Talk to Rotary prompts reminiscence of food memories
Woy Woy Rotary Club president has reported reminiscences about emotions associated with food, following a talk to the club by Peninsula psychotherapist and hypnotherapist Ms Liz Macnamara.
"It is not every day that the members of our club have the opportunity to listen to and ask questions of a highly-trained and experienced mental health professional," he said.
"It quickly became one of the most engaging evenings this club has had for some time.
"Liz Macnamara spoke to us about the benefits of Journaling for Emotional Health or Reflective Writing.
"While keeping a journal may sound like a lot of hard work, with the right writing technique it needn't be," he said.
"One approach Liz mentioned was based on writing a To Do list at the start of each day and reflecting and documenting on your progress as the day unfolds.
"Then, at the end of the day, write a brief summary of what you achieved and didn't achieve and how you felt about that.
"Over time, this simple technique should help you see patterns, triggers, and gaps in relation to your behaviour and emotional wellbeing. You can't get much simpler than that.
"According to Liz, research into the impact of journaling for mental health, has shown that different journaling techniques can help achieve a wide range of mental and physical health outcomes including reducing stress, improving self-confidence, combating depressive or negative thought patterns and enhancing decision making.
"Journaling can also be used to improve physical health and lower the intensity of chronic pain such as that caused by arthritis and other age-related conditions.
"Liz also pointed out that while journaling for mental health is not a silver bullet, in our increasingly complex and busy world it offers a simple, convenient, and affordable way for people to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
"By way of an example of how journaling can impact emotional wellbeing, Liz asked those in attendance to make a list of their favourite foods.
"When completed, the ensuing discussion was full of trips down memory lane as individuals reminisced about the people, places, and the emotions associated with those favourite foods.
"It was most definitely a very interesting and enjoyable presentation."
SOURCE:
Newsletter, 13 Oct 2024
Tom McCann, Rotary Woy Woy