P ersonalized A ctions T owards Health www.prospectfitness.com/path
1004 Beverley Road Brooklyn, NY 11218 347-413-6390 info@prospectfitness.com www.prospectfitness.com
Allison Carmen
MAYBE I can help you? I am an Author, Business Consultant, Business/Life Coach and podcaster ready to provide you with the tools to grow or start your business, find a new career, let go of your stress and worry, manage life changes or find more fulfillment.
The Best Gift Of Maybe
Event Speaker
Published by Penguin Random House.
Self-help and inspirational speaker available for conferences, workshops and corporate events.
Many things are beyond our control, but the mindset of Maybe presents a simple, powerful way to stay connected to what’s possible, and work to make it happen.
Life/Business Coaching
10 Minutes To Less Suuering Allison Carmen, Self-help author and Life Coach, presents different techniques to reduce your stress and worry in less than 10 minutes!
I have a background in accounting, and I am a licensed attorney with LLM in taxation. You can find me blogging for Psychology Today, Huffington Post, Thrive Global and Mind Body Green.
CHECK OUT WWW.ALLISONCARMEN.COM TODAY! Contact: ALLISONNALLISONCARMEN.COM Rates and References upon request
Career changes, Reduction of daily stress and worry, Goal Setting/Implementation, Increased fulfillment in daily business/personal life.
Business Consulting Business and financial advice including financial analysis and marketing for increased profit and expansion.
EDITOR IN CHIEF Joan Herrmann —
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lindsay Pearson —
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Matt Herrmann —
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Chris Giordano Andrea Valentie Oliver Pane —
CONTRIBUTORS C. Victor Brick Sean Grover, LCSW Joan Herrmann Linda Mitchell, CPC Lucille Plantemoli, MPH,RN, CIC, NBC-HWC
FROM THE EDITOR — Most athletes dream about standing on the Olympic podium receiving their gold medal. But few ever have the opportunity to actually do so. Ashleigh Johnson knows what it feels like to earn gold. Ashleigh is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and goalie of Team USA Water Polo. She was named the Top Goaltender of the Olympic Games, having stopped an astounding 80 of 124 shots. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Ashleigh. In our conversation she recounts what it felt like to win gold, and she explains why she is passionate about using her Olympic platform to inspire other women to pursue their dreams in any field. Listen to the conversation with Ashleigh: www.cyacyl.com/shows/ashleigh-johnson
— Joan Herrmann
ASHLEIGH JOHNSON
ISSUE NO.131
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE WHY YOU DON’T BELIEVE IN HAPPINESS ANYMORE BY SEAN GROVER
PAGE 12
STRATEGIES TO HONE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS
ON THIS MONTH’S
C OV E R ASHLEIGH JOHNSON IS PASSIONATE ABOUT USING HER OLYMPIC PLATFORM TO INSPIRE OTHER WOMEN TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS IN ANY FIELD. LISTEN TO ASHLEIGH ON CYACYL: www.cyacyl.com/shows/ashleigh-johnson
BY JOAN HERRMANN
PAGE 18
CAN MEDITATION BE THE FOUNDATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH? BY LUCILLE PLANTEMOLI
PAGE 22
STAYING CALM IN STRESSFUL SITUATIONS BY LINDA MITCHELL
PAGE 28
ACHIEVING SOUND MENTAL HEALTH BY C. VICTOR BRICK
PAGE 32
SEPTEMBER 2021
24 SEVEN MAGAZINE
NEED NEW AD
ISSUE N O. 1 3 1
SEPTEMBER 2021
WH Y YO U DO N ’ T BELIEVE IN HAPPINESS A N Y M OR E You start with big dreams, full of youthful enthusiasm. Over time, challenged by obstacles and hardships, your commitment to those dreams is tested. But you’re still young, so you push on and persevere.
