Eating Habits
Welcome back empowered readers.

I am reaching out because I need your opinions and answers to a few questions that pertain to YOUR Eating Habits. Please follow the link below to a 5-question survey that should only take a few moments of your time. Thank You for your time

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9MJRMHQ

Cheers,

Exchiela, MA, Counsellor

DISCLOSURE: I understand that life is busy and I appreciate the time it takes for you to complete this survey. Information collected is only viewed by myself, Exchiela, and is being collected to help with my understanding and approach when working with clients as it pertains to consuming animal products or animal by-products.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate and reach out via e-mail through the link below.

Welcome back empowered readers,​

Thank you to all who entered the draw for the "Self-Love Package" at The Alice Sanctuary's opening day. The winner has been contacted and the prize has been claimed.

For this months empowered journal I wanted to discuss how counselling has helped me.

YES, you read that right, I have my OWN counsellor!

I truly believe that every person would benefit from having a counsellor or a therapist. 

Someone to help guide you through the roller coaster of life and support you in ways that will both provide you the safe space to be YOU and challenge you to GROW.

My counsellor asked me, “how has the value of counselling changed your life?”

I answered, ‘in so many amazing and wonderful ways. It has allowed me to become a better counsellor, friend, significant other and an overall more confident and inspirational person’.

I have learned so many tools and techniques that has helped me manage my emotions, stress, and transition’s in life. I’ve learned to live my absolute best life. 

Why you ask?

I’ve transformed and developed the ability to achieve the goals that I want. Break patterns and let go of people and relationships that were no longer serving my greater good, release blockages that were holding me back from my full potential and help manage inevitable stress that presents throughout life's challenges.

Having a counsellor has allowed me to step into the 4.0 version of myself and realize so many of my dreams including travelling and living in other countries. Obtaining education towards fulfilling my dream career and the confidence towards entrepreneurship. Plus, it has helped guide me in the realization of what I want in a life partner.

I view having a counsellor as a life hack. To help you towards achieving greater things at a much faster pace.

This is why I believe in counselling so deeply and I love providing emotional counselling services for my clients.

With a counsellor, you can free yourself from past and current burdens, blockages, build resiliency, and develop self-love, self-awareness and self-compassion strategies, plus many, many more benefits.

You realize that you have the power to live your BEST life!

You’ll develop tools and strategies and recognize skills that you already possess to navigate through challenges with people in your life. This includes people like your boss, spouse, friends, loved ones or children.

The more support you receive from a counsellor, the more equipped you are to take on life and the easier it is to turn your visions into realities by setting goals.

If you want to experience the same benefits that I have from seeking support from a counsellor, please do not hesitate and reach out today.

To your empowered wellness,

Exchiela

.Welcome back empowered readers,

For this weeks empowered journal I wanted to discuss the concept of stress and how one can OWN their stress. After reflecting on a pamphlet at a physician’s office, it stated that if someone is experiencing high blood pressure one should make steps to eliminating or lessening the amount of stress in one’s life. Although I agree with that piece of advice up to a point, I couldn’t help but reflect on the fact that wouldn’t the more beneficial way to help cope with stress is to…

Change how one reacts to stress?

The fact of the matter is, is that stress is inevitable and that not all stress can be avoided, eliminated or lessened. Stress forms and manifests in many different ways and areas throughout life. There is “good” stress that can motivate you by propelling you forward and helps you to achieve goals, for example, by pursuing further education. These are generally relatively short bouts of stress and provide motivation to help get something done or to help overcome an obstacle. There are also other forms of stress that can present, for example, through one’s environment. This can be experienced through surviving a natural disaster, like a hurricane or earthquake. Stress is key for survival, but too much stress can be detrimental. Then there is “bad” stress, this type of stress can stay around for weeks or months and can weaken the immune system and cause such health effects like high blood pressure, fatigue, depression, anxiety and even heart disease.

So, this leads to the question…. “How can I change how I react to stress?”

