It's the last Wednesday in Suicide Awareness Month, and this week we are delighted to welcome Missy Stolfi. Missy is the Area Director of the Capital Region NY Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Coming up this weekend is the 21st annual Walk for R.I.T.A. in Saratoga Springs, NY. The walk is a significant fundraiser for our local AFSP chapter, and it's one with a fascinating origin story. Missy shares with us how this unique walk originated, and what makes it different from other AFSP walks.

The Capital Region NY chapter of AFSP serves 15 counties in upstate NY. AFSP is truly a grassroots organization focused on eliminating suicide through prevention programs, public education about warning signs and risks, raising funds for research and programs, and reaching out to meet the needs of those who have lost someone to suicide. Much like us here on Pieces to Wellness, Missy and AFSP make it a point to talk openly about the importance of mental health, breaking stigmas, and supporting others. And while life isn't all sunshine and rainbows, this conversation is far from depressing. Hopefully you'll find a bit of inspiration and a touch of motivation to reach out to build/reinforce connections with those you care about. We're all in this together.

There's still time to register for the Capital Region Walk for R.I.T.A. this Sunday, September 28, in Saratoga, NY. Go to afsp.org/rita to sign up today! And make sure to stop by the Pieces to Wellness table to say hello!

Here are some other helpful links:
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) - Crisis Intervention

IASP (International Association for Suicide Prevention) - Suicidal Crisis Support

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
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How do you suture your future? What does that even mean? Suturing your future means doing what you can now to impact your future in a positive way. It means setting yourself up for success in terms of your mental-emotional-physical-spiritual well-being.

To be honest, 'cause that's what we do here, the stuff that sutures your future is generally not flashy or sexy. It's things like preparation and repetition. Getting your stuff together the day before, every day. Doing your meditation or movement practice at the same time every day. Routine reinforces wellness. We don't need to be rigid; like GPS, we can recalibrate as needed. Our routines evolve as we do.

Another way to suture your future is to be on the lookout for green flags. We hear a lot about red flags, things to watch out for and avoid. The Instigator and the Yogi challenge you to open yourself up to green flags in your life. These will be different for everyone but in general are things that calm your nervous system, bring a sense of joy or peace. Green flags can be people, places, practices, or things. When you find a few green flags in your life, build them into your wellness routine - they may just become the sutures that hold you together.

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
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September is Suicide Awareness month. For our first episode of September this year, we're talking about the difference between active and passive suicidal ideation. First of all, it's normal to think about suicide. It's much more common than most people think (a study from the NIH found that over 10% of the U.S. population experiences passive suicidal ideation in their lifetime). In this conversation we discuss the difference between passive thoughts and actively making plans to take your life. If you or anyone you know is having active suicidal ideation - meaning the person has made a plan to end their life, get help immediately. You can get help by calling 911, or by calling or texting 988 - the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

If you have passive thoughts of suicide that are becoming more frequent or intense, it's time to talk about it. There are many resources available for people who need help. By having these conversations, we hope to bring light to a dark subject. By bringing light to these subjects, we hope to help others find the courage to have conversations of their own. It all starts with normalizing conversations about mental health.

Here are some helpful links:
AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) - Find a mental health professional

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) - Crisis Intervention

IASP (International Association for Suicide Prevention) - Suicidal Crisis Support

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
Remember - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
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Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

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This week we're delighted to welcome another counselor from Ellie Mental Health to the podcast - meet Gab!

Being in conversation with Gab was a tremendously rewarding experience - she exudes calm, presence, and safety. Gab got her LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor) degree from UAlbany, and worked in a clinic prior to coming on staff at Ellie. Her counseling services run the gamut, and her specialties are grief/loss, and trauma.

Gab talked with the Pieces to Wellness duo about how she creates a safe space for her clients to discuss vulnerable experiences and how she gently supports people from healing after trauma. She integrates multiple approaches that are all person-centered, trauma-focused, solutions-based and even brings in the existential lens. She also takes a wide view of grief and loss, and recognizes that we grieve after losing a job, a relationship, and even a pet. Gab and Karen nerd out about books and neuroscience, and it's clear that we only scratched the surface of Gab's knowledge in this episode. Spoiler alert - the info she drops about Broca's area and the way speech is impacted both during and after a traumatic experience is a game changer!

To schedule an appointment with an Ellie counselor, visit: elliementalhealth.com. They have locations all over, including 2 offices in NY's Capital Region: Latham and Clifton Park.

