Meditation
& Self-Care
Please enjoy this 5 minute video by Mike Smith, who visited HHS a couple of years ago, with a passionate message about how to care for one another at a time when we need it more than ever.
Meditation
EDC Meditation 1 (Body Scan).mp4Body Scan With Ms. Calais (10 min)
HHS Counselor Ms. Calais takes you through a body scan meditation to release inner tension.
Video Guided Meditation (10 min)
A beautiful oceanfront meditation
Meditation 101 (2 min)
Learn the basics of meditation in 2 entertaining minutes!
Meditation on Light and Love with Ms. Calais (11 min)
Meditation on Breath with Ms. Calais (7 min)
MEDITATION APPS
Insight Timer
We love the free Insight Timer app! In their words, “The best meditation app with the world's largest FREE library of more than 30k guided meditations, 5k teachers & the world's most loved meditation Timer”
Suggestion for use for beginners:
Take the free “Learn How to Meditate 7 Day Course”, (or the “Kids: Learn to Meditate 5 Day Course” which is kind of fun for adults also) and then follow it up by listening to the Daily Meditation, which you can choose for a 5, 10, or 15 minute time period each day.
Use the Timer to choose number of minutes you want to meditate, choose the music you’d like to meditate to, and the sound of the bell to signify that time is up. You can try using this even for 1 minute, maybe a couple of times a day, just to reset and stay calm!
Try the “Theta Mare” 20 min sound meditation…. With headphones. So soothing, but beware you might fall asleep!
You can choose how many minutes you want to meditate, whether guided or just music or which topic, and it will pull up a list of them for you to choose from
Calm App & Relaxing Melody App
We also love the free Calm app for it’s relaxing meditations and the free Relax Melodies app where you can choose and combine your favorite sounds (flute and ocean waves for example; or Zen music with crackling fire) and just listen for a while.
If you would like to further explore options for mindfulness and meditation, some geared directly toward this time of pandemic, The Free Mindfulness Project is full of excellent resources!
Positivity
Positive Thinking Affirmations
Pick a positive affirmation and say it as many times a day as you can. Feel the difference!
Listen Poem
When you're trying to connect, the best thing you can do is listen! Enjoy this poem that tells you how.
Self-Care
Enjoy 5 tips for mental wellness while social distancing made by our very own founder of the Beautiful Mind Campaign
Self-Care Tips for High School Students
Adapted from Dr. Janise, Ph.D., LP, LSP, NCSP
Focus on self-care
Take a walk
Listen to music
Meditate (e.g., CALM)
Read
Develop a new hobby (e.g., cooking, sewing, creating art)
Reflect on where you are and where you want to be in the future: What are your goals?
Speak encouraging words to yourself
Spend time with family and digital time with friends
Reach out to your support network
Talk to other students/friends
Talk to family members
Talk to other important people in your lives (e.g., community leader)
Ask parents about the availability of other professional support that might be needed at same time (e.g., school counselors)
Take this time out to think about and plan for your future
Make a list of your post-secondary goals
Develop a plan for reaching your goals
Identify barriers for reaching your goals and list possible strengths/solutions to overcoming your barriers (e.g., seek support)
Holliston Youth and Family Services is available to support students and families. Community members can call the office line at 508-429-0620. For more immediate assistance, please feel free to call Jackie Winer. Director of HYFS directly at 508-306-4507.
For immediate crisis related services and/or counseling, INTERFACE Referral services continue to be available. The William James INTERFACE Referral Service is a mental health and wellness referral Helpline available Monday through Friday, 9 am-5 pm, at 888-244-6843 (toll free)