In a fast-paced society driven by responsibilities, mental well-being can often get pushed aside and not prioritized. However, this needs to change to ensure people are operating from their healthiest selves. As 2024 takes off, finding effective strategies for stress relief and anxiety management is as important as ever. Mariya Javed-Payne, a somatic psychotherapist, owner of Awaken Consulting Services, and mental health expert, has provided insight on how to make this adjustment through five transformative steps to guide readers on their journey to mental well-being in 2024.
1. Embrace the mind-body connection
Javed-Payne emphasizes the profound connection between one’s mental and physical selves. “Recognizing that the mind and body are interconnected is the first step towards holistic mental wellbeing,” she says.
Javed-Payne encourages individuals to embark on a journey of reflection and self-awareness. One must learn to recognize the subtle nuances of how their mental state manifests physically and vice versa, reflecting the intricate connection between the body and the brain. Doing so lays the groundwork for a balanced and resilient mind.
Somatic psychotherapies, such as Brainspotting can help unlock the body’s innate ability to heal and release stored tension. Taking conscious steps to understand and nurture this connection is a crucial first step in the healing process.
2. Explore Innovative Therapies
Because everyone’s mental health journey is its own, finding a therapy that is a good fit for the individual is also essential. In 2024, Javed-Payne encourages readers to explore innovative therapies like Brainspotting.
“If traditional methods have not been working for you, consider embracing new, transformative experiences. The support you need is out there!,” says Javed-Payne. Integrating leading-edge therapies can open new avenues for breakthroughs in your healing journey, providing a fresh perspective and resolution for stress and anxiety.
While mental health is a universal concern, Javed-Payne emphasizes that everyone has unique and complex experiences, and Brainspotting caters to this need. Brainspotting recognizes and reflects the personalized nature of mental health struggles and offers a container for each individual’s unique experiences, needs, and history. It explores the unique neural intricacies and embodied responses that shape an individual’s mental and physical state, fostering a personalized journey toward holistic wellness.
3. Prioritize Intensive Healing
For those dealing with complex PTSD and addictions, or simply feeling unable to make progress with certain life issues, Javed-Payne advocates prioritizing intensive healing. In the fast-paced world of 2024, carving out dedicated time for this process can lead to significant strides in a shorter time frame.
“Consider therapy intensives, where you can work diligently for multiple hours a day over several days to delve into the roots of your traumatic experiences,” says Javed-Payne. “It’s like a retreat catered for your needs with ample time to access, process, and resolve deep-seated issues without the confines of an hourly therapy session week to week.”
Adjusting priorities and placing mental well-being at the top can make an abundance of tasks seem less daunting. Mental health struggles such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD can have a significant impact on the ability to manage and tackle other tasks. According to Javed-Payne, productivity might feel less daunting through intensive healing and making care a priority.
4. Seek Trauma-Responsive Spaces
Whether one is seeking therapy or creating spaces for others, Javed-Payne underscores the importance of trauma-responsive environments. This can be applied when exploring therapies such as Brainspotting or even when reaching for support from others around you.
“In Brainspotting, embodying attunement and fostering a secure container for clients to explore their vulnerabilities is the most important aspect of the process,” says Javed-Payne. “You want the feeling that the clinician can hold you and what you’re working with, and to be able to receive all parts of you, and center your humanity”.
“The same thing goes for seeking support from those close to you- look for people who give you that sense of feeling felt, as Dr. Dan Siegel would describe attunement.”, says Javed-Payne.
With the powerful attunement focus in Brainspotting, it becomes possible for individuals to confront challenging feelings and experiences that they perhaps couldn’t access before. It is essential for the individual to know that they are held in even the most difficult moments of healing, which can be a reparative experience for trauma, which leads us to experience isolation, helplessness and a loss of our identity.
5. Engage in Personalized Approaches
Recognizing that mental well-being is a highly individualized journey, Javed-Payne encourages embracing personalized approaches.
“There’s no exact blueprint for managing and prioritizing mental health,” says Javed Payne. “It’s about tapping into your uniqueness and tailoring therapeutic experiences accordingly.”
Whether exploring Brainspotting or other personalized strategies, aligning your mental health journey with one’s individual needs is vital. Javed-Payne encourages readers to do the work outside of structured therapies such as Brainspotting. Setting aside time to reflect, meditate, spend time in nature, move our bodies, or journal in addition to therapy is important in understanding the impact and tools it provides.
Javed-Payne’s insights provide a roadmap for those committed to prioritizing mental well-being this year and for years to come. Embracing the mind-body connection, exploring innovative therapies, prioritizing intensive healing, seeking trauma-responsive spaces, and engaging in personalized approaches lays the foundation for well-being, transformation and resilience.
