Cuddling as Part of the Mental Health Treatment

 by Brian Warriner

            Cuddle Therapy, I know what you are thinking, what is cuddling to do with mental health treatment?

            The truth is that cuddling can help with mental health disorders such as anxiety and depressive disorders. Science has shown that when you cuddle, hug, or snuggle with someone, it kills depression and anxiety. The science of touch is indeed a real thing. You are feeling down in the dumps, and you go home to hug someone like a parent or a spouse. When you hug for 20 seconds, you experience improved mood. This is due to the release of feel-good hormones. During a hug, within 20 seconds, touch decreases cortisol (a stress hormone) and activates the parasympathetic nervous system. The feel-good hormones oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin are released Team, 2024).

            I do not care who you are; when you receive a hug, you feel better. There is science at work. The human body has a remarkable power to heal itself. It can do many great things if we do not get in the way of it. We get in the way by ingesting harmful substances, engaging in reckless behavior, and other activities that can damage the body. It can damage the body's ability to heal itself.

            The benefits of cuddle therapy, as it is called, may include improved sleep, alleviation of loneliness, reduction of symptoms of anxiety and depression, enhanced mood, increased self-esteem, lowered blood pressure, support for heart health, boosted immune function, and natural pain relief (Team, 2024). Something so small can have a huge impact on your life and health. Truth be told, I noticed this even as a massage therapist; touch is powerful. When you are stressed and have someone touch you, whether it is through massage or cuddle therapy, you feel better. I have said this many times: touch is essential to our human experience. Notice that when you were a child, you needed to be held by your parents; as an adult, your husband massages your back or feet. As you begin to feel better, being touched with loving intention is powerful. It lifts your spirit.

            I love how doctors prescribe cuddle therapy for those with anxiety and depression, to help those with social anxiety as well (Power of Positivity, 2025). I found that one can become a cuddle therapist. I learned this when I was a massage therapist and was looking at other modalities to explore. I saw that it would have been a great fit, especially within the LGBTQIA+ community, as it offers a nonjudgmental space to experience touch. This form of touch was platonic and nonsexual. It can boost those who are lonely or alone in this world. I learned as much as I could, but I could not afford the offered training program. However, it was something that has not left my mind.

            Notably, cuddle therapy is a form of touch therapy. If you are not comfortable with a stranger cuddling you, you can hold hands, touch knees, sit back-to-back, or lie next to each other, just touching hands. There are various degrees of touch. They still have the same effect on your mental health and physical health. The cornerstone of cuddle therapy or touch therapy is communication and consent. You have the right to change your mind at any time (Baxter, 2025). The process of a cuddle session begins with communication to schedule the session. Then, you meet face-to-face with your cuddler, who discusses with you everything involved in your session, including setting up the environment. This can be whether at your place, in public, or in the office. As you engage in touch during the session, if you feel uncomfortable, speak up (Baxter, 2025). The practitioner should be well-trained and, if possible, certified. It depends on the state in which you reside. They also must carry liability insurance. It must be stated that when you engage in cuddle/ touch therapy, biological things can happen and make you, the client, feel uncomfortable, and may cause issues. It might cause some confusion, which is why insurance is essential. Do not hesitate to request to see their credentials and insurance.

            Cuddle/touch therapy is something that you must experience to feel its energy. Even with hugs, they can boost your health and make you feel better. You may not engage in professional therapeutic touch, including cuddling with your partner, child, or anyone else who can provide the same effect. However, if you wish to explore the world of professional cuddle therapy, I recommend the website I found in my research during my massage career: www.cuddlist.com. They will help you discover a practitioner who is right for you and your experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Team, N. editorial. (2024, October). Cuddle Therapy: The Science and Benefits of

 

Professional Therapeutic Touch. NeuroLaunch.com. https://neurolaunch.com/cuddle-therapy/

‌Team, N. editorial. (2024, August 18). Cuddling Health Benefits: Stress Reduction

Moreover, Improved Well-being Through Snuggling. NeuroLaunch.com. https://neurolaunch.com/benefits-of-cuddling/

‌Power of Positivity. (2025, May 12). Doctors Explain 5 Benefits of Cuddling Every Day for Better Health. Power of Positivity: Positive Thinking & Attitude; Power of Positivity: Positive Thinking & Attitude. https://www.powerofpositivity.com/benefits-of-cuddling/

‌Baxter, T. (2025, May 30). The Power of Touch: How Cuddle Therapy Boosts Well-Being. Medium. https://medium.com/@TimothyBaxterMSLCPC/the-power-of-touch-how-cuddle-therapy-boosts-well-being-422030df36bd

Book Cuddle Therapy from a Professional Cuddler! - Cuddlist.com | Cuddlist. (n.d.).

Cuddlist.com. https://cuddlist.com/

 

‌

Self-Love and The Importance to Your Mental Health

 by Brian Warriner

            Self-love is the act of accepting your whole self, treating yourself with respect and kindness, and prioritizing your health. You maintain a positive outlook on yourself (Martin, 2023). I know that the number of people who show themselves self-love is low. Because we all put ourselves last, our outlook is negative, and we think of others before ourselves. I am guilty of this. When you care for your parents or anyone else, it is not easy; we tend to forget ourselves, and even as parents, it is all about the children. We tend to make our priorities dependent on others. If the children are happy, I am happy, or a happy wife, a happy life. We make everything dependent on other things and other people.

