our increasingly online, social media world, we're all constantly being sold products, experiences, interactions that we're told will make us happy/bring us joy. We challenge this by saying that joy, as a key element of mental health, is an inside job. It's up to each of us to create the joy that resonates for us. But how?

Joy isn't black or white. Especially for those of us for whom joy hasn't always felt accessible, we have to intentionally create and feed our own personal joy. Karen says, "In order to truly feel joy, I need to first feel safe," which we're sure is true for many others. Living your authentic life will lead you to more long-term sustainable joy. Start by thinking back to activities you liked as a child, and carving out time in your adult life for some whimsy, playfulness. Whether it's listening to music, blowing bubbles, swinging on a swingset, reading a book, being near water, or riding a bike (some of the many personal joys we shared), find what resonates for you and do that thing, feed YOUR joy.

Joy wears many different faces, and it's important not to hide behind a mask of performing happiness. It's worth it to dig into what makes you feel joyful as part of your healing. Alan Watts said, "Man suffers only because he takes seriously what the gods made for fun." Do something fun today, prioritize joy in your life, and reap the rewards. Here are a few links to things we referenced in the episode that we encourage you to explore surrounding joy:

The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World by Desmond Tutu, Dalai Lama XIV, Douglas Carlton Abrams

Mission: Joy - Finding Happiness in Troubled Times

Feeding Joy (one of our early episodes!)

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
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It's the last Wednesday in Suicide Awareness Month, and this week we are delighted to welcome Missy Stolfi. Missy is the Area Director of the Capital Region NY Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Coming up this weekend is the 21st annual Walk for R.I.T.A. in Saratoga Springs, NY. The walk is a significant fundraiser for our local AFSP chapter, and it's one with a fascinating origin story. Missy shares with us how this unique walk originated, and what makes it different from other AFSP walks.

The Capital Region NY chapter of AFSP serves 15 counties in upstate NY. AFSP is truly a grassroots organization focused on eliminating suicide through prevention programs, public education about warning signs and risks, raising funds for research and programs, and reaching out to meet the needs of those who have lost someone to suicide. Much like us here on Pieces to Wellness, Missy and AFSP make it a point to talk openly about the importance of mental health, breaking stigmas, and supporting others. And while life isn't all sunshine and rainbows, this conversation is far from depressing. Hopefully you'll find a bit of inspiration and a touch of motivation to reach out to build/reinforce connections with those you care about. We're all in this together.

There's still time to register for the Capital Region Walk for R.I.T.A. this Sunday, September 28, in Saratoga, NY. Go to afsp.org/rita to sign up today! And make sure to stop by the Pieces to Wellness table to say hello!

Here are some other helpful links:
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) - Crisis Intervention

IASP (International Association for Suicide Prevention) - Suicidal Crisis Support

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
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How do you suture your future? What does that even mean? Suturing your future means doing what you can now to impact your future in a positive way. It means setting yourself up for success in terms of your mental-emotional-physical-spiritual well-being.

To be honest, 'cause that's what we do here, the stuff that sutures your future is generally not flashy or sexy. It's things like preparation and repetition. Getting your stuff together the day before, every day. Doing your meditation or movement practice at the same time every day. Routine reinforces wellness. We don't need to be rigid; like GPS, we can recalibrate as needed. Our routines evolve as we do.

Another way to suture your future is to be on the lookout for green flags. We hear a lot about red flags, things to watch out for and avoid. The Instigator and the Yogi challenge you to open yourself up to green flags in your life. These will be different for everyone but in general are things that calm your nervous system, bring a sense of joy or peace. Green flags can be people, places, practices, or things. When you find a few green flags in your life, build them into your wellness routine - they may just become the sutures that hold you together.

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
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September is Suicide Awareness month. For our first episode of September this year, we're talking about the difference between active and passive suicidal ideation. First of all, it's normal to think about suicide. It's much more common than most people think (a study from the NIH found that over 10% of the U.S. population experiences passive suicidal ideation in their lifetime). In this conversation we discuss the difference between passive thoughts and actively making plans to take your life. If you or anyone you know is having active suicidal ideation - meaning the person has made a plan to end their life, get help immediately. You can get help by calling 911, or by calling or texting 988 - the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

If you have passive thoughts of suicide that are becoming more frequent or intense, it's time to talk about it. There are many resources available for people who need help. By having these conversations, we hope to bring light to a dark subject. By bringing light to these subjects, we hope to help others find the courage to have conversations of their own. It all starts with normalizing conversations about mental health.

Here are some helpful links:
AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) - Find a mental health professional

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) - Crisis Intervention

IASP (International Association for Suicide Prevention) - Suicidal Crisis Support

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
Remember - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
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Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

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This week we're delighted to welcome another counselor from Ellie Mental Health to the podcast - meet Gab!

Being in conversation with Gab was a tremendously rewarding experience - she exudes calm, presence, and safety. Gab got her LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor) degree from UAlbany, and worked in a clinic prior to coming on staff at Ellie. Her counseling services run the gamut, and her specialties are grief/loss, and trauma.

Gab talked with the Pieces to Wellness duo about how she creates a safe space for her clients to discuss vulnerable experiences and how she gently supports people from healing after trauma. She integrates multiple approaches that are all person-centered, trauma-focused, solutions-based and even brings in the existential lens. She also takes a wide view of grief and loss, and recognizes that we grieve after losing a job, a relationship, and even a pet. Gab and Karen nerd out about books and neuroscience, and it's clear that we only scratched the surface of Gab's knowledge in this episode. Spoiler alert - the info she drops about Broca's area and the way speech is impacted both during and after a traumatic experience is a game changer!

To schedule an appointment with an Ellie counselor, visit: elliementalhealth.com. They have locations all over, including 2 offices in NY's Capital Region: Latham and Clifton Park.

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
Remember - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
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Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

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Who likes lists? In this month's Tune Up, we're checking in and listing off the various pieces that are meaningful components of our wellness. Some are tangible tools (like lists) that help us manage our time and stay on track with our values. Others are less tangible qualities like courage, vulnerability, and friendship that we try to cultivate through our practices.

If we think of all of these pieces like ingredients in the recipe of life, we can recognize that not everyone needs the same amounts or even the same ingredients to live their life on the wellness side. What matters is to discern what your values are, what behaviors you need to engage in day by day to live in alignment with those values, and then put those pieces into practice.

One quick note on connection. One of the most helpful pieces that humans need to live well is connection with others. This can be friends, family, co-workers, romantic partners, etc. We all benefit from connecting with others who support and enhance our wellness - and this sometimes means limiting contact/connectedness with those who do not support our wellness. This isn't easy, but it is necessary.

If you like this episode, check out some of our other Tune Up episodes - these shorter episodes come out once a month!

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
Remember - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
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Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

Send us a text

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91