During these cold winter months, it can be challenging to maintain your mental and physical health. It would be ideal to take a long vacation or a tropical getaway but for most people it is not an option due to cost, work or other life responsibilities. The Dialectical Behavioral Therapy skill of taking a brief vacation involves taking a short break, between 15 minutes to a few hours in which you add in self care that you may not normally do because of your day to day busy schedule. A brief vacation means that you are slowing down your normal pace to observe or explore to feel recharged and to obtain more energy in your life.

Create a list of brief vacation activities that relax you and that you may have wanted to do for a while but don’t have the time to, or that you would do while you are on vacation. This way when you are going through a hectic day you can reflect on your list and pick an option that best fits your needs at the time. Below is a list of options to try that could be useful to create a brief vacation:

• Going for a cup of coffee or tea to a coffee shop that you have never been to before
• Go to the beach, woods or park for a day. There are a list of local parks on the Cleveland Metroparks website: https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/ which also include a list of daily events
• Read a magazine or book that you are interested in or go to the local library to explore the books, magazines, or the workshops and classes that they offer
• Take a timed break away from hard work (30 minutes, an hour or two) to relax and spend it however you feel would best rejuvenate your energy
• Explore different meditations to practice on an app. Some common meditation apps are: Calm, Simple Habit, Headspace, Insight Timer
• Find meditations on youtube. Some meditations that could be useful to try are: progressive muscle relaxation, body scan meditations, 4-7-8 breathing exercises, box breathing, or try searching for a specific meditation based on how you are feeling
• Yoga, walking or some form of exercise
• Create a relaxing night time routine and go to bed earlier than you usually do to get additional rest
• Get take out from your favorite restaurant or enjoy a special treat that you would not normally purchase
• Playing solitaire or a card game
• Watching your favorite movie or television show
• Playing a game on your phone, computer, or gaming system
• Listening to music, the radio, or a podcast
• Playing a musical instrument
• Planning a vacation or upcoming getaway
• Going to the mall or to an antique store
• Getting a massage, manicure or pedicure or engaging in a wellness activity that you do not usually make the time for

If you are wanting to discover more counseling techniques to take care of yourself it could be beneficial to reach out for help. To set up an appointment with a licensed therapist you can contact our front office staff at 440-392-2222.

Stephanie Cerula, LPCC
Clinical Counselor