Pay Attention & Listen

Mental health is one of those things that we don’t really notice or pay attention to until it’s gone. It’s like air; we just breathe it until we don’t. We don’t talk about it or pay attention to it or heal it until there is a severity that can shut most humans down. We don’t study it even until it has a powerful impact which results in setting us apart from the mainstream, or so we assume.

In graduate school I loved my abnormal psych class. The teachings were full of ways humans are impacted by nature and nurture proving the necessity for both pieces. Most of these concepts and cases were new to me with zero previous exposure. I listened and learned with careful intent of what to stay away from in life. I never wanted to be abnormal or crazy. I had heard stories of a great grandmother who was crazy. I had lived with various expression of it as well. I had every intention of being healthy and grounded and normal. I had every intention of avoiding any kind of emotional disease. Our society taught drive, shrinking, invisibility, hush and passivity, none of which were components of my natural design. I followed until I couldn’t.

I always thought it odd that we put little humans in family containers that sometimes, often times, have such long lasting impressions in their little minds. For generations of time, we have noted mental illness as something severe. So severe that we need to put “those humans” away. I cringe at the idea of treating humans, animals, plants or any living thing in that manner. I refused on every level to see humans that way. Something interesting happened during my generation; or maybe it was just awareness that was happening in my microcosm where mental health became a part of the conversation. I felt suffering and I saw suffering in so many parts of life, both professionally and personally. My higher entities continued to walk me towards understanding of ways to alleviate, grow and become.

Emotions and baselines, stress and generations began to be talked about and their impact on individuals, families, groups, and societies. The dialogue has bounced around and been heard that we are all vulnerable. We all have potential for mental disease, and we all have potential to care about and maintain mental health. We see similar dialogues in the physical health arena where we have options to be seen holistically, whole, complete a system and we have learned the choice in treating this system as such. Mental health is certainly a part of the whole system. Traditional medicine certainly has its place, yet it often doesn’t see the whole. Working as a therapist taught me to listen to the mind and coaching has taught me to listen to the mind, body, soul, spirit and to keep it functioning together.

I believe we have a lot of power in how our mental health plays out, but we must pay attention and we must listen. We must have the courage to respect what we have heard. Setting boundaries, slowing down, eating well, water, friends, elimination of people and sources that don’t nurture us. This is very difficult when we have been conditioned to all the right and wrongs. We can choose different and re-wire to select our own right and wrongs, flows and changes.

I have learned we all have different needs where balance is concerned. Everything we offer through House of Clay intends to flow in that direction. Brain hemispheres working together, left and right approaching equal importance.

I have non-negotiables each day: walking, meditation, foundational water and nutrition. I also have modalities that maintain what feels mentally stable to me. I do breath work, I create, laugh and dance and love. I see spiritual workers, have coaches, and partake in all that House of Clay offers. When I am not feeling healthy, I have a ‘come to Jesus’ talk with myself to get my priorities in check and rebalance.

Every part of what we do at House of Clay is to aid the human experience and to teach ways to balance. We aren’t all impacted the same way, but we all are impacted. So we offer as many options and services to support as many as we can.

I also believe there are many places in our society doing the same work in bringing humans to their core understandings. I encourage you to find what works for you. If you need some practical advice, try going to one of the planets elements: fire, water, earth, air. See how she speaks to you. You will never be led astray.

Perhaps if you should feel curious about House of Clay, come do a complimentary session and take a tour and let your feelings experience ours to see if we are a match. We would love to have you.