            I know I have taken care of my parents and stayed up late to get ahead on my schoolwork when I should have been sleeping. Get up and do everything all over again. When I can, I would take a break because I have learned you can do everything you have planned and still give yourself a break. You are doing the best that you can. For example, when I am doing schoolwork, I finish one assignment, check on my parents to see if there is anything they need, do the dishes, do the laundry, and take out the trash and recycle. Then I go back to my schoolwork. Granted, at the end of the night, I am exhausted, and lying in bed is all it takes to go to sleep.

            However, I noticed something important missing from my life: self-love and self-care. I discussed self-care in a previous post. When I do add some self-love to my life, I find myself feeling better. Because when we are wrapped up in this world and our activities, we forget that we matter too. If you feel like this, there are some things you can do to fix it. You can cultivate self-love by being compassionate toward yourself, setting boundaries, practicing self-care, celebrating your achievements, using positive self-talk, practicing self-acceptance, seeking support, and embracing self-discovery (Martin, 2023).

            It is not easy sometimes when we have this negative mindset and perspective. However, it is important to combat that kind of negativity. When you show self-love, it has been shown to lower stress, increase your resilience, and make you more willing to take risks, show compassion, and feel self-efficacy. Saying no is saying yes to yourself (Tetreault, 2025). Let us face it, who is not guilty of always saying yes to others and being exhausted and having no energy for what you need, and being able to say no to others’ requests for your time by saying no.

            Science has shown that self-love is rooted in neuroscience. Self-love reshapes your brain's function, especially in the limbic system, the brain's emotional center. This is where your emotions are more regulated. Self-love strengthens your self-awareness, which takes place in the prefrontal cortex. Also, this is where your decision-making, emotional balance, and calming the amygdala. With that, it will reduce fear and anxiety. Self-love triggers the release of the feel-good hormone dopamine (Tetreault, 2025). It makes you feel good and warm. The same hormone is released when you hug or cuddle for about twenty seconds.

            When you want to change your behavior, no matter what the pattern in your brain, it takes about 66 days, which is over two months. You need to give yourself a space to change because you will make mistakes, and it takes nurturing new patterns with acceptance and compassion (Tetreault, 2025). I know we have all tried to break old habits and form new ones, but we keep failing when we try to change. The idea comes to mind when it comes to dieting and exercise. It takes consistency to build a new habit. It took time for me to adjust to the fact that I am a type two diabetic. I have to check my blood sugar twice a day. I was trying to watch what I ate and drank. I had to give up my favorite things. It took time to develop the right way to test my blood sugar. Then, when I started to see my endocrinologist. I realized I was doing it wrong and had to relearn how to check my blood sugar. To this day, I still mess up, and I keep starting over.

            However, there are practices we can use to support our self-love journey. These activities can help you become a better version of yourself. I cannot stress enough how important self-love is to our mental health because it places us at the center of the issues. You can let go of the judgmental mind, celebrate your uniqueness, do things that light you up, feel your emotions and move on, allow compassion, take in the good, unpack your fears, and increase your intuition and self-trust (Tetreault, 2025). I had to face my fears, both my parents at two different times, where I could have lost them, and I experienced the possibility of losing them. My mom had cancer, and my dad had sepsis and acute kidney failure. We almost lost my dad; the experience of this was traumatic and stressful. Since then, I realized that once we made it through those experiences. I realize that losing my parents will be hard, difficult, and traumatic for me. However, we will make it through it because it is a part of life, and we all will pass away sooner or later. From these experiences, I learned to unpack my fears and face them head-on.

            At the root of the struggle is having to get things right, being perfect. Perfectionism is the habit of beating yourself up over anything that chips away at your sense of self-worth (Sandoiu, 2018). It is this constant action that can leave you less happy, distraught, and feeling unworthy and unable to do anything right. This can cause your mental health and self-esteem to decline. To combat perfectionism, try self-compassion. This is where you show yourself kindness, you recognize your achievements and the place you share in humanity and mindfulness (Sandoiu, 2018).

The Benefits of Self-Love

            When you begin to show yourself the self-love you deserve, you will notice improvements in your mental health, greater self-acceptance, higher self-esteem, greater motivation, stronger determination, increased self-awareness, less anxiety, and improved sleep (Asghar, 2022). How can you show yourself self-love? By avoiding negative self-talk, including derogatory humor, creating personal rituals, setting healthy boundaries, being compassionate towards yourself, and making space for self-reflection (Asghar, 2022). I would even include journaling as a practice of self-love, because it creates space for reflection, personal rituals, and healthy boundaries. It is a practice of learning to listen to yourself, relearning pleasure, doing something that you have never done before, and building yourself up, like yoga, creative endeavors, and being consistent with developing a new skill.

