Tag: community

There is a growing scientific field called “ecotherapy” that has demonstrated a strong connection between time spent outside in nature and improved well-being. Shifting our attention to the sounds, smells, and beauty is calming for many. On brain scans we can actually see reduced activity in. the parts of the brain that are linked to rumination — or repetitive negative thoughts. In this episode, I speak with Sebastian Slovin, author of Experience Nature Unplugged: A Guide to Wellness in the Digital Age, a new book on how connecting with nature helps reset our brains. We discuss the ways our digital lives are negatively impacting our mental health and how nature is the perfect antidote.

About Sebastian Slovin
Since Sebastian can remember, nature has been a central part of his life. He was fortunate to grow up in the beach community of La Jolla, California and spent his childhood mixing it up in the ocean. As a young boy, he lost his father to suicide, which would deeply inspire his path in life. As a young adult, he had the opportunity to travel extensively and experience many of the world’s great surf spots as a professional bodyboarder. Through his travel, Sebastian developed a deep love and appreciation for our natural world and at the same time was drawn to the practice of yoga and mindfulness. His passion for nature led him to pursue a BA in Environmental Policy at San Diego State University. He also holds an MA in Leadership Studies from the University of San Diego. He is the author of The Adventures of Enu, Ashes in the Ocean, and Experience Nature Unplugged: A Guide to Wellness in the Digital Age. He and his wife, Sonya, founded Nature Unplugged, which is all about inspiring wellness in the digital age. When he is not writing or working on Nature Unplugged, Sebastian enjoys swimming, surfing and (pretty much all things) in the wild Pacific Ocean.

When it comes to overcoming mental and emotional challenges, we have a problem. In fact, according to Cope Notes we have several:

PROVIDERS: Our mental health providers are often overwhelmed with demand, that accessing services in a timely way can be challenging. Once we find an available provider, we often can’t afford the level of service we need, and, even if we can, we find that many providers are not culturally or linguistically aligned with the people who need the support the most. Medicalization, jargon and pathologizing can keep us in a mindset of “sickness.”

PEOPLE IN NEED: In many instances the process of finding the right services is overwhelming, confusing, and exhausting. This level of perseverance is difficult for people who are functioning well, let alone for people who are feeling hopeless, unseen and unknown. Once people do find their way to support services, they often worry about privacy, judgment, and losing control.

COMMUNITIES: Generally speaking we seem to be focused more on responding to crises than we are on preventing them in the first place. Our approaches, therefore are reactive instead of proactive and big splashes of effort instead of slow drips over time.

In this conversation I speak with the brilliant and inspiring Johnny Crowder. We talk about how we can gain the upper hand on our complex and mysterious brains by short-circuiting negative thoughts. We explore how faith, creativity and community helps us gain new perspectives and forms of expression. We discuss the questions of how do we replace old thought patterns with healthier ones? How do we build a better brain? Stronger friendships and families? More resilient communities?

About Johnny Crowder
Johnny Crowder is a 28-year-old suicide/abuse survivor, TEDx speaker, touring musician, mental health advocate, and the Founder & CEO of Cope Notes, a text-based mental health platform that provides daily support to users in nearly 100 countries around the world. Armed with 10 years of clinical treatment, a psychology degree from University of Central Florida, and a decade of peer support and public advocacy through the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Johnny’s infectious positivity and firsthand experience with mental illness uniquely equips him to provide realistic, yet hopeful insight into the pains of hardship with authenticity, levity, and unconventional wit. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/88