Written by Sean Grover, LCSW
T
Then you get hit with big disappointments, letdowns in your career, love life, or friendships. You feel unsupported and alone. “Why is this happening?” you wonder, “I’m a good person. I didn’t do anything to deserve this.” Then you face a health crisis, lose a loved one, suffer injuries, or financial hardships. Unforeseen stressors continue to pop up and dash your plans. You start to lose hope. Losing the confidence that you’ll ever be happy When you’re struggling, it’s natural to want to give up. You may look around and feel that everyone has an easier life than you. You forget that no one is exempt from suffering, and some of the most outstanding individuals in history faced overwhelming personal hardships. But no matter. The longer you stay in a place of hopelessness, the harder it is to believe that you’ll ever be happy again. You may justify your unhappiness by proclaiming your powerlessness. You even start to question the concept of happiness. “Happiness is an illusion sold by the media to make money,” you decide. “Happy relationships? Happy families? Happy friendships? Bah! That’s not real life.” Five conditions that cause people to abandon happiness Heartbreak. Deep wounds to the soul come in many forms, but for me, the word “heartbreak” captures the catastrophic pain of unforeseen loss. No matter what form heartbreak takes when your heart is broken, gravity shifts, your body and mind feel sluggish, color is drained from the world, and every day is a battle with yourself. Social isolation. You withdraw from the world. Stop seeing friends or family and embrace loneliness. The more you live in isolation, the more your thoughts and feelings become deluded. You distort even the simplest of interactions and grow paranoid and suspicious of others. No one is who they seem to be. Pessimism and bitterness. Complaining becomes your baseline functioning. You see fault in everyone. You watch people and judge them; no one escapes your criticism. “Phonies!” you
think. “I’m better off alone.” You convince yourself that the world has gone to hell. Even death seems like a welcome relief. Creative stagnation. You have no curiosity. You stop exploring new experiences and become a slave to bad habits. There is no balance in your life. You eat too much or too little; you sleep too much or too little; time feels like it moves too slowly or too fast. Your reschedule has no consistency, and you feel permanently out of sorts. You don’t like leaving the house, so you don’t take walks, attend classes, lectures, or workshops. You stop going to performances. Creativity is gone from your life. Eventually, you grow disinterested in everyone and everything. Living in the past. When you lose hope, you will start to live in the past. You revisit memories and embrace nostalgia, confident that the best times of your life are long gone. You stop living in the moment and lose your sense of wonder. There’s nothing left to look forward to. “Weekends? Weekdays? Holidays?” you counsel yourself, “What does it matter? Nothing changes.” Steps to take to increase your chances of being happy again Recently, a patient asked me, “When will my life get better?” I answered, “When you decide it will.” Needless to say, she was displeased. She met all five of the criteria for abandoning happiness. But I could sense she was holding tight to a childlike wish to be saved. As if someone would swoop down and save her from herself by blessing her with happiness. The best advice that I can offer is this: In adulthood, no one is responsible for your happiness but you. The wish to be saved by someone else will drive you to make reckless choices or ultimately reinforce the five conditions for abandoning happiness. Breaking the cycle of unhappiness starts by taking a hard look at the choices that you make that breed unhappiness. Until those conditions are addressed, happiness will remain elusive. To move in a new direction is going to require new choices.
About The Author
SEAN GROVER Sean Grover, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and the author of When Kids Call the Shots: How to Seize Control from Your Darling Bully and Enjoy Being a Parent Again. To Learn More Visit: www.SeanGrover.com
DISCOVER YOUR INNATE WISDOM AND CHANGE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR BODY IT'S YOUR BIRTHRIGHT TO LOVE THE BODY YOU'RE IN. CHANGING YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR BODY STARTS WITH SELF-LOVE. AND THAT - CHANGES YOUR LIFE! CONTACT US TODAY TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT FOR GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS ON YOUR SCHEDULE. THE CHOICE IS YOURS.