            In conclusion, the world is already hell, why do we want to add to it by making our own lives filled with unloving and misery. St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta often spoke of this world's lack of love. When you do acts of love, do small acts with great love. She was right, and it is the words I try to live by, especially when I need to show myself a little self-love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Martin, S. The Power of Self-Love. (2023). Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/conquering-codependency/202306/the-power-of-self-love?msockid=3c615a7a3ec3684126f04bdc3fda69d9

Tetreault, N. (2025, February 26). The Practice of Self-Love: A Gift to Your Mind and Soul. (2025). Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/wire-your-mind-for-love/202502/the-practice-of-self-love-a-gift-to-your-mind-and-soul?msockid=3c615a7a3ec3684126f04bdc3fda69d9

‌Sandoiu, A. (2018, March 23). The importance of self-love and how to cultivate it. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321309

‌Asghar, A. (2022, February 14). The science of self-love: The evidence-based benefits of loving yourself. Ness Labs. https://nesslabs.com/self-love

Energy Healing Therapies and How They Enhance Mental Health Treatment

 by Brian Warriner

            Energy healing, or energy work, is something I am passionate about. I have learned everything that I possibly can on the subject. From modalities, the aura, chakras, and when they are out of balance, aligned, and how to bring about health. I have advocated for energy work or holistic medicine to be used alongside Western medicine because I have seen how it works, not just through my studies, but in the workings of people like Donna Eden, the founder of Eden Energy Medicine. At a young age, Donna, a mother of two young girls, had Multiple Sclerosis, a heart attack, and was told by her western doctors that she had to find someone to raise her daughters because there was nothing more for them to do; she was going to die. She studied Chinese medicine and meridians, and, through her ability to see energy, she healed herself of her medical issues. While she was practicing energy medicine, a group of doctors sued her, claiming she was stealing money from them. Their patients would come to see her, and she would help them heal themselves. A judge ordered that if the doctors could bring forward one patient she hurt, they would hear the case. The doctors could not find one patient, and their case was dismissed. Since then, most of those doctors sent patients to her. She has since switched from seeing clients to teaching her Eden Energy Medicine and certification course and writing books.

            I noticed that when people say they had pain, they would do the laying on of hands. I would cringe because all they were doing was pushing the pain deeper. I would show them you have to remove the blockage, the pain, and then restore energy flow. I started to understand what a disease is: it is a dis-ease in the body's flow of energy. I noticed that when you are stationary for too long, you fall asleep. Or if you keep thinking or worrying about something, it will happen. That is because we forget that the mind is both healer and killer. In Dolores Cannon's work, we can think ourselves into illness and disease. Which is true, because how many of us have said things like I can’t stomach life or my heart is not in it and end up with stomach issues or heart issues. It is because we spoke ourselves into these issues.

            When it comes to mental healthcare, I am joining a group of people who are taking a holistic approach to mental healthcare by bridging the gap between holistic health and Western health. I believe sometimes mental health needs medication to help the person become stabilized, to be able to focus on the treatment, such as journaling, meditation, working out, and being in therapy. Taking a medication(s), is a way of turning down the volume so that a person can learn, develop and train in the tools that they need to help them when they have a mental health episode. Being monitored by a psychologist or psychiatrist, who can legally prescribe medication, takes a team to monitor a client. Everything needs to be documented. When it comes to mental healthcare, I feel that you have the doctor monitoring the medication part, and a therapist whom you are speaking to. That person is using the holistic approach to assist you and getting you to journal, using art therapy, working out, nutrition, or other means of helping you develop the skills needed for neutralizing your mental health disorders, also getting you okay with speaking about your battles and struggles. In doing so, we break the stigma of mental health. Speaking about it and sharing our stories is how we change the dialogue around the subject.

            Energy healing can help in your mental health journey. When I started to see a new healer, she is a licensed practical counselor, shamanic practitioner, and creative arts therapist. During our sessions, we would talk and set the road map for the work we were about to do. Then came the energy healing work, where I would lie on the table and get comfortable. She would do the energy work. I would feel the energy shifting, moving, being removed, or placed. I would see the helping spirits and the ancestors who would be in the room. I was a client for a while until I couldn’t afford to go anymore. I loved it because I would be doing the work, and the energy healing part helped boost me. My mood shifted, and I was able to stand in my power and walk this world with confidence. I hope that in 2026, I can start having regular energy work done again. I have shared my experience with energy work and my work as a healer in previous blogs, and I will continue to do so.

            Not only do I wish to have regular energy sessions, but I also want to learn more about Reiki. I am a Reiki Master Teacher, but it is always good to get a refresher course. I would love to learn new modalities and practice them. It is my dream to open my own holistic wellness business focused on mental healthcare and to take a holistic health approach to treatment. I will be posting about this journey.

            If you are interested in my healing journey, I recommend purchasing a copy of my book, With the Hands of a Healer. You can scan the QR codes below to purchase. Available in paperback, hardback, and eBook.

 Use this code for the Paperback Version.

Use this code for the Hardback version

Use this code for the eBook version

The Holistic Approach to Mental Health

 by Brian Warriner

            The landscape of mental healthcare is changing, and the options in treatment for mental health disorders are changing. With the holistic approach, you are treated as a whole person (Better Help, Editorial Team, 2025). This means that mind, body, spirit, and every aspect of your life are included in your treatment, including your sex life, emotions, cognition, social interactions, and eating habits. From this, one can link everything together and enhance one's treatment. If this includes medication, your healthcare team needs to be informed about your treatment.

            As a holistic health practitioner, I have spent years learning and practicing different modalities, including massage therapy, Reiki, energy healing, and Eden Energy Healing. Through my education and career as a massage therapist, I learned how aromatherapy and massage can help with physical ailments and reduce stress through massage therapy. I worked in corporate spas like Hand and Stone or Massage Envy. When I taught massage therapy, I spoke to my students about energy healing and how to incorporate it into their massages.

