 I have always had a conflicted relationship with the Autumn Equinox and changing of the seasons. The smatterings of red, oranges, and yellows I so adore also signify that shorter, darker, and colder days are near. That sense of impending doom is the perfect ingredient for what I call the “Seasonal Scaries.”
Perhaps this is why Pagan communities created elaborate festivals to celebrate the harvest bounty and communally lean into the fear and death anxiety all humans share, especially when change is upon us. And yet, personally, I’ve never enjoyed the horror genre or accompanying rituals much. It’s too overstimulating for my nervous system as a natural empath and highly sensitive type and I find myself wondering, if there is enough to be fearful about in today’s world, why experience it, intentionally, for fun?? But maybe that’s entirely the point. When we perceive a threat–real or imagined–that anxiety floods our systems with cortisol and adrenaline prompting us to freeze, fight, flight, or fawn–temporarily compromising our executive functioning with its creative problem solving and higher reasoning abilities in the process. This state of hypervigilance has become all too familiar as a mother living in a densely populated urban setting with very real daily safety hazards. Not to mention that my own livelihood is forever and inextricably linked to others who are more vulnerable and dependent. (Now THAT’s scary!) But when I am regulated, with my full internal toolkit easily accessible, I can remind myself of the power of prioritizing creative play for developmental growth–for both kids and adults. This includes screaming our lungs out at our local public school’s makeshift haunted house and dressing up in a family costume for Halloween. It’s the magic of the funny scarecrow or the creepy clown. Laughter provides a much-needed cortisol flush, calming the parasympathetic nervous system. Here’s to finding opportunities for imaginary play, and safe, novel experiences in small doses that gently push us out of our comfort zones to make space for relaxation and joy. Post by Sharon Itkoff Nacache ATR-BC LCAT LPAT PMH-C
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☀️Such an inspiring morning at The PSI NYC Climb meeting young families and the dedicated providers who make up their village of support through psychotherapy, psychoeducation, pelvic floor pt, acupuncture, literature, and of course creative arts therapy! ☀️    Summer is one of the most intensely overwhelming seasons for parents, many of whom are worn out from chronic mental and physical overload of juggling a variable family calendar, bridging gaps in childcare, bringing in an income, and keeping up with the relentless demand of maintaining a clean, safe, and well-stocked domestic space. To complicate matters further, millennial caregivers are being thrust into sandwiched caregiving roles as their own parents age and grapple with health challenges, and are finding themselves with less and less hands-on support, more unmet personal needs, and increased “mom rage,” relational strife, and symptoms of caregiver burnout as a result. In this imbalanced life stage of serving/giving/caretaking, who and what can help refuel us in order to maintain optimal mental health and keep these lifestyles sustainable? Do we ever outgrow a need to be taken care of? Mother Nature offers inherent wisdom around the power of community care. Trees spread nourishment through shared roots below the surface and lean together to create shaded canopies to block out intense heat during scorching summer months. Humans are naturally wired toward tribal relationships for survival, but the rugged individualism and solipcism of social media alongside late stage capitalism have made us forget this kind of symbiosis. If Baby Boomer parental figures are no longer available to provide emotional or physical shelter, what other meaningful interpersonal relationships–mentors, teachers, gurus, role models, or brother/sisterhoods–can be fostered, outside of the already overtaxed marital partnership or traditional grandparent family structure? Creative problem solving and emotional wellbeing thrive on supportive collaboration. Perhaps if we can seek out, nurture, and lean into more nourishing roles that allow for greater fluidity between Giver/Receiver and Teacher/Student, we can refill those dried out personal reserves and expand our emotional bandwidth to restore crucial self-care practices where we can reconnect with and restore our ever-evolving sense of self. #caregiverburnout #millenial #sandwichedcaregiving #mentalhealthmatters #communitycare #selfcare #creativeresilience Post by Sharon Itkoff Nacache ATR-BC LCAT LPAT PMH-C Original photograph by Stephanie Klepacki via Unsplash.  ☀️Although I’m not able to make it to the annual Postpartum Support International conference in New Orleans next month, I’m honored to have my book included in the PSI bookstore of recommended reading for perinatal professionals and the communities they support. Check out the full list of summer reads here!
Post by Sharon Itkoff Nacache ATR-BC LCAT LPAT PMH-C  🎨Still glowing from Friday's incredible arts-based wellness retreat with mobile health workers via the NYC Health + Hospitals partnership with the Whitney Museum of American Art called HHArt of Medicine. I'm so grateful to be a part of this dream team of educators: Cris Scorza, Camilo Godoy, and Hollie Ecker! Our workshops wouldn't be possible without the crucial hands-on AND behind-the-scenes support of the Arts in Medicine Department and the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund.#creativeresilience #artheals #arttherapylife #artcenteredpractice  It was so wonderful to be featured on the latest episode of the "Securely Attached" podcast with Dr. Sarah Bren. We explore some of my favorite topics including my new picture book for expectant parents, art therapy, perinatal mental health, creative resilience skill-building, and caregiver burnout. Listen here!