Follow Us On Social Media
@FindBodyFreedom ILENE LESHINSKY FOUNDER ILENELESHINSKY@GMAIL.COM
Join the Movement Today! WWW.FINDBODYFREEDOM.COM
WE MAKE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA SIMPLE
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING FOR BUSINESS
smcventures.biz 201-365-7946
September 2021 Issue
Strategies to Hone Critical Thinking Skills Written by Joan Herrmann
C
Critical thinking is a disciplined way of thinking that can be applied to any topic or problem. It is the ability to clearly and logically consider information that is presented to us. There is value in thinking critically in every aspect of our lives. From making personal decisions, to questioning media reports, to assessing work projects, applying critical thinking is an essential skill everyone should be trying to hone. When we were children, adults told us how to behave and what we should believe and we blindly followed their instruction. Then, as we aged, we were taught to expand our minds and consider concepts and opinions that may be in conflict with what we previously thought. This expansion of mind opened the door to infinite possibilities and challenged us in ways never experienced before. Listening to different ideas enabled us to develop the process of analyzing information in order to form our own judgment. We learned to discern what works best for us and no longer were we dependent on what we were told to do. We could form our own opinion. This critical thought process taught us how to create the conscious decisions that affect the quality of our lives. Today, in a world of social media, around the clock news programs, and propaganda reporting, cultivating a critical thought process is more challenging than ever before. Sometimes it feels like we’ve lost the ability to think for ourselves or form our own conclusions. I often
wonder if critical thinking is a lost art. With information overload, we need to think about thinking. Why? Critical thinking encourages curiosity. Curiosity helps us remain vigilant and gain knowledge about situations or our environment. Critical thinking enhances creativity. Creativity enables us to come up with different ideas and perspectives, no matter how wild they may appear. Critical thinking allows us to analyze these ideas and adjust them accordingly. Critical thinking reinforces problem solving skills. We can use knowledge, facts, and data to effectively solve problems. Critical thinking develops independent thinking. The ability to take in various opinions or facts and then develop our own conclusion offers a freedom from manipulation. The good news is that critical thinking is a learned skill and we can get better at it. Here are three ways to develop critical thinking: Question assumptions. Don’t believe everything at face value. Ask questions. Conduct research. You don’t always know what you think you know. Reason through logic. Ask yourself: Is the argument supported at every point by evidence? Do all the pieces of evidence build on each other to produce a sound conclusion? Diversify thought. Get outside of your personal bubble and open your mind to new perspectives. As the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, said, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” Never stop questioning or thinking!
About The Author
JOAN HERRMANN Joan Herrmann is the creator of the Change Your Attitude… Change Your life brand and host of the radio show and podcast, Conversations with Joan. She is a motivational speaker and the publisher of 24 Seven magazine. To Learn More Visit: www.JoanHerrmann.com
Need a personal or professional plan to ensure success in your new normal?
5 Days to Clarity: Your Easy Roadmap to C.H.A.N.G.E.
Change is Constant! Be Prepared Be Successful
Click below for your free Roadmap to Change https://bit.ly/LivingInspiredOffer
SMOKING CAN DOUBLE COVID-19 PROGRESSION Mary Beth Battaglia Certified Clinical Hypnosis Practitioner
ISN'T IT TIME TO QUIT SMOKING WITH HYPNOSIS?
www.metrohypnosiscenter.com
Video Hypnosis Sessions For Individuals And Groups
Call For A Free Video Consultation 201-477-0265
SEPTEMBER 2021
ISSUE NO.131
CAN M E D I TAT I O N BE THE F O U N DAT I O N F O R M E N TA L H E A LT H ? Written by Lucille Plantemoli, MPH,RN, CIC, NBC-HWC
M Mental health is such a vital part of our overall health and wellness. A healthy mind sets the tone for our attitude and outlook on life. The previous year of 2020 brought so much anxiety and tension on a national level related to the Covid-19 pandemic and social unrest. The year brought many issues such as stress, fear, insecurity, addiction, loneliness, social isolation, job loss, and illness. These heightened negative emotions have caused a large number of people to develop more severe mental health episodes. According to a poll done by the Kaiser Family Foundation in July, 2020, many adults were reporting specific negative impacts on their mental health and well-being, such as difficulty sleeping (36 percent) or eating (32 percent), increases in alcohol consumption or substance use (12 percent), and worsening chronic conditions (12 percent), due to worry and stress over the Covid-19 pandemic. How common is anxiety related to stress? According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), anxiety is a normal part of life experience, but when anxiety interferes with daily life activities this can be disabling. Here are some facts related to anxiety provided by the ADAA: • Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1 percent of the population every year. • Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only 36.9 percent of those suffering receive treatment. • People with an anxiety disorder are three to five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more
likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than those who do not suffer from anxiety disorders. • Anxiety disorders develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events. What can be done to deal with stress and anxiety? There is growing evidence that alternative therapies, that include deep breathing, mindfulness, and meditation can help a person with anxiety related to stress. These relaxation techniques can help a person deal with stress and decrease signs and symptoms of anxiety that can range from mild nervousness to more serious panic attacks. A meditation technique that has been used to reduce stress and anxiety is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, which was developed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn and his colleagues at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center’s Stress Reduction Clinic in the 1970s. This program is presented in an eight-week stressreduction training program that trains people in mindfulness and helps them become familiar with their own behavior patterns, especially in relation to stressful situations. They also learn that although they cannot change the circumstances in their lives, they can learn how to identify the triggers and respond accordingly. Participants are taught the difference between responding to a situation versus reacting to a situation. How can someone get started in a meditation practice? Less structured meditation practices have been developed to introduce novices to meditation techniques. There are also meditation apps, such as Headspace that provide guided meditations for beginners. Starting a meditation practice can seem very intimidating to someone who has never meditated. People often ask questions like, should I sit cross-legged like a yogi, or do I totally need to clear my mind? In mindfulness meditation, people are taught how to focus on the inspiration and expiration of the breath. The act of focusing on the breath helps a person build the muscle of attention and mindfulness. When we focus on our breath we learn how to quiet our minds and stay in the moment. Developing a meditation practice takes patience, self-compassion, and a quiet, comfortable place to sit.