            My passion has been energy healing, and for my birthday one year ago, I bought myself a Reiki certification. I went to a teacher who taught me levels one and two together. Then, I was certified at level three as a Master Teacher. The fun part was performing my first session with my teacher. Then, afterwards, I received some feedback and learned what I could do to improve. Since then, I have learned about and read about various energy healing modalities and have fallen in love with holistic. Moreover, how can you incorporate them into your medical and healthcare treatments? I have written a book about energy healing and Reiki titled With The Hands of a Healer. I discussed the chakra system, offered ways to incorporate energy work into your life, and explained how to ground your energy. It was something I was proud of, as it combined my years of study and practice into one place.

            I have made holistic health my life’s work, and now I am starting a new chapter in my passion and career. I believe that improving your energy field can help prevent diseases and alleviate the pain of cancer treatment and many other health issues. Through this post, you will see that passion as I educate you, my wonderful readers. I hope you include this in your mental health treatment.

Mind-Body Connection

            I have mentioned this in different terms in previous posts. The Mind-Body connection is a relationship between your mind and body. Where your mind reacts to your word and your body reacts to your mind. For example, when you keep repeating a certain phrase, you develop a physical issue. It is well documented through the works of Dolores Cannon and her Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique. She discussed how we think ourselves into disease. This is the truth: We say things like, “My back is killing me.” “I cannot stomach life.” Alternatively, “My head is killing me.” If we say it often, we will develop physical issues. You break your back, or develop stomach cancer, or you have a stroke. You spoke those things into existence. We need to stop that and start to program for positive things.

            Mind-body connection is a relationship between your mental and physical health. This can also affect your emotional and bodily states (McGarvie, 2025). It is important to understand how our health is interconnected. Our words create the world around us, our mind reacts to those words, and our body reacts to the mind. Making the mind the healer and the killer. Because we do think ourselves into sickness and disease, we can think ourselves into disease by saying things that create the sickness. Also, why don’t we think ourselves into health? Saying things like, “I am healthy.” “I am strong, healthy, and all my body systems work in perfect working order.”

            I do recommend that when you meditate, you go through your body systems and your cells, bringing them to a healthy state. When you listen to a live lecture of Sylvia Browne’s, she walks you through a meditation to bring your systems up and to rinse your body clean of any pain, except for pain that is a warning sign that you should see your doctor. However, the pain that we put on our bodies.

Types of Holistic Health Practices

            There are many forms of holistic health practices that can be brought into your mental health treatment. Practices like massage therapy, meditation, movement therapy, and energy healing. These practices have been proven to improve your overall health. It is because when you express what is going on with you, you release it and get it out. Then, we try to fill the hole the release has left. It keeps us stuck in the same place. Thus, we are stuck in the same cycle because it keeps us in our comfort zone. I have seen this in my energy healing work and my massage work. During massage sessions, clients often come in with pain in their necks. I would ask them, as I massage, who is a pain in the neck. It would be their spouse, children, boss, or work, whatever it may be. I would say take a deep breath in and let it out. We would do that three times, by way of breath, we are releasing the pain in the neck and bringing in healing energy to replace it. That is how I included energy work into my massage sessions. My client would feel the pain go away. I explained to them and my students when I taught massage therapy. Everything that bothers us starts on an energetic level and, over time, eats away at our aura till it hits the physical body. That is how we manifest physical health issues. We will feel it before it gets to our physical body.

            Energy work was something that I had done in the past. My spiritual journey started in 2009, and a mini session led to a full session. After my first full session, I felt like a drug addict going through withdrawal. I have talked about it in my first book, which is Retired, The Spirit of Me: Coming Out as a Medium. I discuss my spiritual journey and what I have learned up to 2013. I have since seen other healers and learned more, and right now I am not able to, but I do wish to continue my personal energy work.

Benefits of Holistic Health

            The benefits of holistic health practices are improved mental health and mood. One can also see that their sleep has improved, their energy has increased, their anxiety and stress have reduced, and they have a greater sense of peace and well-being (Baron, 2024). Depending on the practice you employ, there are other benefits. For example, if you are doing tai chi or yoga, you will notice improved flexibility, strength, and range of motion in your joints.

            When you are using a holistic health check with your doctors, you might have an issue that is contraindicated for massage, especially if you have an infection and are on antibiotics. You cannot receive a massage when you have an active infection and are on antibiotics. Once you are done with the antibiotics, you must be cleared, and most places require a doctor’s note to receive a massage. I have had to turn clients away for this. Furthermore, if you were in the hospital on a Monday and were discharged on a Friday, then do not make an appointment for a massage on a Saturday. Because you will need to be cleared by a medical doctor in order to receive a massage. I have several years of experience as a licensed massage therapist in the state of New Jersey.

            I have worked as an energy healer for many years and studied different modalities. I learned Reiki, and its noninvasiveness adds to its appeal. Because, unlike massage, the client does not have to undress to their comfort level. They get on the table for their session. I taught about energy healing and demonstrated it on a student who was going through a lot at the time. Afterwards, I sat with her and discussed in private what I was picking up. Normally, I share as I conduct the session, but not in a group setting like that. She validated what I was picking up. If you have a session with me, I will share what comes up with you, and we will work to clear it. Sometimes, the need for silence, to do the energy work, and to guide the energy is an important part. It is really what the helping spirits say.

            You can apply these holistic health practices to your mental health treatment, especially if you are recovering from addiction, stress management, management for your anxiety and depression, and for other mental health conditions (Himas, 2025). Along with these practices, nutrition also plays a role. When you make positive changes for your health and wellness, your body may start to demand them. Like changing what you ingest, your body may have you cut out the caffeine, processed foods, and fast foods. Furthermore, you might start eating fresh, clean, organic foods and beverages. When you treat yourself better and introduce these holistic health practices into your mental health treatment, you will start to feel better. However, I want to stress that you should never discontinue your mental health medication and treatment without discussing it with your mental health professionals.

