Tag: mental health

podcast

Episode 10: Lizard Brains & Courage

Impower You

Have you heard of your reptilian brain and how it controls your old school survival skills, aka your fears and doubts? This episode touches on that part of us, how we might take control of it and how being courageous can help us heal. This podcast was inspired by a section of the book “Steering by Starlight” by Martha Beck. It’s been one of the most important books in my healing journey.

Listen to Episode 10 on Breaker.audio.

THANK YOU PATRONS! Your support of this podcast and my other healing projects is appreciated. If you aren’t a patron, sign up at Patreon.com/Loviedo and get free stuff!

podcast

Episode 5: Sunny Mindfulness Practice

Impower You

Who likes to sit in the sun and soak up the warmth on these cool winter days?

Listen to this episode on Breaker!

I love to sit in the sun year round. As long as it’s not too hot, the sun rays relax and rejuvenate me. So, for this week the podcast is a mindfulness practice for who ever answered yes to the question above.

If you would like more mindfulness podcasts or would like to share your experience with this practice, leave a comment! I love hearing from my patrons and followers.

THANK YOU PATRONS for supporting my work to share creative, simple and no cost healing methods with others. If you’re not a patron, consider joining for as little as $1 per month at Patreon.com/Loviedo.

Peace and hugs, Leah

podcast

Episode 4: Losing My Codependency

Impower You

What is your self-care win this week? In this mini-podcast I talk about my self-care win of not being codependent. After a lifetime of acting codependent. Here is a story of how I lost my codependency last summer.

Listen to the podcast on Breaker.com

When a few of my friends moved away last summer, I was feeling sad and lonely. One of those friends didn’t say goodbye. I was hurt. For about two weeks I felt sorry for myself and wondered how soon I could make new friends. Then I remembered the quote “Just because you think you’re stuck, doesn’t mean you are.” (Coincidentally this was from a codependency group.) I meditated and set boundaries. I removed the phone number of the friend who didn’t feel the need to say goodbye and stopped following her on Instagram. The first two weeks were rough. I wanted to reach out, but I knew that I had reached out enough. I knew deep in my bones that it was time to let them go on with their journey. This happened quickly, but in reality it was years of therapy that brought me to this point.

Six months later, I haven’t feel codependent towards them or any of my friends. When I occasionally start feeling the need to reach out I first search for other options, like going for a hike by myself, or stopping at a cafe for a drink and a book or language study session. It’s amazing because I never realized that I could feel this way. I didn’t know that I was codependent or that I needed to work on this issue, but I am feeling like a real winner about it.

  • What is one if your self-care wins?
  • How are you at setting boundaries?
  • How often do you place your needs first, second, third to others?

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Thank you to all my patrons for supporting this podcast. Whether you give $1 or $32 per month, your support is inspiring. I hope you feel good about supporting the free healing projects I share with others. If you’re not a patron, consider becoming one for as little as $1 per month at Patreon.com/Loviedo .

Empowering Discussions

When You Feel Broke, Friendless, As If You Have Wasted Your Life

Impower You

A friend who is in the heavy part of her emotional and mental health recovery sent me this letter and response post. It resonated with me so much I had to share. 

Here is part of the letter that really stands out to me, “..I truly feel like a ghost. No one knows who I am or where I’ve been. I haven’t kept a friend, lover, or foe around long enough to give anyone a chance. What’s the point? I don’t care for my job. I’m not building toward anything, and I don’t have the time or money to really invest in what I care about anyway at this point. On top of that, society is telling me my value as a woman is fading fast…”

Here is part of the response to a woman who felt broke, friendless and as if she had wasted her life. “When you face your shame with an open heart, you’re on a path to art, on a path to finding joy and misery and fear and hope in the folds of your day….but you can take that feeling and keep it company instead of letting it eat you alive. ” – https://www.thecut.com/2018/11/im-broke-and-friendless-and-ive-wasted-my-whole-life.html

  1. Dive into your emotions, fears, regrets and scars.
  2. Feel your shame, doubt and self-hatred.
  3. Learn why you feel so many unwanted things.
  4. Seek help and research how you can heal.
  5. Commit to changing the direction of your story.

I’m an artist and writer with a focus on art therapy. If you would like to support my heart work, please consider becoming a monthly patron on Patreon.com/Loviedo. For $1 a month*, you can fund programs like my D.I.Y. Therapy: Healing Depression E-course, my monthly “Radical” e-zine and other free creative healing projects, like “Cultivating Radical Self-Love: A Collaboration of Healers, Artists & Writers“.

