On the road to recovery

8/13/2024 Day 1 summary at Rockford at the Orchards: Challenges getting there Got lost and arrived late on the first day Upon arrival entered the wrong door. Day 9 No one at the desk to buzz me in so I have to wait a few seconds at the inside door. Day 11 locked myself out of the house after walking the dogs. Forgot to take my medication on day 12 and day 13. Successes Overcame my fear of speaking in groups. Learned the importance of breathing cadence as it applies to anxiety. On day 3 I was able to fend off being triggered by an electronic message by using my "wise brain" to recognize the content of the message was logical and accurate. I was able to comprehend the content & able to process the message without any type of irrational emotion. Day 5 significant drop in level of anxiety and feel more emotionally balanced. Became more engaging with the group as the week progressed. Studies content of each day's program at least 1 hour every night. Listed the people in m...

 8/9/2024   Day 15 summary at Rockford at the Orchards: -Up at 6 a.m. this morning.   -Girls got their walk & ride. -Plenty of time to do other things before leaving at 8:50 a.m. -Non-eventful ride to the facility. - A.M check in process/goal review: Current state- Outstanding Status of yesterday's goal. Stay in the moment.  Now, understanding that two individuals must both be in their windows of tolerance before engaging in serious conversation I was and always will be sure to stay in the present and go with the flow.   What are we working to improve through the program.  For me it is anger, anxiety, and depression. Give some examples of what you've used from class to drive improvement.   Stay in the moment Do not create false narratives based on a little bit of evidence. Behaviors can be changed by changing how to think and feel. It is healthy to set boundaries.  They allow us to feel secure in our rela...

    8 /8/2024 Day 14 summary at Rockford at the Orchards: -Up early this a.m. All tasks completed on time, meds taken and easy, non-stressful ride to the facility. - A.M check in process/goal review: Current state- Good Status of yesterday's goal.  As I walk this evening challenge myself to stay in the logical mind and do not allow racing thoughts. Also, work on positive affirmations. Passed on the original goal but instead had a long, productive conversation with my best friend. What is your treatment goal for today? To help new participants overcome shyness so they can be engaged. -Thought for the day: Suppressing the "white bears". Theory that says suppressing certain thoughts only make it more likely that you will think them.  It can be specific to mental health in that some people have difficulty relieving him or herself from intrusive thoughts. There are 5 strategies that could help eliminate or table the thoughts for another time. Pick on an absorbing fact...

    8 /7/2024 Day 13 summary at Rockford at the Orchards: -Completed morning tasks, dog walk, ride, and trip to Dunkin' Donuts for drinks -Left in plenty of time but once again had to drive back home after leaving to take my medication. -Arrived on time. -Audience has been consistently larger than when I started week 1. Seems like days in a row we've had a capacity crowd of 14. -Facilitator duties were shared by Steph & Wayna -We started off with a quick activity to break the ice called grab bag. Each person grabs a piece of paper with a pre-populated question or dare from a basket. Everyone who grabbed a paper either answered the questions or performed the dare. It was a fun exercise to work off the anxiety, wake everyone up, to ensure we're engaged. - A.M check in process/goal review: Format today was name, how are you feeling, progress of yesterday's goal, and a personal affirmation. Current state- Content Status of yesterday's goal. Stay engaged, r...

    8 /6/2024 Day 12 summary at Rockford at the Orchards: Going to be short today because I left my notes at the facility. -As has been usual the last 2-1/2 weeks the girls got their walk, ride, and treats. -Left for treatment a little earlier than normal but had to double back to the house after I realized I forgot to take my morning medication. -Crisis averted I made it to the facility in time for the start of the morning session. -A couple of more new people joined the group but a couple of veterans were no shows so no change in the size of the group from the day before. (14) -As usual on Tuesday's the facilitator role was shared by Steph and Noelle. - A.M check in process/goal review: Current state- Calm, feeeling good, and less anxious Status of yesterday's goal. Be patient, stay engaged but not overbearing. Drink more water. A work announcement was made yesterday that I felt was important to share with certain family members. I was able to do so using a good...

    8 /5/2024 Day 11 summary at Rockford at the Orchards: -Girls got their walk, ride, and treats. -Morning was calm until I locked myself out of the house after walking dog #1. I have a fallback break in method that I've used in the past to enter that worked again today. -After some uneasiness the drive to the facility was non-eventful. -Arrived early at 9:15 but needed the time to do the beginning of the week paperwork. Basically an inventory of how we are doing with the treatment plan. -A large crowd checked in this morning with 75% of the participants being new to the group. -Started off the session a little different than normal today. Went around the room and each person answered the following questions: How are you feeling? For me the answer was calm. Any updates or changes to your condition. Condition remains stable. (in a good way) What is your treatment goal for today?  Learn a new coping mechanism to add to my "tool box" -Thought for the day: Teaching ...

  8 /2/2024 Day 10 summary at Rockford at the Orchards: - Got up @ 6:15 or a full hour early than normal. -Calm morning with enough time to complete all pre-class tasks. -Girls got their walk, ride, and treats. -Travel to the facility was non-eventful. -Arrived on time at 9:30 a.m. -A total of 14 participants were in attendance with 4 being new patients. The larger than normal audience resulted in an extended check in and check out process limiting the amount of content reviewed in today's session. - A.M check in process/goal review: Current state- Feeling good Status of yesterday's goal. List the people in my life to whom I'm the closest and state why you trust those individuals. Bring completed worksheet to class tomorrow.   - Module 1 focused on socialization. Each person paired up in groups of 2 and answered 45 questions related to personal likes, dislikes, and unique qualities individuals possess. Some questions were as follows: Where were you born What is one ...