Ways to OWN Your Stress

1. Be Optimistic Adopting an optimistic attitude can help you respond to stress in a confident manner. Stress tends to arise when you feel that you no longer can cope with the challenges which you face. Optimism helps you regain your sense of control, which in turn helps you ease and eliminate stress. For example, through adopting an optimistic attitude, this will help you realize that you do not have to have all the answers.
2. Take a Break Taking a break from what is causing stress for you may not make sense in that moment, but giving yourself permission to step away from the stressor can help you develop a new perspective or to practice techniques that can help you feel less overwhelmed. Even just a 20-minute break can give you immediate relief that can last hours. This can include going for a walk or practicing deep breathing.
3. Have a Support Network Reach out to someone you trust. When you share your feelings or concerns with another person, it can help relieve stress. More specifically, sharing your feelings with someone who understands and can validate your feelings versus someone what causes you stress is more beneficial.
4. Break the Pattern Learning to recognize the signals within your body when you are experiencing stress can help you respond to stress in a more productive and healthier manner. These signals can include feeling tension in your shoulders or developing sweaty palms. Gaining insight into recognizing your bodies response to stress can help you to choose a more productive response to stress can help you feel more in control of the situation and can help cause the stress to disappear.

​Are you experiencing physical, psychological and emotional impacts of stress on your well-being? Seeking support from a counsellor can help you cope with such life issues as work-related stress, bereavement, an upsetting physical health condition or a difficult life event. Reach out today.
 
To your empowered wellness,
​
Exchiela Benusic, MA

Welcome back empowered readers,

For this weeks empowered journal I wanted to discuss self-love tips for those in the helping profession, those who volunteer as helpers, and caregivers.

Empathy is the tool that helpers, healers and caregivers must use to establish a healing relationship. Over time, working in continuously emotionally charged situations, this empathy can become overtaxed and exhausted, even when the helper is diligently maintaining self-care skills.

​Burnout, secondary/vicarious traumatization and compassion fatigue affect most helpers at some point in their professional cycle and are challenged to reach out for help. This is a very difficult position as one may feel fear of judgment, ridicule, difficulty trusting other professionals, and fear of exposing ourselves. This can prevent us from reaching out for the help we need.

Some self-care tips include:

Connection & Support
Feeling supported, heard and cared about by your colleagues is a crucial skill to maintain resiliency and combat burnout and compassion fatigue. Meet with other professionals to reduce the feelings of isolation. For example, within my own professional network I have created a support group for other helping professionals where we meet every 6-8 weeks. This has helped normalize my own experiences while providing support to others.

This can also include accessing your own personal support group, like friends and family, to help you feel connected.

Revitalization
There are a number of ways that we can re-fuel and revitalize by utilizing self-care. For some, it can include more physical components while for others it is more refined. It is our responsibility to learn and regularly practice what works for us to sustain our energy, buoyancy and hope.

Some examples that work well for most people and represent the essential components of good self-care include:

Regular Exercise * Healthy Diet * Good Sleep Hygiene * Regular Social Activities * Spiritual Practices * Creative Activities or Hobbies * Professional Enrichment

If you are currently feeling impacted by the work that you do, the good news is that burnout and compassion fatigue is very responsive to treatment. When we, the helper or healer, take the crucial first step of reaching out to ask for help, we are well on our way to recovery. Treatment programs offered through Empowered Wellness & Solutions include the Accelerated Recovery Program and the balanced YOU program. 

If you would like to learn more about our programs, please click the button below.
​
To your empowered wellness,
Exchiela Benusic, MA

Welcome back empowered readers,

For this weeks empowered journal I wanted to discuss stress and the workplace. Stress should really be termed the disease of the 21st century. If left untreated, stress can manifest in physical symptoms that can include high blood pressure, heart disease, or even heart attacks. Stress can also be described as a “silent stalker”, with employees and managers wary to speak its name. But it is this exact environment that stress thrives on. Because when one adapts to stressors, instead of resolving stress, this can lead to chronic stress and very high costs for the company and individual.

Every organization can prevent the effects of workplace stress by spotting the signs of stress and knowing when it’s time for a stress management program. Despite the nature of stress, there are many signs that can tip off the problem. Here are examples of key indicators:

Absenteeism and High Turn Over
Health problems that can be set off by chronic stress include a suppression of the immune system, tissue repair system, and digestion, which multiply with sick days and absenteeism. If employees know how to manage stress, and management understands what fuels it, absenteeism is no longer the only coping option. And when employees feel there’s no possibility of stressors changing, they may decide to just quit. If your company, or the company you are employed with, are seeing more people heading for the exit sign, look closely, and stress may be the driving force.

