Supporting Yourself This Season: Finding Rooted Resilience

By Yulia Goff, MSW, CSW

Recently I came across a meme that rang all too true to the whirlwind of fall: “Now that 4th of July is here and gone, it's time to buy school supplies, get Halloween costumes, plan Thanksgiving & buy Christmas presents. It's basically 2026, Happy New Year y'all.” Somewhere between the excitement about cooler fall weather and the upcoming exuberance of the holidays, there is also a bit of apprehension about the scheduling pressures and anxiety about fitting in all the activities that come with the change of seasons. Certainly, there is a desire to be grounded, rooted, and joyfully present in these moments.

Intentional Self-Care 

Holiday blues is a real phenomenon with complex causes, but investing in your self-care now is one way to get ahead of this drawback to the holiday season. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the old adage goes. We also can better understand ourselves, knowing our limits along with our strengths during this change in season, so we feel more prepared for what is ahead.

Our preferred self-care methods can vary from person to person and from one season of our life to the next. However, most of us know that physical movement is a powerful antidote to stress. With fall around the corner, our area offers a plethora of hikes and nature walks that combine the benefits of being outside and physical movement. Weightlifting, running, walking, and yoga are popular and effective self-care activities that improve our physical and mental wellbeing. At the same time, some other approaches are highly effective but less known. 

The Value of Somatic Movement

Gentle somatic movement, for instance, is still somewhat overlooked when it comes to ways to support our overall wellness – despite its proven physical and mental health benefits. Activities like Tai-Chi and Qigong have been found to be highly effective in helping people reduce anxiety and depression symptoms and improve psychological wellbeing. Focusing on the breath is an essential component of these practices, and according to Dr. Andrew Huberman, “intentionally controlling your breathing can help manage stress and improve mood, enhance exercise recovery and benefit sleep quality and immune function.”

This fall, Resilient Life Counseling & Wellness is pleased to present a Qigong experience for participants to reconnect with their bodies, release tension, and build inner strength through somatic movement. This hour-long small class will take place on Saturday morning, October 25th, at 11:00 am, and you can find out more here. It will be led by experienced Qigong practitioner and instructor, Aleena Hill. With seven years of Qigong practice, Aleena integrates gentle movement with embodied wisdom to foster emotional, mental and physical resilience. 

Whether you join us for Qigong at our clinic with Aleena this fall, or decide to move mindfully in other ways, I hope that you prioritize your wellness this season and remember that there truly are healing movement options for every body! 

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