When we think of being grounded, we often think of taking deep breaths or feeling our feet on the earth below us. We don’t always think of our food as grounding, probably because we assume it might be unhealthy, but food can be a wonderful way to stay grounded and stay sane when things get stressful.

When I am stressed, I often reach for really simple things to eat (some not so great, some pretty awesome), because I am short on time and even shorter on space in my brain to plan and execute a lengthy meal. It is what happens to many of us, especially in the mornings, when we are feeling the pressure to get out tot work on time and feeling rushed. It can be an incredibly stressful and ungrounding time of day, and one that might leave you forgetting to eat or feeling like it’s just one more thing that takes up your time.

Having something ready to go, like Overnight Oats, can help you have breakfast ready when you need it and give you some warming (even though it’s cold), comforting feelings of being grounded.

This recipe is tweaked from a food show I love to indulge in when I have a chance. It contains oats, flax seeds, chia seeds, apples, dried cranberries, all of which have loads of benefits for you.

Health Benefits of Overnight Oats:

  • Oats: High in fiber, protein and iron. A great source of sustained energy and whole grains.
  • Flax seeds: High in omega 3’s (healthy fats) and fiber.
  • Chia seeds: High in omega 3’s (healthy fats), fiber, protein and iron.
  • Almond Milk: easier to digest than dairy milk, less fat and calories (if you watch those things), good source of calcium
  • Apples: Good source of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fiber.
  • Dried Cranberries: Anti-oxidants

It is also an incredibly simple recipe to make, so you are able to make it quick and have enough for the week. If you have the time, you can even heat it up for a really warming, grounding bowl of oats. Breakfast. Done.

Apple and Cranberry Overnight Oats

 Serves: 4 to 6  Cooking Time: 4 hours

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 chopped apple
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries (or other dried fruits)
  • 1-2 cups oats
  • 2-3 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tbsp flax seeds (ground)
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 2 tbsp organic sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Add all ingredients into a bowl.
  2. Mix until combined. If the liquid doesn’t cover your oat mixture, add a little more as needed.
  3. Store in the refrigerator overnight.
  4. Scoop and serve for breakfast. You can even scoop into a jar and take for work.

Try adding in different dried fruits, nut or flavors (honey, maple syrup, vanilla) to make it your own. You could even bring a few jars to keep at work, so it is ready for you when you arrive.

Enjoy!

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SLP Stress Less Pinterest

With a new school year here and many of us already back at school and (yikes!) even seeing students already, you are bound to start having those dreaded, stressful thoughts that you left on your desk at the end of the year, start to find their way back to you.

Even if you are excited and feeling recharged form the summer break, you might find your thoughts starting to flicker back an forth between excitement and anxiety, the familiar pull that you know will eventually take over by the end of the year. I don’t mean to paint a dark and dreary picture for you, but to show that you are not alone in this. If you have ever felt the exhaustion of chronic stress or burn out, you know that it can slowly creep in and take over before you realize what has happened.

That is the bad news.

The good news is that this usually only happens because we go through the same cycle each year or excitement about the start of the new year and all that it could bring right on to the reality of the work it entails and then the sheer exhaustion it brings by Summertime. For most, this cycle gets slightly more difficult each passing school year, because the few months in the summer, where you could really take time to recharge and create some changes in your work-life balance, are spent ignoring the feelings while you relax for a few months, or you work like crazy in a PRN job or running errands all summer. (more…)

Manage Stress PinterestAt the start of a new school year or new season, there is often this rush of excitement, and readiness for a change or fresh perspective. It lasts for awhile, but then it can feel as if, quite swiftly at times, the perspective shifts and you are right back in the midst of stress, overwhelm and exhaustion. You start to wonder if there is a way you can manage your stress better.

Paperwork has piled up, you aren’t enjoying your time with students/clients, and you are starting to feel drained, or even anxious, from your work. You feel exactly like you did before the year/season started, and you know that it is only going to pile up. Again. And it seems to get a little worse each time.

So you push through until the next break, and start the cycle all over again, hoping that one day it will get just a little better. On that day, you’ll have more time, more freedom, more energy, more drive, more…enjoyment for life and work.

You just have to wait a little longer for it to happen…one day.

But then things continue in the cycle of stress and release and more stress, all while growing more irritable at work and at home, until one day you decide to switch jobs or quit altogether.

Does this story sound familiar?

