Blog

Open Floor Teacher Training = ACCEPTED!
I am honored to announce that I have been accepted from a pool of applicants for the next Open Floor Teacher Training to begin in March of 2022! I will be joining people from around the world to study embodiment, conscious dance, and Open Floor Movement practices from some of the masters in this field.
From the “Ground Floor Lab” Onwards!
In November, I spent six days learning the core principles of Open Floor International at a Ground Floor Lab accessing movement resources and moving my body with other bodies from all around the globe! Attend a future workshop offering so I can share some of what I learned!

Back to the Basics for Mental Health! Spotlight on NUTRITION!
If you are serious about feeling better. Get serious about caring for your basic needs and providing your body the nutrition it needs! Need support? Coriander Living is here for you.

From Grief to Gratitude
Greenspan says, “The gift that grief offers us is the capacity to see deeply into the way things are. Life is limited. We are here for a short time. Grief asks us to know this, not only in a disembodied, cerebral way, but in the marrow of our bones.” She believes that looking into the face of death offers us the gift of gratitude.

Can You Name Our 3 Universal Human Needs?
From our first cry after birth until our last breath before death, everything we do is based on getting our needs met. ALL our behavior is purpose driven including our symptoms! Beyond our basic needs to survive of food, water, sleep, shelter, and air, we all want our best lives, and we are motivated by seeking….?

How To MANAGE STRESS + ALL THE THINGS ON YOUR PLATE BETTER!
In our culture, we have this attitude of MORE, BIGGER, BETTER and yet mental and physical health issues are at all-time highs, loneliness, dissatisfaction, and disconnection are commonplace. We are unwell as a cultural and I’m convinced part of the issue is our busyness and this MORE, BIGGER, BETTER attitude.

When Is the Last Time You REALLY Felt Alive? Satisfied? Joy-Filled?
As human beings, we are hardwired to experience seeking. Seeking leads to learning, entertainment, and stimulation.
If you are dissatisfied with any or all aspects of your life, my advice to you, start seeking a better life. Try something different, new, weird, scary! Just do something different. We all deserve a life well lived.

Engage with NATURE to NURTURE!
One way to intervene and support our Autonomic Nervous System is through spending time in nature. Time in nature reduces stress, improves well-being, and moves us into a ventral vagal state where we can connect with others. Come engage with nature at Willow River State Park 10/10/21 GROUP HIKE TO CONNECT and 11/13/21 GROUP HIKE TO CONNECT.

2-for-1 Mental Well-Being!
It’s common that I have clients show up for therapy with stress related concerns. Often these folks feel overwhelmed with all their daily responsibilities, and they come to therapy for “tools, coping skills, or strategies” so that they can manage the same number of things, but better!
One strategy that I have found myself speaking on lately is how can we meet multiple needs with one activity?

Happy 1st Anniversary Coriander Living Collective!
It is with a grateful heart that Coriander Living Collective celebrates its first anniversary! Phase One has been a success!

The Gift of Anger + Ways to Tame It!
ANGER [annoyance, irritation, frustration, resentment, mad, hatred, rage] Protects us from being harmed or hurt. Motivates action. Gives us the energy needed to fight or flee.
It is normal to feel angry at times. It is not okay to cause others, ourselves, or property harm because we are angry. Here are several safe ways to deal with anger.

Do You Do This ONE Thing Under Times of Stress?
It’s wild as human beings that when we are under increased stress, we desert all the things we typically do to support ourselves such as exercising, eating well, connecting with friends and family, spending time in nature, getting enough sleep, etc. AND this is exactly opposite of what we should be doing!

6 WAYS TO MITIGATE ONGOING PANDEMIC STRESS
When the pandemic first hit, we were saying things like, “we’re all in this together, remember this is temporary, take one day at a time,” now zoom forward a year and a half and most folks are so over it! Done. Exhausted. Beyond caring! There has been some sense of reprieve and now cases are increasing. No one can guarantee an end date to this pandemic. To say the least, this extended time of stress, conflict, and uncertainty is taking its toll.
Here are some practical ways for you to take care of yourself and to mitigate the negative impact of ongoing stress.

Ecstatic Dance to Engage Your Rhythm of Regulation!
MOVEMENT, NATURE, MEDITATION, and MUSIC are all tools that can increase regulation and balance our ANS. ECSTATIC DANCE is a wonderful practice because it integrates all these + it is a practice done in community!
OUTSIDE ECSTATIC DANCE is happening, Saturday, 8/14/21 at Glen Park in River Falls, register through Inspiring Actions! Those who practice ecstatic dance share about the release of emotions and stress, the sense of feeling alive, of dropping into a meditative, expansive, free space in the here-and-now. Come join us!

Determined to “Win” Power Struggles with Your Kids?
As a parent, if you find yourself feeling ANGRY or CHALLENGED by your kid’s behavior and you think to yourself, “The battle is on! You’re not going to win little one!” DISENGAGE! DISENGAGE! DISENGAGE!
Your child is indicating to you that they need opportunities to exercise choice and display power in constructive ways, they need to feel CAPABLE AND SELF-RELIANT.

Uncovering and Using Your Guiding Values
If you are interested in uncovering your core values and how they can guide your life Coriander Living Collective is here to support you! We are also connected with several life coaches, and we would be happy to make you a referral!

Do You Do This When You Feel ANNOYED by Your KIDS?
As a parent, if you find yourself ANNOYED by your children’s behaviors it is often an indication that they need CONNECTION and attention.

“Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation!”
As humans, our physiology and behaviors are literally in the service of survival. “Every response is an action in the service of survival” according to Deb Dana in The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation. The goal of psychotherapy is to move clients from a state of dysregulation to a state of regulation.
Our Autonomic Nervous System includes two main branches, the sympathetic and the parasympathetic which include three pathways of how we respond to our environments and internal states.
There are many ways to intervene and work with our Autonomic Nervous Systems. Things such as spending time in nature, dancing or exercising, listening to music, breathing exercises, meditating, playing, and Brainspotting can all support us in shifting into a ventral vagal state of regulation. If you are interested in learning more about your Autonomic Nervous System and how it works in your service, Coriander Living Collective is up for the task.

What’s the Difference Between Counseling and Psychotherapy?
Most clients and people in the field, use the terms counseling and psychotherapy interchangeably, but there is a difference between the two practices. What is the difference? And which approach is useful for what outcome?

The Wellness Benefits of Moving Meditation!
Some of the wellness benefits of moving meditation include: 1) Releases Stress, 2) Lifts Mood, 3) Decreases Anxiety, 4) Offers Sense of Belonging, 5) Moves Emotions, 6) Builds Coordination, 7) Encourages Connection, 8) Regulates Nervous System, and 9) Increases Self-Awareness.
Luckily, you have several opportunities to explore Moving Meditation + Social Hours this summer at local wineries, breweries, and studios! Follow us! To stay in the loop of upcoming events! Reach out to Coriander Living Collective with any questions.