            In conclusion, when you include holistic health practices in your mental health treatment plan, remember these important points. Make sure your team is in communication with each other. That your doctor prescribes medication is an integral part of your treatment plan. Even if they do not believe in a holistic health approach, research and studies support its effectiveness, and a true practitioner of holistic health will show you. It is about you, the client, and treating you as a whole person, and getting to the root of your issues.

 

 If you wish to purchase a copy of my book With the Hands of a Healer. Click on the link below. 

https://www.lulu.com/shop/brian-l-warriner/with-the-hands-of-a-healer/paperback/product-mr5kz5.html?q=Brian+L+Warriner&page=1&pageSize=4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Better Help, Editorial Team. (2025, February 28). The Holistic Approach to Mental

            Healthcare: Exploring Holistic Health and Therapy| Better Help. Betterhelp.com

            https://www.beatterhelp.com/advice/therapy/the-holistic-approach-to-mental-health-care-exploring-holistic-health-and-therapy/

McGarvie, Susan. (2025, April 16). Body-Mind Integration: Training Attention For

            Mental and Physical Health. PositivePsychology.com. Positive Psychology

            https://positivepsychology.com/body-mind-integration-attention-training/

Holistic Therapy: Types, Uses, and Effectiveness. (2025, September 6). Helpguide.org.

            https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/treatment/holistic-therapy

Baron, M. (2024, September 20). Holistic Approach to Mental Health Care-

            Moriah Behavioral Health. Moriah Behavioral Health.com

            https://www.moriahbehavioralhealth.com/holistic-approaches-to-mental health-care/

Himas, R. (2025, September 10). Understanding Holistic Approaches in Mental Health

            Centers. Mental Health Centers.

            https://www.mentalhealthcenters.org/understanding-holistic-approaches-in-mental-health-centers/

Exercise is Therapy

 by Brian Warriner

            Exercise is something that people dread. I know when I think of exercise, I think about working out and going to the gym. I am not one for any of that. However, something is telling me that it would be good for my mental health to get up and work out. There is just one thing: I have medical issues that require me to work within certain limits. I would have to start with physical therapy before I could go to the gym and work out. It would take time before I could get into any physical shape. Plus, I am unfamiliar with what to do, what a rep is, what counts as a rep, or what a cycle is. I am just lost in the dark, so that I can do it right and be consistent with the workouts. There is so much that I do not know when it comes to exercising. However, I could get a trainer and learn from them. The big problem is I love food too much to give up certain things to lose weight.

            However, think about exercise as part of your mental health treatment. Some studies have shown that incorporating exercise into your mental health routine can improve your well-being. There are mental, physical, and biological improvements that occur when you include exercise as part of your therapy or treatment.

The Types of Exercise

            When you start working out, you can work with a trainer to help you with meal plans, customized workouts, and help with meal prep. Now I am just talking about the basics of what I found through my research. Moreover, as it will be New Year’s, many people set their resolutions to lose weight, get in better shape, and make other lifestyle changes. I am talking in basic terms to help you incorporate exercise for your mental health purposes.

            Aerobic exercise involves activities that use oxygen to produce energy during sustained physical activity. The activities include walking, running/ jogging, cycling, swimming, jump rope, Zumba, cardio kickboxing, strength circuit, stationary bike, and elliptical (Chertoff, 2018). When you are using aerobic exercise, the duration should be 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity. You do not need to do this in one day. Break it down into smaller tasks throughout the week (Cleveland Clinic, 2023). I have created a walking schedule for myself to help build up my strength and stamina for participating in charity walks. I would gradually increase by five minutes during the following weeks. This tends to be easier on you if you are moving forward with exercise.

            Anaerobic exercise involves activities that use glucose for energy, featuring high-intensity, heart-pumping exercises performed for a short time. These kinds of activities include weightlifting, sprinting, rope battle, sledgehammer tyre slam, and ballistic training (13 Best Examples of Anaerobic Exercise, 2021). When you include these exercises in your mental health treatment, you can feel the results. Again, you should never perform 150 minutes of moderately intense or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity during the week. However, one must spread the activities throughout the week. Otherwise, you will injure yourself, and that would make you go in the opposite direction. Benefits of anaerobic exercise include enhanced muscle strength, increased bone strength, improved nerve function, cardiovascular health benefits, a strengthened respiratory system, reduced fatigue, increased energy, balanced hormones, boosted immunity, and improved blood sugar regulation. This also helps with your mental health as it releases endorphins and the feel-good hormones that get you to come back.

The Benefits of Exercise as Part of Your Therapy

            Once you incorporate exercise into your therapy or treatment, you will start to feel the benefits of working out. Benefits include improved mood, enhanced cognitive function, better sleep, increased energy, better physical health, enhanced social interaction, and stress relief (Using Exercise in Mental Health Treatment (Guide)| Therapist Aid, 2015). As well as boosting blood flow, it stimulates nerve growth and improves depressive symptoms (Ducharme, 2023).

