The Tree of Life

Summary

In this episode Aylssa talks you through the Art Therapy exercise of The Tree of Life. It is a great exercise for your mental wellbeing because you reflect on how far you’ve come, the challenges you have overcome along the way, and what is important to you. So grab yourself a piece of paper (or your journal) and a pencil and lets get started – as always please pause the podcast as you need to!

Remember with all art therapy exercises, the goal is not the finished piece – it is your process. It doesn’t have to look pretty (or even that much like a tree!)

If you would like to show us your finished picture feel free to tag us on Instagram: @not.ok.try.this as we’d love to see it!

Length: under 8 minutes. 

Unsent Letters

Summary

Unsent Letters is a journaling exercise you can do if you want to tell someone something but can’t – it might be that you are so angry that screaming in their face would make matters so much worse, or maybe a relationship has ended, or perhaps you are grieving after a loved one’s death. If your mental health is suffering and you have scenarios spinning around and around in your head this could be for you.

Great for processing anger, grief, anxiety and sadness, Aylssa talks you using this writing exercise to help you process how you feel and what you can do next. It’s also one she uses personally to process her own emotions.

Bonus – at the end she also tell you how you can use the same technique in a slightly different way (sentence stems).

Exercise is originally called “Series of Three” by Kathleen Adams, in Bolton, Field & Thompson (2006) ‘Writing Works: A Resource Handbook for Therapeutic Writing Workshops & Activities’ London: JKP

How To Get What You Want

Summary

Do you need to ask someone to do something?
Always feel the need to put others before yourself and are starting to resent feeling taken for granted?
Have no idea how to ask someone to do what you want?
Then this episode is for you. Aylssa talks you through the 7 steps to asking for what you want – whether that is your child to stop coming home late or your boss for a pay-rise – give it a listen. People are not mind readers and often do not know you are seething about something – so for everyone’s mental health, it’s better to be open and honest about how you feel and what you want. 

Transcription

How to Change Your Emotions when they’re not helping you

Summary

Have you ever been so angry at someone that its lingered around and you’ve taken it out on someone else? Or tired of feeling so sad all of the time? Or perhaps you’re in love with someone who doesn’t deserve you, or doesn’t love you back… or your jealousy is threatening your relationship. Give this a listen and find out what to do to change these emotions. (Note: Opposite Action is a DBT Skill, originally devised by Marsha M. Lineham)

How to Tame Your Emotions

Summary

In this episode Aylssa talks about the purpose of emotions and how using the strategy Name It to Tame It, can help you feel more in control of your emotional reactions and your mental health. Also see episode 2 for a strategy about using your senses to help if you are feeling overwhelmed. 

Our temperament and life experiences can influence how easily we feel overwhelmed emotionally. Figuring out our unique early warning signals can help us from being sideswiped.

Pop over to our instagram page: @not.ok.try.this to make any suggestions for future episodes.

Calming Down Using Your Senses

Summary

In this episode Aylssa talks about how you can use your senses to ground and calm yourself when you are emotionally overwhelmed and ‘can’t think straight’. This is a strategy to help with your mental health and to give some pause between emotion and (re)action so you don’t make things worse. It’s particularly useful for anxiety spirals and overthinking.

How to solve any problem (that can be solved)

Summary

Do you feel like your life is just one big problem? Feeling lost about what to do?

If so grab yourself a pen and a piece of paper and let Aylssa talk you through the 7 steps to solving any problem. 

Our motto: keep it short – keep it simple – keep it evidence based. Episode length = less than 7 minutes.

(Note: the problem solving strategy outlined comes from DBT Skills developed by Marsha M. Lineham.)

Not OK? Try This… trailer

Summary

How is your mental health? Would you like some strategies that will help?