A multicoolored background with the words "Dive deeper Self-Care Challenge - uncover the root of your apathy or suffering."
Empowering Discussions

Join the Dive Deeper Self-Care Challenge

Impower You

The Dive Deeper Self Care Challenge has begun! This will be a time to dive into that all the stuff you’ve been avoiding, uncover the roots of your pain or why you’re stuck, and learn how to practice regular self-care for you and your situation. If I can bounce back from a 17 year depression, I believe in others abilities to heal their life. During the challenge, unwanted emotions will arise because that’s what happens when we don’t practice self care or heal our traumas. Trauma lingers withing us until we heal it.

I started this challenge for a few reasons. The first reason is through my own healing and recovery work I’ve learned the importance of regular self-care. Through recovery I have learned that when I didn’t practice often enough I began to feel the negative impact in my daily routine.

The second reason is that many of us hear this message that self-care is about feeling happy and doing anything to make that happen even if its not necessarily good for us, just so we can not feel pain. Things like spending money we don’t have in the instant gratification of retail therapy, or drinking and getting high with friends so we can forget our troubles, or gambling all our spending money on chance and expecting to WIN BIG someday. It could also be working 60 hours a week to earn more money and not focus on what makes us happy from the inside out. These become unhealthy when we don’t use moderation. But by forgetting or ignoring what causes us suffering we are intensifying our problems. This is not self care.

The third reason is to guide those who are desiring to transform their life. This is for you if you really, really, really want to be healthier and love yourself or because you’re sick and tired of being sick and tried. If that’s not enough reasons for you to practice self-care regularly, how about knowing that poor mental health can cause poor physical health and shorten your lifespan.

Are you ready to cultivate a sustainable self-care practice? Are you intrigued and want to learn more? Join me at https://impoweryou.org/divedeeper.

Want to share this with someone who is wanting more self-care in their life? Please do!

Peace and hugs, Leah

I’m an artist and writer with a focus on art therapy. If you would like to support my heart work, please consider becoming a monthly patron on Patreon.com/Loviedo. For $1 a month*, you can fund programs like my D.I.Y. Therapy: Healing Depression E-course, my monthly “Radical” e-zine and other creative healing projects, like “Cultivating Radical Self-Love: A Collaboration of Healers, Artists & Writers“.

*You can receive art in the mail every month for only $12 a month.

Empowering Discussions

A Letter To My Sisters Who Are Suffering

Impower You

Please listen to these words. Don’t just hear them, listen.

You are whole. Deep inside you have all the knowledge you need to live healthy and loving. 

I can see that truth resonating out of you. I can also see that you have forgotten. It’s okay. You are okay. I forgot too. For so long I thought I was bad, that I made bad choices, that I was unhealthy, unwhole. I thought ‘if only’ and ‘shouldn’t have’, ‘should have’ and ‘why didn’t I choose better?’. We are not bad for thinking that, but we don’t have to think that. We are okay. We are not bad, we are not wrong. We are good and we are deserving.

 You are whole, but maybe part of your mind is telling you lies. Maybe your mental immune system is under attack. Maybe you are seeing things that aren’t there. Maybe you are believing things that aren’t true. I don’t know what you are going through. I can only guess and imagine your pain. Yet I know pain and depression, and what it’s like to have my mental immune system under attack. I lived in fear, depression, doubt and lies for most of my life. One day I chose to heal. I chose to be open to other ways of living.  From what I can feel and see of you, it seems like you might be ready to open up to something new, something beautiful and healing too.

 I will hold your hand and walk with you. I will hold your heart and love you unconditionally. Without judgement I will hold space for you to choose what you need. You are whole and deep inside you know what you need. Deep inside you know how to love yourself.

 

 

I’m an artist and writer on a mission to bring healing arts into the mainstream. If you would like to support my heart work, please consider becoming a monthly patron on Patreon.com/Loviedo. For $1 a month, you can fund programs like my D.I.Y. Therapy: Healing Depression E-course, my monthly “Radical” e-zine and other creative healing projects, like “Cultivating Radical Self-Love: A Collaboration of Healers, Artists & Writers“.

Art

Breathe Deeply, Softly, Hungrily

Impower You

-Breathe deeply, softly, hungrily. –


What will your intention be today? How will you start your morning? Or how will you rejuvenate a day that isn’t fulfilling your heart and mind?

My intention is…

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Struggling with depression? Check out my new book.

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Want more? Print and enjoy my FREE COLORING BOOKS!

Writing

Writing is Healing and Opening

Impower You

“Writing isn’t just being creative, it’s healing and opening.”

