The Lifeworks Group, Inc.

By: Megan Brewer, LMHC The first time I had surgery, I was well into my thirties. It wasn’t major—just removing a small abnormality inside my leg. The surgeon told me to expect 1–2 days to heal; then I could walk on it. He also said most people returned to work shortly thereafter. This was good news, because I didn’t want to spend any more time than was absolutely necessary away from my regularly scheduled week. Being kind to my body and giving it time and space to heal is something I have regularly wrestled to do. So, you can imagine my surprise and disappointment when after 1–2 days I still needed my sweet husband’s help to get around the house. I eventually borrowed crutches in order to move about without pain. Two weeks after the surgery, I was still unable to walk without pain and sat in my physical therapist’s office feeling frustrated—like my body had failed me somehow. She too was surprised to see my leg so swollen and so unusable, which helped me to feel a little more va...

By: Dwight Bain, LMHC, NCC Worry, everyone does it, from 5-year-olds to those in their 50’s. Even though it’s common everyone also understands worry is not productive. We worry about things we can’t control. Crime in big cities. Global warming. What mean people will say about a Facebook post, or worse how someone might judge an Instagram family photo when your hair just would not cooperate. Worry doesn’t make health better, in fact, it can make it worse. For some it’s a stress headache, others it’s terrible gastrointestinal pain. Stress and worry drain energy and have no benefit to physical or mental health. Is there a better way? I believe there is a single word to solve this dilemma and recapture the lost energy, health problems and sleep loss that comes from chronic worry. The word is Care. Moms tell their kids to be careful at school but that doesn’t stop the bullies from saying mean things. People talk about being careful on the roads traveling, but saying...

By: Nancy Tikunoff, IMH We’ve all seen them - at the doctor’s office, at the grocery store, crossing the street... They may have been pushing a wheelchair, feeding an Alzheimer’s patient who had forgotten to eat or holding the hand of a differently abled person while crossing the street. These everyday examples that cross our paths are people giving care to others in a physical, tangible way and are classified “caregivers”. They may be the last ones to eat and five minutes of quiet alone to prop up their feet may feel live a slice of heaven. They have accepted and committed to a daunting task – taking care of the physical, oftentimes emotional and additional needs of someone they love or care about. It can be a thankless job and requires sacrifices of things they would rather be doing or money they would like to have to spend elsewhere or time spent on hobbies or other interests. No wonder November has been designated as a month to recognize these awesome people and THEIR nee...