Mindful Living

October 2012 Newsletter Kettle Moraine Counseling   Fall leaves are turning earlier this year; the Northwood’s’ leaves were at peak a week ago- sure is beautiful outside right now.   I am going to NYC to see my oldest in a few weeks and I am very excited to spend some time with him. The concrete sidewalks in NYC really hurt my feet so I am looking for good walking shoes (looking at clogs with good support), but I can never find comfortable shoes for my wide feet : ( .   At the clinic, Tammy Ricke and Lester Menke have moved over to the Cedarburg office where they will be seeing clients.   That makes 4 therapists at Cedarburg: Tammy, Lester, Jennifer Skinner and JoEllyn Schultz.   Deb Graf and Christina Lachner are doing some training for foster families, and I have included that information in this newsletter.   Badgercare has had some recent changes with United Healthcare no longer being a provider and some clinics no longer taking Badgerca...

I am an anxious person so I know the ins and outs of anxiety well. When we are feeling anxious and worried a lot, we are very focused on the thoughts we are having. The thoughts can become all consuming, and it's hard to see past them. What if, what if, what if- our thoughts go round and round, without giving us a break. We become more and more keyed up, more fearful of the impending doom. We become so focused on our thoughts, that other more rational views cannot penetrate. We dismiss those more calm scenarios, because the fear button has been activated and takes over. Our fearful thoughts become more and more the only thing we can see. This is exhausting emotionally and physically. Our flight or fight instinct is activated and nothing else exists. The self centeredness comes because we cannot see beyond our own thoughts- those fear thoughts become our only focus. The good things in our life get dismissed, which is sad because the good things in our lif...