Looking for help with overeating, Kaiser Permanente member Violeta* started her health journey by attending an Options Overview workshop offered by the Center for Healthy Living. During the overview, she found out about other workshops, including one focused on mind-body support. Because she experienced a lot of negative thoughts, past failures, and traumas that would replay in her head, Violeta said, “I wanted the overall mental approach to attack what was triggering me.”
Attending the mind-body workshop brought her community.
“You’re not happy that other people are going through similar things, but you don’t feel alone. Family can be well-meaning, but there are a lot of stigmas around mental health.”
Violeta wanted solutions, and the mind-body workshop gave her the strategies she needed.
Some of Violeta’s favorite takeaways were exercise breaks (especially the accommodations for different fitness levels) and tools like the Calm mobile app and the “STOP” exercise: Stop, Take a conscious breath, Observe, Proceed. She also enjoyed one-sentence gratitude journaling and planning moment to moment.
After attending the series, Violeta found that she was able to identify whether she was being assertive or aggressive, and she felt the difference between burying and processing her feelings. She has been able to put these new tools and strategies into action and has lost 8 pounds in the process!
If you need support to make healthy lifestyle changes, contact your local Center for Healthy Living to find out what workshops are currently being offered.
*Name changed for privacy.
Photos show models, not actual program participants.
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