Our very own Dr Johanna Lynch has had a chapter included in a new mental health textbook launched this month, entitled Humanising Mental Health in Australia: a guide to trauma-informed approaches. Her chapter, co-authored with eminent Norwegian GP researcher Anna Luise Kirkengen, is entitled Biology and Experience Intertwined: trauma, neglect and the physical body. We asked her for a sneak preview of … Read More
How to Respond to FEAR By Shannon Moule, Clinical Psychologist
Let’s start by leaning into this emotion, to help you understand it a bit better….. What is FEAR? FEAR is a normal and natural feeling we have to address threat in our environment. FEAR helps us automatically organise a response to that threat. FEAR motivates us to survive It helps us attend to the threat and it directs our thinking … Read More
Let’s Talk About Loneliness, Part 2, By Shannon Moule, Clinical Psychologist
Welcome back to my series on LONELINESS. Part 2: Why do we end up feeling lonely? Let’s now look at turning towards LONELINESS. For those of you who read part 1 of this series, you would have hopefully read my blog “How’s your relationship with your emotions?” If not, I want you to go back now and read this article … Read More
Let’s Talk About Loneliness Part 1, By Shannon Moule, Clinical Psychologist
Over the course of the next few weeks I will release a three part series on LONELINESS. It was too big of a topic to fit in one, so bare with me as we explore this topic together. Part 1: What is LONELINESS and the effects of LONELINESS on health? Part 2: Why do we end up feeling lonely? Part … Read More
R U OK? Day 13 September 2018 by Shannon Moule (Clinical Psychologist)
In 2016, 2,866 people died from suicide in Australia (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2017). It’s estimated that every day we lose 8 Australians to suicide and 30 people attempt to end their lives everyday (Lifeline, 2018). Rates of suicide are generally three times higher for males, rural and regional dwellers, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (Mindframe National Media … Read More
Welcoming Naturopath, Carine Pieterse to our Zesty team
A warm welcome to Carine Pieterse, Naturopath / Clinical Nutritionist who will be joining the Zest Infusion team in June / July. Carine welcomes appointments on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Q. Tell us about yourself I am a passionate Natural Health professional with 17 years of clinical experience. As a qualified Naturopath, I have a special interest in providing holistic, natural care … Read More
10 ways to improve your heart health
This week is Heart Week and the focus this year is on the benefits of physical activity on heart health. The Heart Foundation has a wealth of information on their website at www.heartfoundation.org.au/campaigns/heartweek. Changing your food intake can also help improve your heart health and reduce your risk of heart disease. Here are my top 10 ways that you … Read More
Compassion Focused Therapy Explained – by Shannon Moule, Clinical Psychologist
The Dalai Lama often stresses that if you want others to be happy – focus on compassion; if you want to be happy yourself – focus on compassion (Dalai Lama 1995, 2001) Around the same time last year I wrote an article on a therapeutic approach called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). In that article I focused on explaining … Read More
Art and music therapy are fun, creative ways to help your recovery – written by Michelle Peterson from Recovery Pride
Michelle Peterson, who has been in recovery for several years, has approached us at Zest Infusion to help spread the word about how art therapy can help people suffering from addiction in their recovery process. Michelle has started her own website RecoveryPride.org to help eliminate the stigma placed on those who struggle with addiction. Her site emphasizes that the journey to sobriety should … Read More
How’s your relationship with your emotions?
You may be thinking….this is a strange question to be asked; why would you be asking me this? I am hoping, by the time you finish reading this article, you will be thinking this isn’t so strange and it totally makes sense! Let’s take a look at your current relationship with your emotions by answering the following questions (please take … Read More