Burnout
Burnout is a red flag for stress, the terminal fatigue and cynicism that comes with experiencing burnout includes a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion that is caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. Burnout is perceived when an individual’s demands outweigh resources.

Reduced Efficiency and Production
When individuals are experiencing burnout, rumination on stressors can distract employees from attention on tasks at hand and future planning. Chronic stress can zap physical vitality as stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline deplete the body’s energetic resources. It is not working harder and longer that pick up productivity, but working smarter. This can include taking breaks, developing proper self-care strategies and investing in the wellness of your employees.

If you would like to learn more about our workplace wellness programs, click the button below.

To your empowered wellness,
Exchiela Benusic, MA

Welcome back empowered readers,

For this weeks empowered journal I wanted to discuss wellness and spirituality. Health and wellness is much more than merely exercising, eating healthy and being physically fit. Your overall holistic wellness incorporates interconnected components that include…

• Emotional Wellness – coping effectively with life and creating satisfying relationships
• Physical Wellness – eating healthy foods, getting enough sleep and being physically fit
• Intellectual Wellness – encouraging creative and stimulating mental activities by expanding knowledge and skills
• Social Wellness – creating a support network through friends and family, or contributing to your community
• Environmental Wellness – maximizing harmony with the earth and minimizing harm to the environment
• Financial Wellness – satisfaction with current and future financial situations
• Occupational Wellness – personal satisfaction and enrichment from one’s work
• Spiritual Wellness – expanding a sense of purpose and meaning in life

This past weekend I got to experience a much needed connection and deepening with my own spiritual wellness…..nature. Spirituality to me is connecting with nature, as this connection helps to revive and re-center myself. But it wasn’t until I was out of the city and in the country side that I realized my own need for re-connection.

• What does spirituality mean to you? Is it practicing a prayer, meditation, or being involved in a community?
• What part of YOU needs more connection? Is it with your emotions, body or your spirit?
• What would bring you the most joy and well-being? Finding more balance? Connecting with your community, family?

We can get so distracted with our everyday lives that we don’t even realize our need to connect with ourselves, our thoughts, emotions and needs. Although it is easy to forget, put it off or feel like it is enough, recognizing our own needs at any given time is self-care.

If you are feeling the need to reflect, re-connect and re-gain balance in your life, then reach out to me as I offer a program called “a Balanced YOU” starting at $89 with a commitment of only four-1 hour sessions.

Book Today: https://empoweredwellnessliving.as.me/
 
To your empowered wellness,
Exchiela Benusic, MA

Welcome back empowered readers,

​This week I want to take the opportunity and get a sneak-peak into what self-care looks like for YOU. This is because each individual self-care plan is unique. So, how do you view self-care? What do you do to maintain wellness?

Please take a few moments to complete the attached survey, the results will only be viewed by myself. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out. 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZCKBJ7W

To your empowered living,

Exchiela, MA

Welcome back empowered readers,

For this weeks empowered journal I wanted to discuss and remind my readers about the importance of self-love. Today I was reminded of how easy it is to slip on self-care. Waking up with a head cold, I have been using the day to self-reflect on how easy it is to preach self-care, but also on how easy it is to fall-out of our much needed self-care practices. Even when we have the best intentions.

What is Self-Care?
Self-care means asking yourself what it is that you need at any given time and then following through on that honest answer. Self-care is an act of self-love and can range from taking a bubble bath to saying “no” when you are needing a break.

Why is it so hard to consistently engage in self-care?
We all experience stress, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Even when things in life are not going as planned and things can’t seemingly get worse, something can happen again to add additional stress and frustration. It is specifically at these times we need to make our self-care practices a priority, but learning to press the pause button seems to be the last thing on our minds.

But what can I do during these times of over-whelming stress and exhaustion?
Learn to say “I Need Help”.

