By Lavern Nissley
Encompass Relationship Facilitator The blog post theme for August is "transition", and I can't hear that word without remembering the birth of our first child, Jessica, in February of 1980. We had done the childbirth classes, and I learned how to support Ronda with a "focal point" and breathing exercises. We went to Christ Hospital in Cincinnati on the afternoon of February 18 to go through this exciting and memorable experience together. I was intrigued with the technology that measured Ronda's contractions, how you could anticipate them coming and see their relative strength. On several occasions I recall saying, "Oh, this looks like a big one!" Not really helpful or appreciated. The connection to the word "transition" is etched in both of our memories, and I am not proud of my role in what happened next.
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By: Hollie Kowalski
Encompass Outreach Coordinator Oh, how I love this boy. My son Dominik has his mother’s…well, everything. He is the most like me out of my four kids. The poor kid got my need for control, independence, my stubbornness, sensitivity, and poor math skills. But he also got my big heart, my passionate, charismatic personality, my drive, determination, and eyes that tend to see the best in people. The two of us stick together like glue…until we don’t. Due to our passionate and sensitive nature, if we don’t agree on an issue, our home becomes a battleground and unfortunately the innocent bystanders, known as our family, get drawn into battle as well. By Lavern Nissley
As we head into the holidays and spend time with families and friends, many will experience fond memories and heartfelt joy. Others will experience the opposite, becoming acutely reminded of relationship dysfunctions. Many of us experience some of each. So, how do you cope effectively in the middle of this seasonal insanity? Those emotional allergies and buttons have a physiological affect, don't they? Increased heart rate and breathing. Blood pressure pounding away at your skull. Stomach churning and knots forming. Help!!! What to do? Ever heard of an amygdala hijack? Ever seen one? It's what happens in our brains when the amygdala, a small gland gets an urgent message that we're in danger, and it's time to shut down the thinking part of our brain and dump a bunch of neurochemicals to help us respond and survive the danger.
When allowed, the effect can be pretty dramatic. (Remember Lou Ferrigno as The Incredible Hulk?) Like in over the top anger and actions that we later regret and wish we could take back. So what is the best way to deal with anger when we feel it rushing throughout our bodies? |
HostsDr. David Marine and Theresa Mabry are Co-Directors of Encompass since June 1, 2024. TOPICS
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