Chronic stress, due to challenges such as school pressures, relationships, trauma, money problems, or over-work, can take a toll on your body, mind, and behavior….sometimes much more than you would imagine.
Stress from the demands and pressures of everyday life can lead to harmful habits such as overeating, smoking, or drug and alcohol abuse….and can also cause acute or chronic illnesses.
Join us to discuss strategies and attitudes such as mindfulness, gratitude, and self-care, to reduce stress and enjoy life more.
Guests:
Gina M. Biegel, LMFT, is a psychotherapist, researcher, speaker, and author in the San Francisco Bay Area who specializes in mindfulness-based work with adolescents. She is founder of Stressed Teens, which has been offering mindfulness-based stress reduction for teens, families, schools, professionals, and the community for over a decade. She created this program to help teens in a large HMO’s outpatient department of child and adolescent psychiatry, whose physical and psychological symptoms were not responding satisfactorily to a multitude of other practices. She is the author of Be Mindful & Stress Less: 50 Ways to Deal with Your (Crazy) Life, The Stress Reduction Workbook for Teens, the Be Mindful Card Deck for Teens and the forthcoming book Mindfulness for Student Athletes: A Workbook to Help Teens Reduce Stress and Enhance Performance. Gina provides worldwide multi-day trainings and intensive ten-week online trainings, and she works with teens and families individually and in groups. For more information, visit her website at www.stressedteens.com.
Leslie Rebecca (Reba) Connell, LCSW, offers health coaching and therapy and teaches Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction and Nourish Your Mood: Mindful Eating with the Brain in Mind, classes in Oakland, California. She is also a Certified Gottman Method Couples Therapist. Her integrative approach looks at mental health as something that occurs in a context…within our physical body, whose cellular, deep wellness supports our mind…within relationships and community. She has completed several levels of study in teaching Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, including a professional training program under the direction of Dr. Saki Santorelli and Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn and a training in teaching Mindful Eating, through UCSD. She is deeply engaged with science-based and traditional approaches to healing through food and self-care. Her trainings include Food As Medicine; The Gut Brain; and Preventing and Managing Chronic Inflammation: Special Focus: Nutritional Interventions. She is committed to a feminist approach that honors all body shapes and sizes while collaborating in radiant wellness. You can find out more at http://www.centerforstressreduction.com
On 2/19/18 I was joined by Dr. Harry Mcilroy on “About Health,” 94.1FM, KPFA.org, to discuss the health benefits of Cannabis. If you missed any part of the show you can listen now athttps://kpfa.org/player/?audio=279505
“It’s surprising that cannabis ever left our medicine cabinets, since the plant has been used for millennia in cultures throughout the world as a curative for ailments of both mind and body.” —Andrew Weil, M.D.
Harry McIlroy, MD, is an integrative physician certified with the Institute for Functional Medicine. Before medical school and completion of residency at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, he had a background in nutrition and obtained a Master’s degree in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Dr. Harry McIlroy strives to provide patients with health tools that empower them to improve their well being.
You can listen to an interview I did with Arash Bayatmakou, author of, Little Big Steps, A Life-Changing Injury and the Inspirational Journey to Overcome the Odds.
Arash had a traumatic injury that changed his life forever. On his road to recovery he has worked diligently towards regaining function and getting back on his feet. Listen to his story! He is an inspiration for anyone who has suffered from a trauma or debilitating illness, and who can use an extra dose of hope.
Following his undergraduate studies, Arash Bayatmakou, used his knowledge of five languages to work in dozens of countries throughout four continents. He completed an MBA focusing on social enterprise and entrepreneurship from the University of San Francisco. He co-founded Streets of San Francisco Bike Tours and worked for two clean-tech startups. Arash suffered a traumatic cervical spinal cord injury in 2012 and was given a dire prognosis for recovery. Arash has written a memior, “Little Big Steps – A Life-Changing Injury and the Inspirational Journey to Overcome the Odds.” It details the pivotal moments, interactions, and breakthroughs, in the first two years following his injury. And he is still working, just as hard as ever, on improving his condition. You can find out more about him at https://arashrecovery.com and http://www.nolimitscollaborative.org
All too often health care providers prescribe medications and treatments without digging deep into the root causes of illness. Also, some people prefer a medication prescription rather than making life style changes such as healthy eating—eliminating pesticides, processed foods, and allergens. And for other people, eating organic or non-GMO foods can be challenging because of cost and availability.
