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Depression is a feeling of heaviness in the heart. Many times, it's a sadness; maybe it's a sadness that relates to what you don't have, a fixation on opportunities that passed you by, or conditioning that worth is derived from external reward (i.e. a relationship, job or career, money, socioeconomic and perceived social status, your accomplishments). It's okay to want certain external rewards and sometimes, they can serve as a a motivating force to build and maintain momentum for a season. Other seasons, there may be a standstill: a humbling reminder to slow down, pause, and acknowledge what's truly important - especially if what you' re putting your energy into isn't working or fulfilling for your unique life path. An external drive without internal recharge can be exhausting. In Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, a creature described by the Anishinaabe people, the Windigo monster, was a metaphor for an insatiable hunger that fuels destructive consumption, a void that cannot be filled. In human behavior, it can be seen as substance abuse and other addictions such as constant one night stands, online shopping leading to overwhelming debt, or problematic gambling. In a more socially acceptable context, it might be the constant need to achieve and then there's a burnout for what's meaningful (i.e. your needs; quality time with yourself, loved ones, and joyful hobbies). If you experience depression, learn how to be a diver so you can safely navigate the depths of your emotions and understand why your worth stems from within. While you're on the deep end, establish and strengthen your roots: what helps you to anchor in the safety of present moment so you can experience gratitude with where you're at and what you have right now. Gratitude can coexist throughout the healing journey.  If you're interested in receiving integrative mental health care, schedule a free consultation.
Stay connected with Shannon — Instagram ⚘ Facebook ⚘ TikTok ⚘ LinkedIn The body is a history of your life, a reservoir of emotions, and holds the wisdom to access trauma in the safety of the present moment. Bottom-up approaches involve exploring emotionally visceral reactions to the external environment (such as circumstances that involve elements outside of your control). Often automatic, bodily reactions and sensations highlight the way you see the world around you, your schemas, possibly a reflection of conditioning from early developmental life stages, and likely a normal response to a real or perceived threat from a specific time in your life. In the context of complex trauma, feeling safe in the body may not be a reality just yet with a gap between how you show up and how you want to show up in the world. Making the leap into territory not yet familiar requires additional and continual effort for healthy, positive changes on the body and brain outside of trauma-related imprints. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Dek Kolk describes the physiological and neurological effects of trauma on the individual and society as a whole. It's not a quick and easy digest. It may take some time to process the material and visceral or emotional reactions may surface, please note any reflections if you decide to read the book. Bodily sensations that surface almost automatically in response to an external stimuli is a message worth paying attention to. Whenever a strong or intense reaction surface, pause and ask yourself -- is my reaction an accurate interpretation of the present situation or is it a reminiscence of an emotional wound that needs tending to? If it's the latter, know that you have options on how to respond. You have options reflecting the way you want to show up in the world instead of how you've been conditioned to. There are ways to feel safe, secure, and protected while open and vulnerable to meaningful connection with yourself and others. It requires neuroplasticity: a flexibility in how you think and respond. Just as you can build flexibility in the body, your brain can become more neuroplastic to healthy ways of being with bottom-up approaches such as mindful movement practices (like yoga with intentional breath work), heart-centered hypnotherapy, EMDR, and inner child work. If you're interested in receiving integrative mental health care, schedule a free consultation.
Stay connected with Shannon — Instagram ⚘ Facebook ⚘ TikTok ⚘ LinkedIn The golden ratio is seen in nature. Flower buds, succulents, sea shells, ocean waves, and spider webs. The navel on the human body is positioned where the upper and lower halves equal the golden ratio. It's seen in mandala art and even present in our DNA. It's also known as the Fibonacci code, (1 + √5) / 2. In a spiritual sense, the golden ratio highlights a universal language to understand meaningful patterns and themes, that everything truly is connected. Clinically, I reference this unifying ratio to emphasize the meaning of support and resilience in the context of depth or shadow work and your healing process. Similar to the golden rule in interpersonal communication of pairing 5 positives to 1 negative, strengthening loving-kindness presence by at least five fold with mindfulness-based practices is a resource state I integrate in session. The universal language of nature inspires my treatment approach to help you deepen your capacity to hold space for emotions; it’s particularly useful for those who experience depressive symptoms and grief. Understanding your emotional history provides information on generational, familial, and individual patterns. As you get in touch with your tendencies that may keep you in a spiral (maybe it's rumination or overthinking, perhaps it’s the same narrative that identifies with low self-worth), as you identify emotional triggers, and understand the pain that makes you human, it's important to deepen and strengthen loving-kindness presence: your ability to anchor in the safety of the present moment (by five fold). The ego would rather avoid feeling any discomfort or pain, real and perceived, however what we avoid inadvertently may chase us. By anchoring in a resource state of self-love and self-kindness, it feels safe to tune in to the inner landscape. When conditioning or Samskara (in Sanskrit: the language of yoga) is explored intentionally with non-judgment, acceptance, and curiosity, processing emotions can be held in the space of unconditional positive regard. If you're interested in receiving integrative mental health care, schedule a free consultation.
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Shannon Dompor Guese is a Yoga Teacher (RYT 500), Holistic Psychotherapist (LCPC), and TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine - Acupuncture & Herbology) student who focuses on the mind-body connection, self-love, and mental well-being. She is a lifelong learner of integrative mental health and holistic practices to develop her expertise in providing comprehensive care for the Las Vegas community.
Inspired by nature, Shannon believes in connecting to one's ancestral roots.
Inner Garden Journal ⚘ Reflections on what it means to remember inherent worth.
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