            When you add exercise to your therapy/ treatment, it is not just for mental health. This does help decrease the recurrence of depressive and anxiety symptoms. For recovering people with a substance use disorder, it decreases the chances of relapses and the cravings for the drug of choice. It is recommended for recovering addicts to add exercise to their recovery for this reason. Suppose you are recovering from an eating disorder. In that case, it has been proven to improve treatment outcomes for eating disorders like binge eating (Using Exercise in Mental Health Treatment (Guide)| Therapist Aid, 2015).

            Getting started in exercising is difficult, especially if you are new to it. Finding the motivation to get up and do it. I think those who have incorporated a workout into their lives start like this, even if they have been doing it for some time. Finding motivation to get up and go to the gym. I hear so many who work out regularly say, “I am trying to find the motivation to go work out.” However, they find the motivation and energy to get up and prioritize their physical, mental, and emotional health.

            In conclusion, when you include exercise in your mental health treatment, you are giving yourself a chance to enhance the treatment you are employing. Whether that is psychotherapy, journaling, and exercise, you might start to feel better. I would always recommend that you discuss this with your mental health provider and a trainer, and make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to your treatment. From there, plan what works and what does not, and adjust accordingly. However, give yourself a break as you are trying to figure something new out. It will take time to start something new. As we enter a new year, you may start your New Year’s resolutions, give yourself a break, and avoid jumping in headfirst—one step at a time.

 

 

References

Chertoff, J. (2018, May 3). 10 Aerobic Exercise Examples: How to, Benefits, and more.

            Healthline; Healthline Media.

http://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/aerobic-exercises-examples#aerobic-classes

Cleveland Clinic. (2023, August 15). Aerobic Exercise. Cleveland Clinic.

            https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/7050-aerobic-exercise

13 Best Examples of Anaerobic Exercise. The Fitness Phantom. (2021, January 22).

            https://thefitnessphantom.com/examples-of-anaerobic-exercises

Using Exercise in Mental Health Treatment (Guide) | Therapist Aid. (2015).

            http://www.therapistaid.com/therapy-guide/exercise-and-mental-health-treatments

Ducharme, J. (2023, February 17). Adding Exercise to Therapy May Make It More

            Effective. Time. https://time.com/6255359/exercise-during-therapy-effective/

What is Holiday Depression and How to Cope with it

 

by Brian Warriner

            For many of us, the Holidays are a season of big family gatherings, presents, carols, and many more events and traditions. For me, the holidays start with Halloween. Where I decorate the house, enjoy the cooler weather, and watch my horror movies. I also stock up on candy. Then there are activities like Fright Night at the local high school, where I take my nephews every year. It’s also their birthday, and then there's the big night, Halloween. I enjoy watching the children going trick-or-treating. I encourage people to take their kids trick-or-treating. After Halloween, all the decorations come down, and Thanksgiving decorations go up. For Thanksgiving, I plan a big meal. We used to host the family every year for Thanksgiving. My mom passed the tradition on to my brother. I decided that we would have a small Thanksgiving dinner. There were times I had my foot in a surgical shoe and was told to stay off it, and one year, I was just two weeks post-toe amputation, and I cooked the meal all by myself. I do not remember eating that year because I was exhausted. I had a cane in one hand, my foot in a surgical shoe. Last year, we renovated the kitchen, and as a result, I now have a sink, a stove with an oven, and a spotlight. I made it work. I cooked a big meal for my brother, my parents, and myself.

            After Thanksgiving comes the granddaddy of holidays, Christmas. By December 1st, I will either have finished or be in the middle of my Christmas shopping. I spend a few days preparing my shopping list for all the cookies that I will bake. I prepare everything I need, from the number of cookies I will be baking to the specific type of cookies I am making. I normally make my famous Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies, as well as Chocolate Chip Raisin, Oatmeal, and Oatmeal Raisin. I make sure to have containers filled with cookies to give to the neighbors. If I am going to my brother’s house, I give his in-laws a cookie tray. While shopping for cookies, I pick up what I need for my handmade pigs in a blanket, meatballs, and other items for the Christmas party at my brother’s house. That is where we go for the holiday parade put on by the town's great fire department. They do an amazing job every year.

            As the days get closer to Christmas, we pick up the stocking stuffers, finish Christmas shopping, and I make sure everyone’s presents are wrapped, tagged, and sorted for Santa Claus. I enjoy my movies and Christmas shows. My favorite is The Nativity Story. It is a Christmas staple while I wrap presents. The Claymation movies, such as Ernest Saves Christmas, and the movies from my childhood that evoke nostalgia for the years when, in our eyes, Christmas was simpler. Even when we put up the tree, the decorations we have are staples that go on the tree. We have some additional ornaments that were gifts. In the past, when we decorated the tree, I would use some of the garland, stockings, and the tree shirt to take a funny photo, because I love to laugh, especially when things aren't going right. Laughter is the best medicine.

            Every year, our tradition is to provide Thanksgiving Dinner for (4) local families through the local Baptist church, which they announce after Halloween. We make sure we are on the list for four bags. And then, when we go shopping, we pick up items and fill the bags with the fixings for dinner. If we get a free turkey, we donate it. Like my parents raised us, if you are fortunate enough to have food on your table and a little to spare, then give it to those who are less fortunate. We do exactly that. Then, once Thanksgiving is over, we focus on gathering toys for all ages and donating them to the local police station. They distribute the toys to the families in need. It fills my heart with joy that on Christmas, we put a smile on a child’s face amid the hardships of their life.

