Well+Being Holistic Mental Health
Emotional Health & Wellness Tips From The Therapy Couch And Other Places
DBT Skills: Observe Your Thoughts, Reduce Your Anxiety
A Mindfulness Practice to Calm the Mind and Soothe the Nervous System
Mindfulness is the practice of being present—fully and non-judgmentally—with whatever is happening in the moment. It's about gently noticing your breath, your thoughts, your emotions, and your physical body, without trying to fix, change, or escape anything. When practiced consistently, mindfulness has been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, anger, and overwhelm.
If you're someone who struggles with racing thoughts, chronic stress, or emotional reactivity, this simple daily mindfulness exercise can help you create space between stimulus and response, allowing your nervous system to reset.
This is a foundational practice I often share with clients at Holistic Psychotherapy & Wellness NY, especially those seeking relief from anxiety, panic, trauma, or the emotional effects of chronic stress. It’s especially useful when paired with psychotherapy, EMDR, somatic therapy, or integrative coaching.
Step-by-Step Guided Mindfulness Practice
Find a quiet and comfortable spot to sit or lie down. Let your body settle.
Soften your jaw. Unclench your hands. Allow your shoulders to drop. Close your eyes if that feels safe and comfortable.
Begin with the breath
Gently bring your attention to your breath.
Notice the rhythm of your inhalation and exhalation.
Feel the air as it moves in through your nose and fills your lungs.
Exhale slowly, letting your body sink more deeply into support.
There’s nothing you need to change or fix. Just observe the movement of your breath. Imagine that you are riding the wave of your breath, flowing in and out with ease. You are safe in this moment.
Shift your awareness to your thoughts
Now bring gentle attention to your thoughts.
You are not your thoughts. You are the observer.
Notice whatever arises—without judgment, without effort.
Urban Zen Center: How To Avoid The Epidemic Of Obesity And Diabetes
(by Kim Seelbrede, originally posted on Martha Stewart’s wholelivingdaily/wholeliving.org ) Obesity and Diabetes: How to Avoid the Epidemic
Functional Medicine Pioneer Dr. Mark Hyman Speaks at Urban Zen on “Diabesity,” Inflammation, and the Future of Chronic Disease
Last week in the heart of the West Village, the Urban Zen Foundation hosted an inspiring afternoon with functional medicine trailblazer Mark Hyman, MD, who returned to New York to shed light on a fast-growing public health crisis: the epidemic of obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes.
Dr. Hyman calls it "Diabesity"—a term he coined to describe the interconnected epidemic of obesity and diabetes that is now affecting nearly 3 out of 4 Americans. His message? Chronic illness is not our destiny. It is, in many cases, reversible—if we stop treating symptoms and begin healing systems.
The Scary Truth: What We’re Really Up Against
By 2050, one in three Americans will be diagnosed with diabetes. But the warning signs begin decades earlier: blood sugar imbalances, high triglycerides, hypertension, insulin resistance, and abnormal cholesterol levels. Left untreated, these symptoms form the foundation of a larger, metabolic breakdown that can lead to:
In a moment that visibly quieted the room, Dr. Hyman warned, “Our children may be the first generation who will not outlive their parents.” The answer, he says, lies in functional medicine—a systems-based approach to healthcare that treats root causes, not just symptoms.
Functional Medicine 101: From Dysfunctional To Functional
When a participant asked about genetic predisposition, Dr. Hyman explained that genes are not destiny. Through lifestyle changes, we can influence gene expression in ways that promote vitality and resilience. This cutting-edge field—known as nutrigenomics—studies how food and lifestyle choices impact our DNA and mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses in each cell responsible for energy production.