Writing my book wasn’t easy. Sharing what had always felt so shameful was scary. Even so, I came to a point where I stopped feeling shameful and started understanding that depression is just as important as any serious illness. Suddenly I realized I was no longer a victim. I was a survivor.

Depression can take your life. Indeed it took over 17 years of my life. People around the world don’t survive. People I love didn’t survive. We are ignoring a world of inner pain, like we ignore a lot of important aspects of our world.
One of the ways I survive is through writing. As long as I’m able, I will write. Even if I’m sitting on the sidewalk with nothing but a marker and a piece of cardboard I will write.
I’m already working on my next book, a different kind of book, but also one that will hopefully help others. Creating this book helped me and creating my new book is helping me. Writing isn’t just being creative, it’s healing and opening. Writing is good for our brains, good for our hearts. Expressing our feelings is a gift to the world. Holding in how we honestly feel is a tear in the world.
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I published through Amazon so it’s available as both an e-book and a paperback.  This is not my first book, but it is my most personal. I share my struggles and pain honestly. Openly and honestly sharing healing is my gift to the world. With 1 in 4 people in the USA suffering from mental illness I hope my story will help others to start their own journey to better health.  Unlike a broken bone which heals in a matter of weeks or months, healing mental illness takes much more time and a whole lot of self-love.

If you’re suffering from depression I strongly encourage you to seek help. If you can’t afford a therapist find a supportive mentor, teacher or healer who can help you discover inner peace. Healing is possible IF you are open and willing to commit to a self-care plan. You’re life only  has value if you decide it does.

And it’s okay to stumble and fall along the way. Healing takes time so BE GENTLE WITH YOURSELF!

Peace and Hugs, Leah

Want more? Print and enjoy my FREE COLORING BOOKS!

Book Reviews, D.I.Y. Therapy

My New Book is Here! “DIY Therapy: Healing Depression” is Finally Published

Impower You

For several years I have been working on healing my depression. It’s been a bumpy journey, but is slowly bringing me home to my true self. For a few years now I have been sharing my healing process through my DIY Therapy posts, which are free to read, here on my blog. I’m elated to finally share how I have healed in book form. Hopefully this will help me reach more people who are in pain.

Have you ever wondered what you could do -what possibilities would open up- if you didn’t feel overwhelmed by depression?

I published through Amazon so it’s available as both an e-book and a paperback.  This is not my first book, but it is my most personal. I share my struggles and pain honestly. Openly and honestly sharing healing is my gift to the world. With 1 in 4 people in the USA suffering from mental illness I hope my story will help others to start their own journey to better health.  Unlike a broken bone which heals in a matter of weeks or months, healing mental illness takes much more time and a whole lot of self-love.

For seventeen years I suffered in silence because the fear of a mental illness stigma is SO strong. I hid it even from my closest family and friends, “knowing” they would not understand. Well as it turns out, my family and friends and event complete strangers, care a lot about my mental health. It is with their support and encouragement that I was able to openly share my own pain and the struggles of depression.

If you’re suffering from depression I strongly encourage you to seek help. If you can’t afford a therapist find a supportive mentor, teacher or healer who can help you discover inner peace. Healing is possible IF you are open and willing to commit to a self-care plan. You’re life only  has value if you decide it does.

And it’s okay to stumble and fall along the way. Healing takes time so BE GENTLE WITH YOURSELF!

Peace and Hugs, Leah

 

 

Want more? Print and enjoy my FREE COLORING BOOKS!

Empowering Discussions

What Does Self Love Mean?

Impower You

Today is day 12 of the 31 Day Self-Love Writing Challenge hosted by Michelle and Emelina Minero. This is one of the most important questions to answer for me because it leads to recognition of what I need most for my present and my future.

You can read todays prompt and join the challenge at: Lovewarriorcommunity.com/self-love-diet-writing-prompt-day-12-what-does-self-love-mean-to-you

Here is my answer.

Self love means placing self-care above negative thoughts, unhealthy cravings and easy fixes.

It means using gentle self-talk when I feel lost, sad or can’t appreciate “where I am and what I have”.

Self  love is putting forth effort to care for myself daily. It is holding myself accountable to my actions for the reaction to my choices.

Self love invoLves compassion, forgiveness, release of regrets, discipline, focus, belief in myself. It means following MY dreams and living in a way that is HEALTHY for my individual needs. Self love is unconditional. I need self-love ever moment of every day.

WHAT DOES SELF-LOVE MEAN TO YOU?

 

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