This one goes out to all the guilt-riddled, over-committed, high-functioning, stressed-out caregivers out there and is something I‘ve been thinking about a lot lately and is somewhat taboo, which is basically this: no matter how much we love our children they can also, equally, annoy us beyond belief. Both can be true and this doesn’t make us insensitive or “bad” parents, contrary to how this era of intensive/gentle parenting can make us feel. In fact, one symptom of caregiver burnout that always strikes me (and catches others off guard) is the high reactivity we can feel toward the most vulnerable in our lives, i.e. our own children –and sometimes the populations we support as mental health professionals and/or birth workers if we are in operating under chronic stress with little support. After naming this, I wonder if instead of feeling guilty for being so frequently irritated or easily triggered, I wonder if we can reframe it as a sign that we actually care too much and are thus are simply emotionally depleted from the constant state of hypervigilance involved in their care and less able to respond from a place of abundance and endless patience. This may free up some bandwidth for self compassion around our own unmet needs so we can begin to take a beat and apply some self care. For example, my oldest child and I are extremely close, and my husband likes to joke that we are “exactly alike” in how we react when upset. Although I don’t fully agree with that assessment, I do see how often we get stuck in a vicious cycle or power struggle when we argue. I feel similarly about my relationship with my own mom, a connection I refer to sometimes as “electric” because it is charged with so much love and emotion that can both empower but also hurt us at times. (It’s interesting that I relate to both parent and child in these examples.) Emotional attunement to childrens’ needs, which is something “good-enough” caregivers are certainly able to provide, may also translate to children knowing exactly how to push the buttons of those caring for them. They are expertly attuned to what activates a response, so when seeking connection it may manifest as provocative or attention-seeking behavior, since they lack the nuanced tools to navigate exactly what kind of response they will get but know they need something. Of course I know all of this in theory, but in practice it is so very easy to forget once the cortisol and adrenaline start pumping. Healthy authentic relationships with emotional intimacy and secure attachment all involve a degree of “rapproachment,” a coming back together to repair after a rupture, a reuniting after a separation, a time to “reset” and try again. So let’s normalize the frustration embedded in our imperfect attempts to synchronize when communicating and caring for others around the clock. It’s demanding work, it’s ok to feel annoyed and love your kids more than anything at the same time. And it’s also ok to take a hot second (or two!) to regulate. Post by Sharon Itkoff Nacache ATR-BC LCAT LPAT PMH-C  I am so excited to share my latest passion project with you: a participatory perinatal picture book called The Days Before I Met You The back story: I originally wrote and illustrated it during my first pregnancy in 2017. At the time it was an intuitive use of art and narrative therapy that helped to channel my growing pains into something tangible during a difficult third trimester. And now, I'm ready to share it with the world so it may provide a helpful resource for other first-time expectant parents in their own family building adventures. You can check it out, purchase, and review it on Amazon here: https://a.co/d/7TM6wrz Please take a look and share widely! Sharon Itkoff Nacache ATR-BC LCAT LPAT PMH-C   The overhead view of artmaking in progress and scattered supplies beautifully captures the burst of creative energy that flowed through today’s wellness workshop. Busy, bright, layered, bold, playful! Another example of this powerful, hands-on approach to addressing workplace burnout, one team at a time!💥 #artheals #artsinmedicine #caregiverburnout #creativeresilience #artastherapy
Post by Sharon Itkoff Nacache ATR-BC LCAT LPAT PMH-C 🌷Politics is personal when your country is in crisis. Cory Booker’s historic 25 hour speech is helping to wake up disempowered Americans and remind them what they can do on a micro level to enact positive change on a macro level. 🌷Today marks the first-ever National Day of Action for Maternal Mental Health to rally Americans to contact their federal elected officials to protect the funding of maternal mental health programs. 🌷Mental health conditions are the MOST COMMON complication of pregnancy and childbirth, impacting 1 in every 5 mothers in the U.S. or 800,000 families each year. Mental health conditions are a LEADING CAUSE of maternal mortality in our country, accounting for 22% of pregnancy-related deaths. 🌷To address this crisis, The Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance has helped to establish two federally-funded programs that have proven effective in helping mothers get the support they need: The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline and The Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Program. 🌷Turn your despair into hope and make a massive impact for maternal mental health in just a few minutes. The campaign is today only. Contact your elected officials: https://lnkd.in/g-dc8rtW 🌷We need you. Moms need you. Your voice matters. Post by Sharon Itkoff Nacache ATR-BC LCAT LPAT PMH-C  |
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