Simply Thrive Therapy Blog

Tips For Setting Healthy Boundaries Boundaries are based on our values, and they reflect what we are comfortable with in our relationships with others. Boundaries also create structure and accountability in areas of our lives that could otherwise be difficult. For example, a person who struggles to function on few hours of sleep will likely establish a scheduled bedtime. Simple, right? Well, there are times when boundaries can be tough, especially when they involve other people. Although setting boundaries can be difficult, they’re necessary to ensure that our needs are being met. Here are some tips to help you set boundaries. Identify your values. Every one of us has different

Mindful Movement The principles of mindful movement are the same as any other mindfulness practice. The aim is to bring our full attention to the present moment to experience the here and now. We bring our awareness to our movement and focus on our breath or the way our body feels as it moves. When our mind wanders, we bring our attention back to the practice, to our breath, to our body. There are many health benefits to taking time and paying attention to your body and breath with mindful movement.  The best way to begin is to get started with one of these simple mindful movement techniques, some of

Validation and Why We Need It Have you ever shared something difficult with a friend or family member only to be told that someone has it worse? Has someone ever minimized your feelings and experiences because they went through something similar and didn’t have the same struggle? You likely felt invalidated in these moments, which is frustrating and unhelpful in processing emotions. Invalidation can leave one feeling misunderstood or lonely and it can have a negative impact on our relationships. So, let’s talk about validation, why it’s useful, and how we can apply it to our experiences with others. Validation, put plainly, means to recognize or affirm that a person’s

The 5-4-3-2-1 Coping Skill with a bonus 3-D version You may have heard of this calming method before. It helps us use our five senses to “ground” us and bring us back into the present moment when we are feeling anxious.  We pay attention to what we are experiencing in the moment, perhaps coupled with deep breath, and we will find our anxiety easier to manage during stressful situations. The 5-4-3-2-1 Method Explained This is how it goes:  5: Acknowledge FIVE things you see around you. 4: Acknowledge FOUR things you can touch around you. 3: Acknowledge THREE things you hear. 2: Acknowledge TWO things you can smell. 1: Acknowledge

Do You Know How to Truly Love Yourself? What is Self-Love? Love is something that we all need to survive and even to thrive. No one can have a fulfilling life without love. So what does self-love mean then? Self-love is an encompassing word that covers many other aspects related to love such as having compassion for yourself, forgiving yourself, taking care of yourself and setting healthy boundaries. Love is unconditional, it is having a deep appreciation of who you really are and accepting all the different parts of yourself – the little peculiarities, the embarrassments, the things we may not do so well, and all the wonderful qualities too. 

Setting Boundaries with Technology and Social Media Technology plays an important role in our daily lives and has vastly improved our quality of life. It’s no secret that we depend on it for things as important as transportation or relaxation. Social media, specifically, has changed how we interact with one another. Speaking from my own experience, social media has helped me to stay connected with family members in South America, which wasn’t nearly as possible for older family members growing up. However, it’s important to remind ourselves that balance is key – too much of anything, even a good thing, can disrupt the balance in our lives. In fact, various