This was my everyday routine (and sometimes I get drawn back into it for a moment before snapping out of it again), and one that most SLPs I know are stuck in as well.

We are always fighting stress and trying to find ways to work more efficiently, enjoy it better and not drown in paperwork, stress and exhaustion.

We, as SLPs, are struggling. And stress is the reason why. (more…)

quit your SLP job

Quit SLP Job Pinterest

Being an SLP can be incredibly wonderful at times, and at other times incredibly stressful. A great deal of this stress comes from the parts of the job that are outside of the therapy realm and often seem to have more and more rules around them, such as paperwork and productivity rates. Some of the stress, though, comes from the nature of the job itself. As SLPs, it is our job and our mission to help people communicate, nourish and thrive, as best they can with the situation they are in. Our schooling and career are set up around us being able to give our tine and energy to these, sometimes without a break during the day. It is highly rewarding at times, and also highly frustrating and draining. It can be enough to make you want to quit your SLP job at times.  (more…)

How to Reduce Stress PinterestIn all honesty, the last quarter of this year was very difficult for me to get through. I had felt some burn out in the middle of the year, but I knew a lot of it was from outside of work circumstances related to our recent move, renovating a house, and not really having the time I needed and wanted to recharge and connect to some of my passions. The end of the year was much different. I didn’t just feel burn out, I felt stuck and disconnected at times from my work. I felt like there was an overwhelming amount of pressure (not from anyone) and I wasn’t sure how to manage the stress at times or make it seem less. I was doing the thing I hated – pushing through until Summer Break. (more…)

Are You Feeling Bitter Pinterest

What is the first thing that floats through your mind when you hear “It’s time to go to work?”. Are you filled with purpose, albeit a little exhaustion, or are you filled with dread, stress and, even, bitterness?

If you used to be really excited about your career and the changes you would make in people’s lives, or the difference you could make in the world, but now you just think about how there are only 5 more days until Friday, you are starting to experience bitterness. This bitter attitude towards your work and job can start out small, but, if not recognized and managed, can be the thing that makes you dream about quitting your job and leaves you feeling unfulfilled in your life.

A few years ago, bitter was all I felt about my work. It was like I was trapped each day and living a life I wasn’t happy in and my job was the thing to blame for it. Going into the same place each day with no flexibility to my schedule, no fresh air, and no freedom left me feeling drained. I grew so bitter each day that I really didn’t find any enjoyment out of the work, even when I had colleagues who were in the same field or other professions who were stressed and overwhelmed too. I felt like maybe I was in the wrong career. No matter what, I just felt bitter and eventually quit.

After I quit, I started doing mindfulness practices and learned about self-care, coaching, meditation and more. I taught yoga and mind-body fitness classes, and blogged about eating healthy and feeling good in your body. It wasn’t until after I cam back that I realized all fo that work was simply me trying to heal my bitterness. And it was only then that I realized my bitterness was caused by burn out. (more…)

SLPs More Time Pinterest
I recently gave a lecture at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. I spoke to their Speech Therapy graduate students about how to recognize, prevent and manage burn out and stress during grad school and into their professional careers. I spoke to them about mindfulness, self-care and gratitude practices. I also spoke to them about the things that might become stressful once they start working – paperwork, caseloads and productivity. These are the top 3 things that stress out most people I have worked with and talk to. For most SLPs, these are the biggest sources of stress and the main reasons they are either wanting to quit or questioning if they are in the right field at all. Despite being pretty different and concrete things to be stressed about, when you boil it down, they all come from the same source of stress – there is not enough time in the day to finish everything you need to do. (more…)

8 Pieces of Advice PinterestRecently, I have been seeing tons of questions and posts in FB groups from brand new SLP’s, in their CFY, who are completely overwhelmed. Many of these professionals are lacking the confidence of a seasoned SLP or are just looking for a bit of reassurance on their choice of evaluation tool or therapy materials. But it’s not just because they feel new and aren’t as confident in their skills as a clinician yet. For many more, it is because they feel a lack of support, have way too much work and their caseloads are out of control.

My personal CF story is a little confusing. I had three different jobs between the time I graduated and the time I earned my CCC’s. I left one position a month before my CF was to be completed, because my supervisor had forgotten to renew her license and I was docked 3 months of my CF, plus I had to go to the board to determine my case. I had otherwise felt very supported and that my workload was good, although I often felt I wasn’t really helping anyone or doing enough for my patients. It didn’t give me enough of a challenge or push to do grow as a new SLP. (more…)