Sandra S. Johnson, lcsw, RYT-200

In a society that pushes us to succeed, earn and "do", many of us have lost the ability to allow for imperfection, embrace quiet moments and simply "be".   As a result, we may experience feelings of anxiety or inadequacy or set unrealistic expectations for ourselves, our families, and other significant people in our lives.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you are mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad, or attaching a lot of meaning to them which may trigger or contribute to anxious and depressive thoughts.    Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience.

How does mindfulness help increase feelings of well being and become your "super power":   Click here for an interactive explanation from Dan Harris from Happify

A practice for the whole family: Click here to “Just Breathe”

Inspired by personal and professional experiences, as well as research in neuroplasticity (see below for more information), Sandy began to introduce the contemplative practices of therapeutic yoga and mindfulness into her mental health work.  These practices encourage quieting the mind and enhancing breathing patterns to balance the nervous system,  help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression and improve attention and focus.  Sandy was so encouraged by the positive response from clients that she became a certified teacher of Integrative Yoga Therapy (RYT-200).

What is neuroplasticity and how does it work?

Traumatic experiences and environments can adversely affect the way our brain develops.  For example:  A child who experiences ongoing physical, sexual or emotional abuse, a person experiencing tragic loss, being in a terrifying accident, rape,  domestic violence or living in war zone, can lead to chronic hyper-arousal in the autonomic nervous system. This may result in life-altering feelings of anxiety, depression, memory impairment and difficulty controlling our emotions. Recent research in neuroscience  demonstrates that the brain is able to "rewire" itself by correcting and creating new neural pathways to "reset the brain", which helps alleviate behavioral and emotional reactivity.   Simply stated, neuroplasticity is the mind's ability to replace one set of memories or behaviors with another.   I invite you to listen to a brief video explaining how contemplative practices, such as mindfulness and yoga,  contribute to neuroplasticity and emotional well-being.

The benefits of Yoga Nidra (or as one of my young clients refers to it - “Yoga Ninja”)

Often referred to as “yogic sleep”, Yoga Nidra is an ancient practice that has many benefits. Yoga Nidra is used to manage stress, reduce chronic pain, alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety and improve sleep. All it requires from you is to lay in a comfortable position and listen. You start with sensing the body and breathing in specific ways in order to trigger the relaxation response. The relaxation response balances the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, and balances the left and right brain. In the process, your brain shifts from beta, an awakened state with lots of brain activity, to alpha, a more relaxed state. In alpha, the mood-regulating hormone serotonin is released which has a calming effect. People who spend too little time in an alpha brain-wave state have more anxiety than those who spend more time in alpha. Think of a car: if you want to stop and turn off the engine, you first need to downshift. Shifting your brain into an alpha state starts its process of “powering down,” or coming into a rest state with slower, restorative brain-wave activity.