One of my goals is to have people acknowledge when they're not feeling great and take action much earlier than they otherwise would.
When we are in touch with how we are feeling, on a day to day basis - we can notice when we're slipping into a state of mind that doesn't serve us well.
We can do this by 'paying attention', by practicing mindfulness. If we take the time to simply notice without judgement.
I think this could save lives.
Why wait until we feel so miserable that we truly aren't coping?
What about intervening early?
We may be able to prevent a lot of misery, heartache and medication use!
What do you think? Is this possible?
#prevention #mentalhealth #nurse #psychiatry #depression #mentalillness #brainhealth
This course was developed to support us all with our mental health.
Mental health isn't simply the absence of mental illness. It is well-being, the ability to participate in a rich life, realise our full potential, show resilience amidst adversity, be productive across the various settings of daily life, form meaningful relationships and be able to contribute to our communities.
This course goes deeper than simply looking at what we can do from a psychological perspective - it looks at what we can do on all levels. Our habits, what we eat, how we move, breathe, rest and sleep - these all significantly impact our resilience - and this isn't often addressed by mental health professionals.
This course is based on research and takes a holistic approach to well-being.
Download the workbook. Work through it all week by week - participate as much as you can and put into practice some of the things discussed.
We can do things to improve our we feel.
We can support ourselves to be more resilient when faced with difficult times.
And we are not alone in our experiences.
Enjoy your time here,
Kia Kaha
Helen x
"Balanced, Practical and Empowering." Trish Zingle - GP Tauranga
"Anyone will benefit from this course!" Ann, Whakatane
"Such a valuable course to attend" Jill, Pukekohe.
🌈 This course provides a road map for you to:
- Navigate your way through the initial appointment with your GP
- Understand what might be causing you to feel sad, mad or bad - (it's not all in your head!)
- Provide you with simple tools to help you get a handle on your mind
- Empower you to take steps that improve the way you think, act and feel - without feeling it's challenging or difficult.
mastere#changinglives #mentalhealth #lifecoachnz
⭐️Let's do Mental Health differently! ⭐️
I'm Helen, a registered nurse, mental health specialist and life coach. 👌
Let me tell you about One Life!
One Life stands at the forefront of holistic health, blending nutritional wisdom, mental well-being strategies, and lifestyle medicine to empower individuals towards a balanced and fulfilling life.
I have a rich background in psychiatry, nutritional medicine, and life coaching, and offer a distinctive approach that goes beyond conventional medical treatments.
I focus on empowering individuals with knowledge and practical strategies.
One Life addresses mental health from a holistic perspective, emphasizing the power of diet, nutrition, and lifestyle changes. This approach is designed to help individuals understand the underlying factors affecting their mental well-being and equip them with the tools to navigate their journey towards recovery and resilience. 💪
Understanding the intricate connection between the mind and body, One Life delves into the impact of physical health on mental well-being. I provide insights and practical advice to nurture both mental and physical health. The focus is on creating a balanced lifestyle that supports overall well-being, recognizing that a healthy mind resides in a healthy body.
One Life is committed to empowering individuals through education and support. Offering online courses, consultations, and a wealth of resources such as the 'Mini-Book' guide to well-being, One Life aims to make mental health support accessible to all.
I am dedicated to providing a supportive environment that encourages growth, learning, and the development of healthy habits for a fulfilling life. ❤️
💬 Consultation
📚 Education
🥦 Nutrition
🧘♀️ Holistic Wellness
🧠 Mental Health
Find your POWER through feeling empowered! Gain knowledge & insight to be your own healer.
(If you want to learn more about how I work, please see )
Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.)
Photo courtesy of @ainsleyabouttheworld
Meet Shane.
Shane is a 37-year-old male who runs his own tradie business. Shane was referred by his GP for anxiety.
Shane has experienced anxiety since the age of 15.
He currently rates his symptoms as 9 out of 10. He stated that ‘anxiety was taking over his life’. He was keen to try alternatives to manage his anxiety.
Men, especially, who are less likely to seek help, are often open to looking at dietary and lifestyle changes rather than attending counselling or psychology appointments, which is why this work is so important.
Shane was willing to make a few lifestyle adjustments.
👍 He eliminated energy drinks and reduced his alcohol consumption
👍 He reduced fast food and takeways, increasing protein foods and reducing sugar.
👍 He added a high-dose multivitamin to his daily routine.
He made a few other adjustments, focusing on sleep, food and movement and mindfulness.
A few weeks later, he reported his anxiety to be 3 out of 10.
This is why what we do on a day to day basis is so important to mental well-being.
Can you imagine trying to live with anxiety levels of 9 out of 10?
Exhausting, Soul destroying.
He didn't need talk therapy. He needed behavioural change.
Talk therapy is great, but not all mental health issues exist in your head.
#anxiety #onelifenz #talktherapy #nutrition #nutritionalmedicine #psychiatry #mentalhealth #foodandmood
I've been thinking about the concept of 'pause'.
It can mean so many things.
In therapy, it can help us hold space
In a stressful time it can relieve tension.
It can allow time to think.
It can allow us to catch a breath.
It can allow us to give thanks.
It can allow time to come up with a response
In life it can allow us to take some time out.
