Hi and welcome to my website.
My mission here is to be a resource for wellness information, physically, psychologically and spiritually. My concern is for both the individual, the general public, and the planet. I believe that individual wellness makes for a better functioning society, and a better functioning society is better able to care for the planet. Individual health choices affect one's health both short term and long term. Much of health care costs are for conditions that are largely preventable through healthy diet, exercise and other health habits. (See my Ten Rules pages for more on this).
Disclaimer: Nothing on this website should be taken as medical advice. Consult with your primary care physican if you want to make any major changes to your lifestyle, exercise or dietary habits. Also, feel free to give me feedback. I cannot engage in ongoing communication with individuals here nor provide any form of treatment through this site. If you need added support implementing any of these suggestions or feel that your mental health interferes with your ability to work toward your goals, schedule an appointment with your choice of mental health counselors, including me if you choose :-)
I founded Renaissance in the hopes of becoming the go-to place for overall wellness. Many of these inflammatory illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, to name a few, are influenced or even triggered by stress-related mental health disorders. Depression and anxiety take a huge toll on one's health and can contribute to premature aging. The combination of mental distress and physical symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia and sugar cravings are all interrelated and create a cycle that can be difficult to break. My Ten Rules provides strategies for breaking this cycle. I believe that depression is a multi-faceted illness and not just "all in your head." There are physiological reasons for depression. Illness and injury produce white blood cell components that can trigger an episode of depressed mood. This in turn can make the individual prone to negative thoughts and rumination. Distressing thoughts trigger the production of stress hormones, which go directly back to triggering inflammation and the cycle continues.
Much of our psychological distress comes from cumulative experiences. Early childhood loss and trauma make an individual prone to depression in adulthood. Much of these early experiences become a sort of subliminal script running through our heads. When we encounter an experience that matches the theme of these early experiences it can trigger an episode of rumination or persistent negative mood, and the cycle can begin this way.
My Ten Rules provides a framework for balancing your life so that you can implement good health habits and build your resistence to depression and anxiety and related disorders, or be better able to heal from traumatic experiences. If you have any health concerns that make any suggested activities questionable, consult with your Primary Care Physician (PCP) before starting. But I believe there are ways of implementing any of these suggestions that can accomodate anyone's special needs. No two individuals are alike, so not all the information presented here is going to fit everybody. But have fun with it. Use these suggestions to add interest, variety and added meaning to your life.
In the coming months I'll be working on several projects. First is the completion of the few remaining undeveloped pages on this site. Also in the works is a series of workshops for the general public and ceu courses for licensed professionals in the helping professions. I'll be developing the page for information on these also.
So I hope you visit again and often. And enjoy your journey!
Monica