Page 37 - Tracy Anderson Magazine | Spring 2021 Issue

shut-ins, their bodies are now decompensating because Be present. Learn to meditate or do deep breathing ex-
they’re not outside and engaged in sports activities, using ercises to calm the mind. Learning a new art or craft such
their bodies as they were meant to be used. Having sports, as knitting, quilting, woodworking, painting, or playing a
dances, birthday parties, concerts, and everything else musical instrument quiets the mind and helps us stay in
they love taken away, some have even contemplated sui- the present moment and out of the fearful imagined fu-
cide. Every day I come across so many people struggling ture. French philosopher Michel de Montaigne said it best
with the emotional aspects of what we’re going through when he stated, “My life has been full of terrible misfor-
that it seems the larger consequence of it all has been to tunes, most of which never happened.”
trigger a mental health epidemic.
Journaling or free-form writing and then burning the pages
Empowering Interventions is a great way to purge fear from the mind. Spiritually,
fire has always been a powerful symbol of cleansing or
Right now we have a choice to either look at our current purification. In a similar way, I’ve had children paint their
situation from the perspective of fear or to use it to learn, worries on large pieces of construction paper that I then
grow, and come back from it better than we were before. help them put through a paper shredder, showing them
That means establishing a sense of normalcy that supports that they are more powerful than their fears. They can talk
well-being on all levels for us and our families. about their feelings during the process, which works well
for children ages 10 and under.
Turn off the TV. This is nonnegotiable, especially if you
have children. The news doesn’t give us as much infor- Limit social media. Set a time limit on social media and
mation as it does repetition that generates an increasing video games for children. Be sure they go outside, play
amount of fear. Quite often, news stories are exaggerated together, participate in a craft, or read a book during the
or later proven inaccurate as better information becomes off-time. Observe these limits yourself and be a good ex-
available. Even our misperceptions of news can lead to ample, so your children are encouraged to follow the rules.
misunderstandings that fuel our fears. Watch movies with your kids during this time, and consid-
er watching The Social Dilemma, a docudrama that exposes
It’s good to be informed, but it’s unhealthy to be inundated the damaging effects of social media.
with relentless, highly charged, fear-driven content from Engage in acts of service. Fill extra time by participating
the news media. Get your news online in short visits. Read
GROUND CONTROL but don’t watch any video content. That way you can con- in activities that bring the community together during this
trol what you’re exposed to.
difficult period. Even with the current restrictions, the non-
Button Global Movement, found a way to assemble and
Get outside. Go for a walk or hike or visit your local park profit organization my husband and I founded, the Love
Staying grounded in a crisis helps recognize its opportunities, by Dr. Sherry Sami. as often as you can. Find a place where you can breathe in disseminate 500 gratitude baskets to children in need over
the fresh air and microbiome of nature that benefits health the holiday season. See where the need is in your commu-
in many ways, including increasing endorphins and sero- nity, perhaps at a nursing home or animal shelter, and try
tonin levels. That’s why being in nature has such a calm- to meet it in a safe way. What service project could you do
I’ve always believed that health is much more than phys- herself from obsessively cleaning everything with alcohol ing effect. The documentary Call of the Forest: The Forgotten as a family?
ical well-being. To be truly healthy, our mental, emotion- wipes. Isolated from friends and family and terrified to Wisdom of Trees provides great information on the healing
al, and spiritual needs must be met, as well. If not, the leave the house for anything but absolute necessities, she power of nature. Making choices like these takes the focus off ourselves and
resulting stress will break down our physical health over was a prisoner of her own anxiety. the present fear-based culture, and places it on opportuni-
time, and it won’t last either. This is why, as a holistic Create family connection. Organize family night activ- ties to create meaningful interactions with our families and
health practitioner, I treat the whole patient, not just the I’ve seen children so contracted with fear that it’s visible ities to spend time together. Have a game night or family others during this time. When it’s all over, we will have
body. That means helping patients identify and address in their body posture. Breathing through their mouths and dance party, anything to encourage human interaction, come back from it with stronger relationships, a better
life issues that may be causing upset in their emotional on the verge of hyperventilating, I ask them to share with laughter, and physical contact. Use this time to strengthen ability to deal with stress, and a more grounded sense of
well-being and contributing to their physical problems or me what’s on their minds. The response is usually some family bonds through similar activities. being safe in the world, and I’d say that’s pretty healthy. ■
hindering their healing. version of, “I’m afraid my mom and dad are going to die
from the virus.” Reach out to neighbors. While large group meetings Dr. Sherry Sami’s practice is based on “total body wellness,” a philosophy
Emerging Anxiety may not be happening right now, make an effort to reach that recognizes the synergistic connection our emotions and thoughts play
Tweens and teenagers have become detached and de- out to other families in your neighborhood who have sim- in our physical condition. As a Columbia University graduate and dual
specialist in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics, as well as a master in
Never before in my career have I had to help so many pa- pressed because they’re isolated from their friends. Not Courtesy Dr. Sherry Sami ilar ways of taking precautions while still enjoying life, and spiritual psychology, Dr. Sami understands that learning and healing only
tients work through issues of serious emotional upset and having seen anyone in months, they play video games organize a mutual activity with them. This is particularly happen when we are seen, heard, inspired, and loved. To learn more from
anxiety as I have in the past 10 months. The desperate endlessly or hang out on Zoom or Facebook realizing that important for children and socialization. Dr. Sami, you can follow her on Instagram at @drsherrysami or listen to
mother of a patient shared with me that she couldn’t stop social media isn’t very social after all. Having become her on the goop podcast.

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