The Buddhist Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh states “Often we tell ourselves, "Don't just sit there, do something!" But when we practice awareness, we discover something unusual. We discover that the opposite may be more helpful: "Don't just do something, sit there!" We must learn to stop from time to time in order to see clearly. At first, "stopping" may look like a kind of resistance to modern life, but it is not. It is not just a reaction; it is a way of life. Humankind's survival depends on our ability to stop rushing”.
What might 'taking a pause' mean for you?
#presspause #mentalhealth #mindfulness #mindfulmoments #healthcoach #lifecoach
I think, that when life is nearing the end, that it's these moments that will actually stand out for us.
All that we've worked so hard for, all the things we've achieved...
Will be made to seem so small compared to a joyful moment, absorbed in the beauty and wonder of nature.
These moments are all around us, if we choose to pay attention.
Sure, we don't get to experience snow every day, hence the novelty.
But we do get to be in nature, sunshine, clouds, leaves, rain, a night sky.... almost any time we choose.
A moment of focus.
A moment of joy
A moment of awe.
#mentalhealth
🌿🍃🐚I've recreated the 'Nature Table'.
Remember having these at school?
Special findings were placed on the table to look at and explore.
🍁 This is my nature table.
It helps me to:
🌿 stay in the present moment when going for a walk
🌿 focus on the beautiful, unusual presentations of nature
🌿 remind me of the birth, death lifecycles
🌿 notice how beautiful nature is.
A moment of mindfulness for you.
#mentalhealth #onelifenz #onelife #nature #naturetable
Food is so important for mood.
Again and again, mood improves and anxiety reduces when we pay attention to nutrition, nutrients and food as part of the healing process.
These are my most recommended tips.
It's not all mainstream advice.
But this is what I've noticed time and time again when I work with people with mood or anxiety issues.
Take out the non nutritional products and the ingredients your body doesn't seem to like or recognize.
Add loads of fibre, nutrients (from food and supplements) and good bacteria to support gut health.
And see what happens.
Often within a week, changes happen.
Sleep improves.
Anxiety reduces
Mood lifts
Irritability reduces
It is phenomenal.
Not everyone, this is part of my assessment process to see if this is likely to work for you.
But for most people. Food is part of your medicine.
#nurse #nutritionalmedicine #nutritionalpsychiatry #foodandmood #depression #mentalillness #anxiety
There's a lot we can do for our mental health. Counselling, therapy, self-care, meditation, medication, socialisation.
According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, before we can focus on some of the higher human needs (such as love and belonging, our self-esteem or self-actualisation), we need to satisfy the needs lower down - our physiological needs, including seeking safety and security.
But underneath all this are the most basic survival needs: food, air (breathing), water, shelter, sleep, and homeostasis.
In my mind, our mental health works a little the same way.
We need food that feeds our body and brain, sleep that nourishes and replenishes us and movement which supports blood circulation, brain function and hormonal function.
Once our basic physiological needs are met, we need to feel safe and secure, including having personal and financial security.
Although these can be fluid and we can move from one level to another at different times in our lives - it's incredibly challenging to work at the top level (including mental health, physical or mental wellbeing) - if we don't have security, safety, sleep, food and movement covered as basic needs.
In other words, all the therapy in the world isn't going to do you much good if you stay awake til 2am every morning, eating Doritos.
Likewise, this also reiterates why poverty, abuse, and job insecurity may have an underlying impact on the mental health needs of the community.
Start small.
Make a big impact.
Eat, Sleep, Move.
#health #mentalwellbeing #maslow #nutritionalpsychiatry #onelife
I find it very challenging to promote something which I have done.
I oscillate between thinking that what I do 'isn't that good', 'isn't good enough' and a variety of other self-defeating thoughts.
And then, I get reviews like these, and I think 'oh! Maybe it's okay! Maybe I have something good to share!' 🤦♂️ 😂
It's a chronic problem. lol
Anyway, here are two reviews on the course that I've put together on Nutrition and Mental Health for Health Professionals.
So good to get this feedback.
Yes! - It's a good course!
Yes! - It's worth doing if you are a health professional working with people with mental health issues (which, to be far is almost every health professional!)
Yes! - You will learn loads and it will be a valuable addition to your practice.
Available for a limited time (due to close in a few days! Can make it available a little longer if you're interested!)
#onlinecourse #nurseseducation #hipeducation #healthimprovementpractitioner #nutritionalpsychiatry #nutritionalpsychology
So much of my role is 'planting seeds'.
While some people come in, ready to make changes and are on their way; new habits in hand, feeling better, stronger and more resilient after a few appointments, other people aren't so ready.
In these cases, I may only see a person once. And from that appointment, there may be no noticeable change.
Not to me.
Not to them.
But often, a small seed has been planted.
I might not know it. They might not know it.
But change begins to happen.
- It could be that they feel the smallest bit of hope.
- It could be that they are willing to contemplate breaking an old habit.
- It could be that they are willing to contemplate trying something new.
The thing is, this often feels uncomfortable.
It often comes from a dark place.
Sometimes we need to sit in this dark place for quite some time before we are ready, willing or able to make the changes necessary to grow.
Change doesn't happen in an instant.
Often it's slow, repeated commitment, and the tiniest of steps that no one would even notice.
If you are in a place of growth:
- It's okay if it feels unfamiliar
- It's okay if you don't notice much at first
- It's okay to get a little help and guidance (even the plants need it).
Hug that seed. Notice the changes. Embrace the small, tiny wins.
A seed has been planted.
(Made with AI obviously!!)