Food related causes of ill health is a personal, community, and national problem.You can listen to the January 22, 2018 show now at:
Guest: Vincanne Adams, PhD, is a professor and vice-chair of Medical Anthropology at the University of California, San Francisco. She has previously published six books on the social dynamics of health, scientific knowledge and politics, and is currently the editor for Medical Anthropology Quarterly.
Tune in here to the show I did on 1/1/17 on About Health on KPFA, 94.1FM
2017 was a difficult year, causing many people to feel more stress, anxiety, and fear. We are faced with the reality that there are many things we can’t change….things out of our control, but there are things we can change. Are you wondering what will unfold on a global, local, and personal level in 2018? Join us to discuss how to set goals that are authentic and realistic to live happier and healthier lives….and stay strong and engaged to do what we can, to be conscious citizens of the planet.
Guest:
Marilynn Preston is the author of “All is Well, the Art and Science of personal well-being”. She is a journalist, healthy lifestyle expert, Emmy winning TV producer, and author of “Energy Express,” the longest-running syndicated fitness column in the US. In her 40 plus year career as a journalist, Marilynn spent 18 years at the Chicago Tribune as a media critic and feature writer. She is also an ACE-certified fitness trainer and certified Wellcoach. And isthe founding chair of Girls in the Game—a life-changing non profit that helps girls get the healthy lifestyle training they need to become strong confident women. To learn more about Marilynn go to http://marilynnpreston.com/
The holiday season can be difficult for people suffering from trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder…better know as PTSD. During this time of year some people try to avoid situations that trigger memories of a traumatic event, or they avoid people they feel uncomfortable around. Sometimes family or friends are involved in a history of trauma, and seeing a specific person can be really challenging. The holidays are “supposed to be joyful” but some people feel alienated for not pretending to be happy. And sometimes a person doesn’t even realize why she’s feeling down around this time of year. It can be really helpful to understand some of the causes that are influencing your emotional state, and also what to do about it.
Guest:
Rachel Walker received a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies, where she specialized in Expressive Arts Therapy. In the past she worked with people with chronic mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, with criminal offenders, and with people suffering from addictions. She has provided individual, couple, and family therapy to clients facing a wide range of clinical issues including: anxiety, trauma, addiction, divorce, grief, bi-polar, cultural and diversity issues, eating disorders and creative and professional blocks. She is trained in modern dance and contact improvisation and Authentic Movement. Rachel has also studied improvisational writing, theater, and voice. Currently she sees clients as an EMDR and Expressive Arts Therapist in Berkeley, California. She is a certified EMDR therapist and approved EMDR consultant. Go to http://rachelwalkermft.com/ to learn more about her work.
Lesli
All too often health care providers prescribe medications and treatments without digging deep into the root causes of illness. Also, some people prefer a medication prescription rather than making life style changes such as healthy eating—eliminating pesticides, processed foods, and allergens. And for other people, eating organic or non-GMO foods can be challenging because of cost and availability.
Rachel Walker received a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies, where she specialized in Expressive Arts Therapy. In the past she worked with people with chronic mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, with criminal offenders, and with people suffering from addictions. She has provided individual, couple, and family therapy to clients facing a wide range of clinical issues including: anxiety, trauma, addiction, divorce, grief, bi-polar, cultural and diversity issues, eating disorders and creative and professional blocks. She is trained in modern dance and contact improvisation and Authentic Movement. Rachel has also studied improvisational writing, theater, and voice. Currently she sees clients as an EMDR and Expressive Arts Therapist in Berkeley, California. She is a certified EMDR therapist and approved EMDR consultant. Go to