Peace and Wellness - the gift that heals - Small Business Saturday

While I am not a big fan of manufactured holidays, Small Business Saturday, this Saturday, November 30, created by American Express, is a great way to support small businesses.  They are offering "eligible" cardholders the opportunity to get $10 back when you spend $10 or more with your eligible card.

I own a small business, Hypnosis for Health, through which I practice both hypnotherapy and psychotherapy.  I love what I do, and decided to have my own Small Business Saturday opportunity, and extend it through the end of December. 

Now through the end of December, you may purchase for yourself or as a gift certificate, an introductory session for relaxation, peace and meditation instruction for $75 for a 45 minute session.  I have been an hypnotherapist and instructor of meditation and mindfulness based practice since 1995, and look forward to the opportunity to spread some peace and wellness.  My normal session charge is $180, so this is a substantial savings, and an opportunity to give a gift  that heals to yourself or someone you love.  This session can be conducted face to face in my HoHoKus, NJ office, via Skype or Zoom, or over the phone.

The certificates themselves are good through next June 30, 2014.

I became certified as a hypnotherapist almost 20 years ago, after seeking out peace and well being for myself, back in the early '90s.  I was so profoundly moved by the work and my progress as an individual, that I decided to study, open my own practice and let others experience the same level of lightness and discovery.  In 2008, after many years of additional education and training, I became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Psychotherapist, to complement my existing practice.  The past 20 years have been a great joy to assist others in their journeys of wellness. 

The certificate can be sent to you electronically, at no additional charge, or wrapped and mailed to you for an additional $3.00, or may be expedited for an additional charge in time for holiday gift giving.  Please contact me directly at mbdelbalzo@gmail.com. 

Winter Solstice Celebration in HoHoKus NJ on December 21

Winter Solstice Celebration

Saturday, December 21 from 2-4pm

at Mary Beth Del Balzo’s office,
18 Sycamore Ave, 2^nd Floor, HoHoKus, NJ  07423

For many, the Winter Solstice is a time of rebirth, positive change, and the setting of good intentions for ourselves, our loved ones, all others on the Earth and beyond.  

Please join Mary Beth Del Balzo, Paul Lamb and Sharon Rothman as we welcome Winter in transformation and celebration!

2013 is a year of karmic activation, when ‘old stuff ‘rises more easily to the surface to be cleansed. As we gather together at the end of the old cycle and the beginning of the new, we will gently ease through transition in ourselves and know that together we are creating an amazing opportunity of connection and dreaming the new world for all of humanity and for all the Earth.  This is not a religion-based celebration, and is intended to bolster our spirits and come together in celebration of the changing of seasons and our connectedness to each other.

No fee will be charged but you may bring a goodwill offering that we will donate to Table To Table, a community-based food rescue program that collects prepared and perishable food that would otherwise be wasted and delivers it to organizations that serve the hungry in Bergen, Hudson, Essex and Passaic counties.

For questions, contact Mary Beth at mbdelbalzo@gmail.com.  You may register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/winter-solstice-celebration-december-21-tickets-9490567543

Mary Beth Del Balzo, CHt, LCSW, Psychotherapist and Hypnotherapist, helps people seek and find the joy that eludes them, helping to empower individuals through talk therapy and integrated holistic modalities.

Paul Lamb- Energy Medicine Practitioner, NJ licensed Massage Therapist, Certified instructor of Tai Chi and Qigong, Reiki Master.

Sharon Rothman is a certified Feng Shui consultant and 9-Star Ki astrologer, much sought after for the remarkable results she achieves for both residential and commercial clients.

 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/winter-solstice-celebration-december-21-tickets-9490567543

 

Turn over a new leaf – make friends with yourself!

from PinWords and crookedstripes.wordpress.com

Recently, and, actually, quite often, my clients come wanting to improve relationships with others. Good relationships often elude us. With many of us, it is often apparent that the relationship most in need of mending was relationship with self. How do we make friends with ourselves?  Also, why bother?

The Untouchables

There are often people in your life who I call untouchables, meaning people with whom you forgive all and almost always employ understanding.  The upside to this type of behavior is that you already know how to forgive, to let go. Try pretending that you are one of those people. After a while, if something is for your benefit, the result could very well be lasting.   The downside of this behavior is that we sometimes stuff down feelings rather than feeling them, coming to terms with them and then letting go.  You will know which you are doing by your feelings. If you feel good, you have let go.  If you do not feel good, you are probably stuffing.

Let go – it’s a good idea 

Why is letting go a good idea?  Sometimes we are conditioned to want retribution, or understanding, love, compassion or an apology. You might never receive these from some others. They just might not be capable, or, they don't understand that they have wronged you.  More good news - you are capable of understanding, of forgiving and loving yourself. You know how you feel. Practice compassion.  Begin with yourself.

Why Bother?

What happens when we do not let go?  It gets stuck – stuck in our heads, stuck in our hearts and feelings, and ultimately, stuck in our bodies.  By letting go, we allow ourselves to also let go of the feelings and symptoms that result when we hold on.  Our bodies get loud when we hang on by manifesting symptoms that can build up over time.  By letting go we give ourselves a chance to heal.

