What’s in my Toolkit?
It takes time, dedication, and attention to emotional well-being to move towards healing, and I am often asked which resources or apps I would recommend to support this process. Although there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution, I often recommend the following resources that my clients have found helpful. A mind-body approach is key to feeling well – therefore, in this list you will find ways to connect to your body, relax, and regulate your emotions.
These can be wonderful tools to look after your emotional well-being, no matter where you are on your journey – this is especially important for those on a waitlist, or who are finding it hard to access psychological practitioners. They can also be used alongside therapy to complement the one-to-one work and integrate psychological understanding.
8 Keys to Safe Trauma Recovery – Babette Rothschild
I find this book easy to read and helpful for understanding and recovering from trauma, whether for personal or professional use.
Trauma and Recovery – Judith Herman
I recommend this book for academics and people who want to dig deeper into theory. It offers insight to better understand trauma survivors and how psychological theory has evolved. This is an especially important read for those in clinical practice.
Mindfulness apps
Although not for everyone, I have witnessed the benefits of mindfulness (present moment awareness) in emotional well-being. For this reason, I have trained as a mindfulness practitioner. These practices offer a greater awareness and recognition of what is happening inside us, leading to more helpful and active choices that serve us better. I always recommend that people trust themselves and their bodies and, if unsure, that they consult professionals who know them well. If you are curious and would like to look into mindfulness more, you may find apps such as Headspace and Calm are good first steps to cultivating mindful awareness.
Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World – Mark Williams & Danny Penman
For those who want to delve a little deeper, I recommend this self-guided book to practise mindfulness techniques. it is easily available on Amazon. It is also available as an app, Mindfulness: Finding Peace, on the App Store and Google Play Store. The first week of the course is available for free, and the rest is available as an in-app purchase.
Oxford Mindfulness Foundation Online Training Courses
Perhaps after exploring these options, you are looking to invest more time and commitment to learning and practising mindfulness. The Oxford Mindfulness Foundation (OMF) offers a variety of courses at introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels. One option is the 8-week Mindfulness for Life Course, which I am currently trained to teach – if you are interested in joining one of my courses, do get in contact with me at saira@mendality.com.
The Compassionate Mind Foundation & Prof. Paul Gilbert
I often draw from the work of Professor Paul Gilbert and the Compassionate Mind Foundation to explore our relationship with others and ourselves. His books explain our evolutionarily based emotional systems and the importance of compassion in response to threats. In particular, I recommend Living Like Crazy and Mindful Compassion.
Yoga Nidra
For those who are drawn to yoga, Yoga Nidra is another form of meditation that induces a deeply relaxed state that is between sleep and wakefulness. It has many benefits and is effective in supporting people with their stress, emotions, and cognition. For more information, I recommend the book Yoga Nidra by Dr. Richard Miller.
HeartMath
Lastly, I would recommend HeartMath, and their app that measures heart rate variability (HRV) – the difference in time between heartbeats. Higher HRV is characterized by smoother, regular changes in heart rate, associated with better emotional regulation, decision-making and attention. When we are stressed, this regularity is lost. HeartMath devices and apps are expensive but can help improve HRV and therefore, our internal regulated state.
