Healthy Mind from Kitty Terry, L.C.S.W.

From my long time friend in Miami, Kitty Terry, who is an L.C.S.W. and has a private practice in Coconut Grove (Miami, Florida).  I met Monk & Kitty in the late 1970s when I lived in Miami.

She sent me this "bio" about herself:  Kitty is a psychotherapist living in Coconut Grove,Miami, Fl.and working at Sanctuary Counseling.. She has 25 years experience working with adult clients who are struggling with  early traumas. She writes her column as much for her clients and friends as for herself. She has a telecounseling practice as well with clients in the US and in Europe. If you would like to receive her Kitty Korner, you may email her at Kitterry@earthlink.net. She has been friends with Ed for over 30 years when he sang in the coir with her family and fixed her Mazda rotary.  (From my own mechanic days, I also installed an air-conditioner on the roof of their house).

Lawrence "Monk" Terry, Kate "Kitty" Terry, one of the daughters (can't remember which one) and two of the grandchildren.

What is a Healthy Mind?

Recently I attended a Conference on  the brain and how research helps us  to  best use our brains  to enhance our spiritual connection to ourselves, to feel happier  and functioning.  Most of my adult life, has been spent reading about and observing human behavior.  I am so often struck by what an adaptive species we  humans are, living in so many  climates and dangerous situations and surviving as best we can, but always learning. 

So how can we use our minds to  enrich are lives rather than  inhibit our abilities to cope with struggle , confusion, loneliness or  fear of the unknown.  Coping is really  developing an awareness of what is going on inside of us in the moment and responding.  Right now  as you read this from me, your body is sitting and your neurons are firing and you are thinking of events past or future or the  “doings “ of the day or week. So, if we can   stop for  10 seconds, we can breathe and   make a healthier mind and body by  noticing our breath go in and out a few times.  

There: Beautiful !  We change an action, develop a good habit. 

 Each breath  that we notice and feel  in the moment,  helps us  to get clear about what  our life is really for. Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn, of University of Mass., our Mindfulness guru in the U.S, has helped  thousands to see that  we can be still, even  when in some discomfort, yet stay on a path that is one we want, not one driven by others values or desires.  Being aware and taking a moment  not to just react or do what we want, but  what we truly need to do to  have a healthier approach to living. 

  So let’s tune in each day and get a practice that is working for us. 
ACA .. a 12 step organization is very helpful  for us in this. (Adult Children of Alcoholics)  They also support survivors of other dysfunctional families in which the defining "rule" is, "Don't feel, don't talk about it, no matter what."

Their Promises:

We will discover our real identities by caring for and accepting ourselves.
Our self worth  will grow  if we encourage ourselves on a daily basis.
Fear of authority figures and the need to “people please” will lessen.
As we face our old fears of abandonment and loneliness, we will be attracted by strengths and become more tolerant of weaknesses.
We will enjoy feeling stable, peaceful and financially secure
We will learn how to play more and enjoy having fun in our lives.
We will choose to love people who can love and be responsible for themselves
Healthy boundaries and limits will become easier for us to set
Fear of failure and success will leave us as we make healthier choices.
We will look forward and see that regrets are just negative thoughts.
As we breath in the life force we will  slowly release old patterns and believe we can have healthy minds and bodies.