Just say it - I love myself

Try saying this short phrase: "even though I (whatever is upsetting you about yourself), I completely forgive and unconditionally love myself at this moment in time".   If you want to, you can put your hands over your heart as you say it, or even hug yourself.

The answer is yes

You don't need to sustain the feeling - just say it. At first it may be foreign or feel like a lie, but keep it up every day for 21 days. Many studies say that it takes about three weeks to break a habit and start a new habit.  Maybe it will take you a bit longer, but hang in there.    Won't it be worth it?  Just in case you are not sure, the answer is yes!

Thank you from The Jeanne Team

From Making Strides Central Park Walk Oct 20, 2013

We raised $2670 thanks to everyone who made a donation.  Thank you so much!! 

If you missed out, it is not too late to make a donation! 

Love to you all from Jess, Catie, Karen, Julia and Mary Beth.

Crosspost from Huffington Post - 14 Signs your Perfectionism Has Gotten Out of Control

How many of us suffer (and I use that word deliberately) with perfectionism?  What do I mean by suffer?  Being a perfectionist can be a useful tool, right?  Well, yes...but what is the price?  I am sharing an excerpt of the article here, but you can click to get the entire piece on the Huffington Post site.  A colleague of mine shared this piece - definitely worth reading!

By Carolyn Gregoire (excerpt from the original piece)

Here are 14 signs that perfectionism could actually be holding you back -- and simple ways to start letting go.

1. You've always been eager to please.

2. You know your drive to perfection is hurting you, but you consider it the price you pay for success.

3. You're a big procrastinator.

4. You're highly critical of others.

5. You go big or go home.

6. You have a hard time opening up to other people.

7. You know there's no use crying over spilt milk... but you do anyway.

8. You take everything personally.

9. ... And you get really defensive when criticized.

10. You're never quite "there yet."

11. The image below makes you nervous.

12. You take pleasure in someone else’s failure, even though it has nothing to do with you.

13. You get secretly nostalgic for your school days.

14. You have a guilty soul.

In Brene Brown’s conversation with Oprah, she discusses how to overcome perfectionism.   Brown's remedy? Try practicing authenticity. Let others see you, exactly as you are, and let go of the protecting shield of perfectionism in order to express vulnerability.

"Authenticity is a practice and you choose it every day," she says, "sometimes every hour of every day."

The Holidays are Upon Us - Let's Enjoy Them Mindfully

Long before mindfulness was popularized by John Kabat-Zinn, Herbert Benson & Thich Nhat Hanh and a slew of other philosophers, we had John Steinbeck. In his seminal book Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck stated; “the best laid plans of mice and men to go awry”. Maybe John Lennon said it in a more approachable way for our present culture; “life is what happens when we are busy making other plans”. As we enter this beautiful holiday season, I am trying to be mindful enough to treasure the moments in between the plans.

I recently hosted international visitors for ten days. As they rarely get to visit the New York area, we have been experiencing many activities and events that I would not normally have time for.  After a particularly long, fun day, we had just finished a late supper at home.  As we sat down for a cup of tea after the kitchen was clean, one of my friends looked outside and noticed that my dog, Satch was rubbing his face on the back porch floor boards. As we puzzled about what he could be trying to accomplish, I opened the door and let him in.  The reason hit my nostrils like a ton of bricks.  Satch had been skunked.

complements of SkunkOdor.net

So many thoughts and emotions flooded me. I know some of you have been there.  I did not want to end my Sunday night giving my really smelly dog a bath at 11:30pm when I was tired.  But as some of us know, when your dog gets sprayed by a skunk, there really is no choice. Life is happening.  My husband and I grabbed the tomato soup, took him upstairs, put him in the tub, and started scrubbing.  We ended up having some unexpected laughs as we turned our white doggie red.  For additional tips on removing skunk odor, click here. 

And this is the gift we were given in those moments.  We are learning to treasure each moment while we are living it.  

This year, some of us have experienced great joy, shocking news or tough times.  Some of us have experienced tragedy and loss.  There have been professional and personal challenges.  Some are within our control to change and others are outside our locus of control.  For some of us this was just another year.

A dear friend of mine passed away in August.  His daughter read the poem The Dash, by Linda Ellis, to commemorate her father’s life.  It is sweet and I encourage you to read it too.  Here is the link to The Dash.  It is another take on savoring each moment and enjoying life and those around you.

http://www.linda-ellis.com/the-dash-the-dash-poem-by-linda-ellis-.html

Just as we do with our students, our children and our animals, I was able to see my world through the eyes of my visitors and found it interesting and new.  May the coming holidays be ones of great joy for you and yours, and may you find something fascinating in the everyday.  May you feel camaraderie and take comfort and support from those around you.  May your challenges bring unexpected opportunities, and as your best laid plans go awry, may you find that your life is joyous, unexpected and new.