Being able to identify the need for support and being vulnerable is a BIG STEP, especially in our society. Being vulnerable can be seen as a weakness, but is a place where we can meet ourselves with self-compassion instead.

3-Tips for Self-Love

1. Name It: Identify your feelings and finding the strength to share those feelings will help. Giving names to your feelings and emotions is a remarkable and effective method for making them less intense. (Check out http://www.feelingswheel.com for a copy of a “Feelings Wheel” to help you identify how you are feeling at any given time).
2. Pre-Asking: Asking for help or space before you actually need it is helpful. It is the accumulation of stressors that haven’t been addressed that pile up on-top of each other, and then the next thing you know, BOOM! Full-blown stress break down and you are burning out and running on empty, or even worse…. You have gotten sick. Identifying and pre-asking for help invites someone to accept your request for help/space/time before you actually ask for it.
3. Kindness: Yes, there are people in our society who enjoy helping others, or are willing to recognize your need for space when you need it. Community is a very important part of self-care that is not given enough credit for. Pitching in and doing good for others not only helps others when they are in need, but is also a vital and important piece of self-love.

To your empowered living,

Exchiela, MA

​Providing support for:

• Mind-Body Wellness
• Self-Compassion
• Burnout
• Work/Life Balance
• Stress Management

Commitment of only four-1 hour sessions @ $89/session

Welcome back empowered readers,

For this weeks empowered journal I wanted to discuss the notion of burnout in the workplace. Workplace burnout is a special type of work-related stress. By definition, “burnout is a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity”. Burnout is not technically a diagnosis, but research suggests that many people who experience job burnout don’t believe that their jobs are the main cause. Yet many people report suffering from over-exertion and exhaustion as it relates to their workplace.

What Does Burnout Look Like?
Burnout does not always appear as painful despair. But signs of burnout can include feeling cynical about the way your life is going, the feeling that nothing you do matters, having a sense of hopelessness, and can mimic symptoms of depression.

Things that one might say include:

• “I am exhausted, I never seem to get enough sleep”
• “No matter how hard I work, I can’t seem to catch up”
• “Am I working for the right company?”

Symptoms include asking yourself:

• Have you become cynical or critical at work?
• Do you drag yourself to work and have issues getting started with your day?
• Do you become irritable or impatient with co-workers, clients, customers, friends and/or family?
• Are you using food, drugs or alcohol to cope?
• Do you suffer from unexplained headaches, stomach or other physical complaints?

It is also very important to note that to begin the process of healing, one has to recognize the signs your body and mind give you once you are at the edge.

Burnout is not the same as having a bad day at work. But rather it is like having an unending sequence of bad days at work.

What causes burnout?

• Values Conflict: What are your own core values? If there is a values conflict between you, your boss, your employer or company, this could directly be linked to the burnout you are experiencing.
• Lack of Control: Having little to no autonomy at your job can lead to burnout. Having people not care about your input, your efforts, or when you try and help out can be linked to burnout. This can include having your sense of control undermined or restricted by a “micromanager”.
• Workload: Your workload can be too much to handle. This can include having to many unrealistic deadlines to meet, your work is too complicated, or it is just impossible to do it alone.
• Unfairness: The company or organization that you work for treats you unfairly. Maybe your manager plays favorites, or your requests/complaints are ignored.
• Breakdown of Community: You feel unsafe, paranoid or afraid to be your “best” self in your workplace. You suspect colleagues talking behind your back, and that you have no one to confide in to talk to about the conflicts and stresses that you are dealing with.
• Demands vs. Resources: You feel that the demands placed onto you are more than your available resources for support and help.

The hardest part of coping with burnout is that one can feel shame. We can put on a mask for the world, but internally we are feeling isolated and exhausted.

Burnout will never go away on its own. The more you ignore burnout, the greater the risks in the future. Healing from burnout can take weeks, months or even years.

If you feel that you are experiencing burnout there is help. Reach out today and begin your healing journey.

Now offering:

        A Balanced YOU Program

 Starting at only $89

 Providing support for:

• Mind-Body Wellness
• Self-Compassion
• Burnout
• Work/Life Balance
• Stress Management

Commitment of only four-1 hour sessions @ $89/session

Book Today: https://empoweredwellnessliving.as.me/