            Over the past several years, I have been revisiting my traditions. I stopped feeling the holiday spirit because it has become stressful, especially when my parents have had health issues during the holidays. Not having the money for cookies or presents is a problem. Even when decorating the tree and the house, I pray that this year I want to feel the spirit. But it avoids me and my family. But I have this strange way of thinking, if we all make it to Christmas, then we make it to another year. I feel blessed for that. I can understand that so many things can happen that might make the holidays difficult. I remember the holidays after a loved one passed away are the worst because you are more aware of their absence. You were laid off from your job, a loved one is sick and possibly in the hospital, you are caretaking for a loved one, money is tight, and the price of everything is sky high. The worst is that you might have a child in the hospital, and the worry of the situation has taken over the feeling of the holiday spirit. The list of reasons keeps growing.

            It is okay to have no spirit for the holidays; in fact, it has made me understand the Grinch and Scrooge more. They did not hate Christmas; it was the fact that life had disappointed them that happened around Christmas. They wondered if people had to go into debt, overeat, and drink to celebrate what exactly? They both lost the reason for the season. It is time for us to open up to our fellow members of the human race. We take care of each other. I believe this to be true, not just at Christmas but all year long. But the holiday season is when we become even more aware of this principle. The Stress of three holidays back-to-back, with December featuring not just Christmas but also Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, and New Year’s Eve. Then you have birthdays, anniversaries, and many other significant life events. That you feel like you cannot catch your breath. I understand it, and if you find yourself dreading the season, and want to get through it. It is okay.

In this post, I will share strategies to help you combat holiday depression. How to differentiate between Seasonal Depression and Holiday Depression.

Causes of and Symptoms of Holiday Depression

            The causes of holiday depression can start in November and continue into December, and lift soon after New Year’s. It starts with the lack of sleep, financial stress, isolation /loneliness, excessive food and alcohol use, and unrealistic expectations. This comes from all the gatherings, the Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, and work events, where everyone is overeating and drinking (How to Cope with The Holiday Blue, n.d). Alcohol is considered a downer or depressant. It can alter your mood and bring you down. The issues with sleeping can come from indigestion and stress. And the fact that you are struggling financially. The price of everything is going up, while wages remain stuck at the lower end of the scale. You're just managing to pay your bills, rent, and insurance, so you don't have money for anything else. It is the pride of some that keeps them from going on public assistance. It could also be the fact that they make too much to qualify for it.

            But there can be an underlying condition, or events can cause holiday depression. For example, this could be the first holiday season without a loved one, whether it was a grandparent, parent, sibling, or a furbaby. It can be difficult to get into the holiday spirit if you are grieving a loss or if you are separated from your family. Like those who are being separated and deported by the Gestapo, the family dynamics could play a part in the holiday blues (How to Cope with Holiday Stress and Depression, 2023). You might be having arguments with family, or you could be newly out or have been out of the closet. You have a family that is religious and prejudiced. They are constantly berating you and treating you like crap. This can affect your mental health. It is difficult to deal with that kind of discrimination in the home at any time of the year.

            The signs and symptoms of holiday depression can show up as changes in appetite or weight (decrease or increase), changes in sleeping patterns, depressed, irritable moods, difficulty with concentration, feelings of guilt, worthlessness, feeling more tired than usual, feeling tense, worried, anxious, loss of pleasure in doing things that you used to enjoy (How to Cope With the Holiday Blues, n.d). The intrusive thoughts that digs you deeper into a dark hole. It adds to your stress, anxiety, and depression. A person could do self-harm or even attempt or complete suicide. The hell a person can go through during the holidays can be completely overwhelming. It has reached the point where they cannot take it anymore. My heart goes out to everyone who is going through holiday depression.

 

How to Cope with Holiday Depression

            If you are a person who is dealing with holiday depression, there are ways to cope with it. I always recommend that you discuss with your mental health professional. When the holidays are coming up, you can set boundaries. Limit the number of gatherings you will attend throughout the season. Seek support and help from mental health professionals if you are not working with one. If you are grieving, you can remember a loved one or participate in charity work, such as feeding the homeless, joining the food pantry, or starting a collection for the local animal shelter (Hot to Cope with Holiday Stress and Depression, 2023). Every year, my family and I pick up toys and donate them to the police department. We donate to the animal shelter because they provide stockings for the animals that get adopted during the holidays.

            There are plenty of things you can do to ease your stress during the holidays. One can limit their food and alcohol intake. And if you choose not to drink, remember that you do not owe anyone an explanation of why you are not drinking. Learn to say no to requests for your time and participation in events and gatherings, especially if you have already committed yourself to a couple of commitments. Treat yourself with kindness and find time for yourself and what you need. The most important thing is not to isolate yourself. Get out and be sociable, but you do not have to overdo it. The isolation and loneliness are what make the holidays the most difficult. Because you are not around your family, your chosen family, or your friends and community (How to Cope with the Holiday Blues, n.d). If you are alone, go to the local senior center, elderly care, or retirement home and speak to an elderly person. As we get older, unfortunately, our families put us into facilities and sometimes forget we are there and that we exist. So, go to the places for the elderly, talk to them, and have a meal with them. I miss my elderly neighbor Ruth, who has since passed away. I would go over a say hi to her, and we would talk. They love the company if not more than you would (Kohuska-Haskin, 2023).

            There are plenty of healthy ways to deal with your holiday depression, and maybe when you employ some of the coping mechanisms that were listed, then you might just feel the spirit of the season. Once you get the spirit of the season, maybe you will enjoy it and feel like a kid again. I want to wish you Happy Holidays!

