17 - Managing Your Energy & Mental Health during COVID-19 with Rebecca Lepoff

Rebecca Lepoff, LCSW and Past Life Regessionist, shares techniques to keep us grounded, centered, and happy during times of upheaval and uncertainty like the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Managing Your Energy and Mental Health During COVID-19
with Rebecca Lepoff

Rebecca first started noticing the energy of those around her while doing community mental health work.  One particular client was so negative that she felt his negativity and the negativity stayed with her even after meeting with that client.
According to Elaine Aron, author of The Highly Sensitive Person, some Common characteristics of people who are sensitive to energy around them (such as empaths) include:
  • People around you tell you that you are “too sensitive”
  • You have a rich inner life
  • Bright lights or strong smells affect you more easily that others
  • You tend to avoid violent TV shows and movies
The benefits of being a highly sensitive person:
  • You can be aware of your surroundings and others which lets you have more empathy and compassion
  • You have the capacity for high emotional intelligence, which can help you be a more effective leader in the workplace
For Rebecca, one of the rewards for working in the mental health field is seeing people’s lives change for the better.
Ways to stay grounded, especially during COVID-19 pandemic:
  • Change your focus or thoughts about things that drain your energy to a focus or thought on something that uplifts you. 
  • Observe your self-talk and deliberately change your self-talk so you talk more positively to yourself. 
  • See yourself and/or your life in a more positive light.  This can have a very positive impact on that person’s mood and happiness level.
To get the most out of working with a mental health professional, a client has to WANT to change his or her life and the client has to be comfortable with the mental health professional.
To maintain your mental health during something like the COVID-19 pandemic:
  • Limit your exposure to news media to once a day
  • Deliberately spend time in activities (and with people) that you enjoy
Tools to keep you grounded, especially if you are highly sensitive to the energy of others:
  • Check in with yourself and determine what is your own energy and what is the energy of another person.  This takes practice but can be very helpful in the long run.
  • Meditate, or participate in a guided meditation, daily.
  • Focus on what you can control (not what you cannot control)
Depression is having a hard time feeling motivated; feeling sad; sometimes feeling angry at ourselves or the world; feeling blah or having no emotions
A lot of our anxiety comes from worrying about “What if . . .” and thinking of the worst-case scenario.
Tips for easing your anxiety and depression:
  • Sometimes forcing yourself to do what you know will be good for you rather than waiting to feel motivated to do it.  For example, if you have been working from home for a few days, you might have to “push” yourself to go outside for a walk, after which you will feel better.  The same is often true when it comes to exercise!
  • Do more positive self-talk rather than fighting against your anxiety.  Dr. David Carbonell wrote a book called The Worry Trick in which he talks about not fighting anxiety.  When we say to ourselves “Don’t be anxious,” all our minds hear is “Be anxious.” 
  • Distract your mind by deliberately shifting your focus.
  • Do a “body scan” meditation where you focus on your feet and gradually move up and focus on other parts of your body.  This will help you “get out of your mind” and more into your body.
  • Work with a competent mental health professional to help you with your anxiety and/or depression
  • Look into Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) with a licensed professional
There is less and less of a stigma about ensuring your mental health today than there was 20 years ago.  So many people feel alone in their anxiety and depression and sometimes that stigma of seeing a mental health professional keeps people from living happier lives.
Those seeking help from a mental health professional can visit psychologytoday.com for a list of therapists and their specialties across the United States.
When looking for a mental health professional, find someone with expertise that can help you as well as a personality and approach that you are comfortable with.

Guest Rebecca Lepoff’s contact information:
Center for Integrative and Functional Health and Wellness in Bloomingdale, IL   https://www.thecifhw.com/
Facebook.com/thecifhw
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/rebecca-lepoff-bloomingdale-il/342650

Host Dan Johnson’s websites:  centerforspirit.org

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