Summary: Based on Doc Snipes' upcoming book 100+ Practical Tools to Defeat Depression. Read the whole book for FREE with Amazon Kindle Unlimited CEUs are available for this presentation at https://www.allceus.com/member/cart/index/product/id/904/c/ Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes, PhD, LPC-MHSP, LMHC Executive Director, AllCEUs Counseling Education Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox, Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery Objectives ~ Discuss how all of your senses can either help you feel happier or more stressed. ~ Identify happiness triggers and ways to incorporate them into your home, car and office Connectedness ~ Your environment plays a big role in how you feel ~ A soothing environment will trigger calming physiological responses ~ A stressful environment can trigger anxiety or depression ~ If you are stressed or depressed your environment tends to end up reflecting that. ~ When you are happy and energized, your environment often reflects that as well. ~ How is your home different when you are depressed vs. when you are happy? ~ Describe a place that you walked into that had “bad energy” ~ Describe a place you walked into that had “good energy” Sights ~ Extroverts vs. Introverts ~ Sights (pictures, colors, people, things…) ~ How can you improve what you see ~ At home ~ At work ~ In the car ~ Lighting ~ Fluorescents are stressful and can trigger migraines and seizures ~ Too dim or too bright at the wrong times can mess up circadian rhythms. ~ Total room light is not necessary. Focused bright light can be very effective (especially for people with ADD) Smells: Aromatherapy ~ Smells are one of our strongest memory triggers ~ Aromatherapy uses essential oils to trigger physiological responses, but everyday items can also trigger responses ~ Activity: Identify 5 scents that bring back happy memories or feelings of calm ~ Activity: Wax tarts (What does this remind you of?) ~ Baby powder, pine trees, sugar cookies… ~ Activity: Identify 5 scents that help you feel energized and clear headed ~ Activity: Identify 10 ways to distribute fragrances (on a cloth in the sock drawer, on your pillow, in a spray bottle, lightbulb rings, wiped on ceiling fan blades etc…) Order and Organization ~ Declutter ~ 3 box method: Keep it, Give it Away, Trash ~ Hanger Turn ~ Mount Everest ~ Flat surface-itis Make a House a Home ~ Activity: Interior Design ~ Feng Shui for Dummies Cheat Sheet ~ Colors ~ Red/pink ~ Blue ~ Black ~ White ~ Yellow ~ Green ~ Brown Make a House a Home ~ Activity: What can you do to your environment to make it more pleasant? ~ Visually (colors, pictures, organization, plants, furniture placement/mirrors) ~ Smelling ~ Sounding (wind chimes, nature sounds, music, waterfall) ~ Temperature? ~ Smell? ~ Colors? ~ Décor/style? Modern? Farmhouse? English Cottage? Other? ~ Furniture? Clean lines or soft and fluffy? ~ Lighting? Summary ~ Your environment can trigger a variety of different feelings based on your prior experiences and personal preferences ~ Environments that are too noisy, bustling and chaotic can be exhausting for introverts, but environments that are too quite and subdued can make extroverts feel depleted. ~ Environments that trigger memories of happy times can help people feel less alone, more energetic and empowered