References

How to Cope with The Holiday Blues. (n.d). Very Well Mind.

https://www.verywellmind.com/holiday-blues-4771716

How to Cope with Holiday Stress and Depression. (2023, December 13).

Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/holiday-depression-and-stress

Kohuska-Haskins, B. (2023, December 29). What are Holiday Blues and How to Deal

            With them? Psychology Today. Psychology Today.

            https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-mybrian-works/202312/what-are-holiday-blues-and-how-to-deal-with-them?msockid=3c615a7a3ec3684126f04bdc3fda69d9

The Holistic Approach: Faith-Based Mental Healthcare

by Brian Warriner

            I know someone may question, how are spirituality and mental health connected? Moreover, what does one have to do with the other? But the simple answer is that when times get dark, such as during a mental health crisis, people look to their spiritual/ religious background for solace. It is the practices within the spiritual practices that have entered faith-based mental healthcare. Through this blog, we will look at the concept and break it down. Through my research, I found that this answered my question about the connection between spirituality and mental health.

            Faith-based Mental Healthcare brings together two of my passions, spirituality and mental healthcare. When it comes to spirituality, I enjoy meditation, prayer, and saying the rosary. I have taught myself how to pray and chant with a Buddhist mala—communicating with spirits, angels, ancestors, and saints. I love collecting and reading the various prayers of the church, praying the rosary, and lighting candles. I love learning about and hearing stories of the saints. I also thought about the religious life, the habit, and a life of prayer and service. But being strictly Catholic is not my thing. I have been ordained as a minister with the Universal Life Church. It has allowed me to study and read the bible and various other religious texts. To me, being spiritual means to do good, help each other, then shut up and go home.

            Exploring faith-based mental healthcare is providing me with another avenue to explore in my career in mental healthcare.

What is Spirituality and Faith-Based Mental Healthcare?

            Spirituality is defined as the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things (Merriam-Webster, 2019). There is a difference between spirituality and religion. Spirituality to me is the expression of my soul that is not bound by strict dogmatic rules. It is how I see those I interact with as spiritual beings experiencing human experience. I have my path and relationship with mother and father God. I do not follow the dogmatic rules of Christianity, Islam, or Judaism. Personally, I am a Celtic Witch who indulges in many traditions of majick. It is my affinity for different aspects of both religious and spiritual life.

            In an article in Psychology Today, spirituality is defined as “an expression of the transcendent ways in which to fulfill human potential, and this may include religion” (Sallcru, 2022). There is an acknowledgment of how spirituality can enhance the therapeutic process and contribute to improving one’s life—your spiritual health matters to your mental health as well as your overall health. However, I found Nuerolaunch.com’s definition to be more fitting for understanding Faith-based Mental Healthcare. They define it as the foundation of your understanding and movement through adversities, which can enhance your emotional resilience and emotional regulation (Team, 2025).

            Faith-based mental healthcare started when psychologists started to reach out to religious organizations to change the way religions and people of faith see the stigma in seeking help for mental health disorders. Many religions find that only God can cure you, and if you seek help, then you do not trust God to heal you. However, faith-based mental healthcare comes in (Weir, 2020). For many decades, clergy counseled their flock on mental health issues. Nevertheless, they never diagnosed or treated any mental health issues. This is where spirituality and mental health intersect. As a person who is dealing with mental health disorders and is studying to be a clinical mental health counselor, and someone who is spiritual, this is right up my alley.

            Every center that offers Faith-Based Mental Healthcare is different. However, the overhead view is that they utilize scripture to provide perspective on one's life and actions, incorporating mindfulness, meditation, and group therapy. The treatment also combines Cognitive Behavioral Therapy within the faith-based activities. It is not just for the faithful; it is for everyone who finds themselves on any path, whether you have been a lifelong believer, curious, or a recent convert to any faith. This form of care is open to everyone.

            Faith-based mental healthcare does not replace medical interventions; however, it enhances them with proven methods such as meditation, prayer, and many other activities. You also have a therapist whom you work with on your mental health issues. In fact, it is stated that faith-based mental healthcare is where spirituality meets science (Team, 2025).

            I know that more can be said, but my research has taken me this far. I will be blogging more about Faith-Based Mental Healthcare and (CBT) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I asked whether churches have taken this up and offer this service to their congregations. It has piqued my interest, and I want to explore this further and incorporate it into my expertise as a tool to help those in need. Especially ridding themselves of the stigma that religion places on seeking help. Together, we can help each other break the stigma and seek the help we need.

 

 

References

Merriam-Webster. (2019). Definition of Spirituality. Merriam-Webster.com.

                https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spirituality

Sallcru, S. (2022, August 6). Spirituality and Its Contribution to Mental Health. Psychology Today.

                https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psychology-insight-new-world/200208/spirituality-and-its-contribution-mental-health?msockid=3c615a7a3ec3684126f04bdc3fda69d9

Team, N, Editorial. (2025, February 16). Spirituality and Mental Health: Exploring The Intricate Connection.

                Neurolaunch.com. https://neurolaunch.com/spirituality-and-mental-health/

Team, N, Editorial. (2025, February 16). Faith-Based Inpatient Mental Health: Integrating Spirituality and

                Psychiatric Care. Neurolaunch.com.

https://neurolaunch.com/faith-based-inpatient-mental-health/#google_vignette

Weir, K. (2020, April 1). Reaching Out to The Faithful. American Psychological Association.

                https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/reaching-faithful