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
Remember - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
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Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

Send us a text

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91

Who likes lists? In this month's Tune Up, we're checking in and listing off the various pieces that are meaningful components of our wellness. Some are tangible tools (like lists) that help us manage our time and stay on track with our values. Others are less tangible qualities like courage, vulnerability, and friendship that we try to cultivate through our practices.

If we think of all of these pieces like ingredients in the recipe of life, we can recognize that not everyone needs the same amounts or even the same ingredients to live their life on the wellness side. What matters is to discern what your values are, what behaviors you need to engage in day by day to live in alignment with those values, and then put those pieces into practice.

One quick note on connection. One of the most helpful pieces that humans need to live well is connection with others. This can be friends, family, co-workers, romantic partners, etc. We all benefit from connecting with others who support and enhance our wellness - and this sometimes means limiting contact/connectedness with those who do not support our wellness. This isn't easy, but it is necessary.

If you like this episode, check out some of our other Tune Up episodes - these shorter episodes come out once a month!

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
Remember - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
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Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

Send us a text

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Free- Not under the control or in the power of another.

If you want to free yourself, forgiveness is part of that process. Free your self with forgiveness, unchain yourself from those wounds and move forward in a healthy manner. No hate, no retaliation, no extra weight, just eyes forward and keep moving step by step. This week the Instigator and the Yogi attempted to tackle forgiveness and they did not hold back (or disappoint).

Forgiveness offers many positive benefits, including reducing unhealthy reactions to anger, releasing stress and cortisol, lowering blood pressure, as well as reducing the effects of anxiety and depression.

The team talk about releasing wounds in order to move forward in life cultivating healthy relationships. These relationships include the one you have with yourself and those you have with others. Falling into the pitfalls of negative thoughts will only encourage negative feelings and actions. Try forgiving yourself for not knowing better, for not having all the information to make a better decision, for doing what was needed to survive. Forgive yourself for any mistakes you have made in the past and it will help you use your mistakes to refine you instead of define you.

Make sure to go back through the other episodes and try them out!

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
Remember - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
Like, Follow, Share 🧩

Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

Send us a text

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91

This week we are delighted to welcome another therapist on Pieces To Wellness to talk with the Instigator and the Yogi. Jenna is a mental health counselor with Ellie Mental Health in Latham, NY. Jenna's enthusiasm and passion for helping others was engaging and clear right from the beginning.

Like Tim and Karen, Jenna is all about busting the stigma related to mental health, and she loves to talk about things that others shy away from. One of Jenna's specialties is helping folks with OCD - obsessive compulsive disorder, which is a diagnosis she also has. Jenna opens up about her own challenges with OCD, breaks down some of the myths about this condition, and shares some tips and tools that have helped her along the way.

People's lived experiences are rarely black and white - life has so many sides and perspectives to explore. We are grateful to Jenna for bravely sharing her perspective on "the other side of OCD", bringing this diagnosis out of the darkness and into the light.

To schedule an appointment with an Ellie counselor, visit: elliementalhealth.com. They have locations all over, including 2 offices in NY's Capital Region: Latham and Clifton Park.

Is there something you're struggling with? Or something you'd like to hear us discuss?
Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com.
Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
Remember - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
Like, Follow, Share 🧩

Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

Send us a text

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91

This week's episode is short and sweet, and hopefully one you'll come back to over and over. One of the pieces that's been especially transformative for Karen's wellness is meditation, and this week she shares a guided meditation.

Before the guided meditation, Tim and Karen describe what meditation is, and what it's not. We even try to dispel some of the myths about meditation. One of the most common myths about meditation is that if you find yourself having to refocus on meditating over and over, then you're doing it wrong. In fact, refocusing on meditating over and over is what meditation is. Like most of the pieces we share, practice = progress, and meditation is no different. We don't strive for perfection here, there's no such thing.

Karen shares a relatively simple 5 minute guided meditation, and we hope that you'll listen to this part as often as you need to incorporate meditation into your wellness/self-care practices. We want to know what other tips and tools you want to hear more about! Breathwork? Journaling? Yoga?

Reach out on IG @piecestowellness or shoot us an email at neverunderestimatetpp@gmail.com and share your requests with us!
Please check out our other episodes and tell a friend!
Remember - The road to a better you is paved with pieces to wellness…
Like, Follow, Share 🧩

Get a copy of Tim's book, Never Underestimate the Power of You by clicking the link below:

Send us a text

https://a.co/d/h7AQf91