Linda Ciotola

How to Incorporate Exercise into a Busy Lifestyle

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1. Avoid “all or nothing” thinking. Keep the American College of Sports Medicine Guidelines* as a goal, but remember, every little bit helps. A 5 minute walk is better than 5 minutes of sitting. Little by little we go far.

2. Don’t think of exercise as “one more thing to do”, rather, think of being a little more active in the time you have. For example, take the stairs for 1 -2 flights instead of the elevator; take a “walk break” instead of a coffee break. Stretch as you watch the news. Be active with your spouse, children, friends: meet for a walk or workout instead of going out for a meal. Get a pedometer and gradually increase your steps. Read more

Linda Ciotola

If You Have Been Neglecting Your Exercise Needs:

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1. Practice positive self-talk: “I am worthy of healthy behavior. I deserve to take time to exercise.”

2. Avoid “all or nothing” thinking. For example, don’t say, “I only have 10 minutes for exercise – why bother?” Every 10 minutes helps to build a regular routine and relieve stress. Read more

Linda Ciotola

Societal Standard of Beauty and Eating Disorders

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By Linda Ciotola, M.Ed., TEP co-author with Karen Carnabucci of “Healing Eating Disorders With Psychodrama and Other Action Methods – Beyond the Silence and the Fury”

“Anorexia is both the result of a protest against the cultural rule that your women must be beautiful.  In the beginning, a young woman strives to be thin and beautiful, but after a time, anorexia takes on a life of its own.  By her behavior, an anorexic girl tells the world, ‘Look, see how thin I am, even thinner than you wanted me to be.  You can’t make me eat more.  I am in control of my fate, even if my fate is starving.’” – Mary Pipher, “Reviving Ophelia” Read more

Linda Ciotola

LEARN TO LOVE YOUR BODY THRU YOGA CULTIVATE PERSONAL PEACE ONE BREATH, ONE ASANA AT A TIME

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Healing Eating Disorders - Psychodrama and other Action MethodsContact us to schedule this event with a link to my email address.

In our book on healing eating disorders we emphasize the benefits of a holistic approach to the treatment of issues such as disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, related mood disorders and more.  Action methods which involve the body as well as the mind, heart, and spirit are particularly effective and lend themselves to collaboration with several other modalities which we explore in our book:  art, music, mindfulness, Reiki and other energy work, acupuncture, yoga, and more.  Case studies and a variety of examples illustrate a number of creative options.

 

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Linda Ciotola

2017 Caliber Award

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Linda Ciotola 2017 Caliber Award

Linda Ciotola

The “Triple Double”

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The Triple Double is a phrase I coined when discovering from experience in the director’s role that by “Bookending” the protagonist with the Body Double and the Containing Double and using the Classical Double between them, the protagonist can accurately label feelings while remaining in the “Window of Tolerance”.

The Body Double grounds the protagonist firmly in feeling safe in the body.  Next the Classical Double gives the protagonist access to feelings and gives them voice; the Containing Double maintains the integrity of the “Window of Tolerance” by providing safety and containment for strong feelings through statements of reflection, containment and grounding in the hear and now.

Example

Body Double:  I can feel all four corners of both feet firmly grounded on the floor.

I can feel my breath coming in from ,my nose, expanding my ribcage, and as my chest rises and falls . . .

Classical Double:  I feel my sadness from being betrayed.

Containing Double:  While feeling my sadness I can lift my eyelids and see my strengths around me and be assured that no one here will betray me.

I used the three doubles flexibly adapting to the in-the-moment needs of the protagonist.

Linda A. Ciotola, M.Ed., CET III, TEP, TSM Trainer   www.healing-bridges.com

Linda Ciotola

Reiki

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Linda Ciotola

Taking the Holidays to Heart

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The holidays are here with an abundance of challenges as well as gifts for the heart.  Bombardment with artery clogging food choices, time-pressured stress, and emotional ups and downs can take a toll on your cardiovascular health while stealing the joy from the holiday season.  And the true meaning of the holidays (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza) can get buried in the fray. Read more

Linda Ciotola

Body Gratitude

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November brings Thanksgiving and a time when we may focus more on food – fixing it, eating it, and feeling guilty afterwards – than on counting our blessings.  If you have been caught in this pattern and would like to change, try practicing mindfulness as you prepare and eat your food and consciously give thanks to nature and all the elements and people who contributed to bringing it to the table.  Read more