Recently, I attended an online meditation workshop provided by Mary Davis, an author, and spiritual teacher. This program targeted people who were beginning a meditation practice. The following tools and tips were shared and may be helpful to anyone who may want to start their own meditation practice: • Keep your meditations short to start. You want to be successful, so if five minutes seems long for you, take it back to three minutes. • Create a place for your meditation practice. Add a candle or crystal or some meaningful symbol. • Aim to meditate at the same time each day. • Add a second daily meditation in the afternoon or evening. • Once you started your practice, look for insights during the day. • Meditate with joy and gratitude. • Sit for a minute after the meditation to let go of the practice. • At the end of the meditation ask for assistance with your day. • Use meditation as the centerpiece of a larger
spiritual practice. • Find a friend to be accountable with. Dealing with stress and anxiety may require medical attention in addition to meditation practice. Speaking with a mental health professional is always recommended for further evaluation.
About The Author
LUCILLE PLANTEMOLI Lucille Plantemoli MPH,RN, CIC, NBC-HWC, is vice president of Wellness at Healthlink Advocates, a company founded to assist people with all aspects of their healthcare. As private nurse patient advocates and board-certified health and wellness coaches, they partner with clients seeking assistance navigating the complex healthcare system and those seeking self-directed, lasting health improvements aligned with their values. To Learn More Visit: www.HealthLinkAdvocates.com
CONFUSED & UNCERTAIN ABOUT HEALTHCARE?
We can help INSURANCE & BILLING ISSUES
HEALTH AND WELLNESS COACHING TO MANAGE CHRONIC ILLNESS
ELDER CARE ISSUES
CARE COORDINATION
TRANSITIONS FROM THE HOSPITAL TO REHAB OR HOME MEDICAL GUIDANCE ON DOCTOR’S VISITS, HOSPITALIZATIONS, SECOND OPINIONS
HEALTHLINKADVOCATES.COM
Create the Life & Relationship you want
WITH ODETTE CORONEL Certified Life & Success Coach
The most important relationship you have is the relationship with yourself. I help people create a deeper connection with their partner, by deep-diving into the relationship with themselves. CONTACT ME TO BOOK YOUR FREE DISCOVERY SESSION odettecoronel.com lifecoach@odettecoronel.com
Life. Simplified.
201-364-6833
www.LGOrganized.com
Staying Calm in Stressful Situations Written by Linda Mitchell CPC, LMT
S Stress is everywhere – no one escapes it. However, some people seem to take stressful situations in stride and appear able to handle all circumstances with tranquility. You probably know at least one person like that. What’s the secret? While everyone has a different threshold for dealing with stress, you can learn to greatly enhance your ability to stay relaxed in all situations using the following strategies. First, respond slowly. Calm, cool and collected people respond slowly. To model that behavior, take a few deep cleansing breaths. Allow yourself time to process and reflect before responding. You’ll feel more confident and pleased with your response.
Knee-jerk reactions rarely produce the best outcomes, but responses born of thoughtful reflection do. Second, resist the reflex to focus on the negative circumstance and instead strive to maintain a positive perspective. You can still be a realist while looking for the positive in every situation. Remember, you’ve successfully navigated difficulties before, and you’ll rise above the current challenge too. When faced with a stressful situation, imagine how your ideal self would handle it. Tap into the alter-ego. What would your wise future-self have to say about it? They would likely be compassionate, unflappable, able to see the big picture and able to offer some wise words. By putting those words of wisdom into action, you’ll see that in time you’ll become more and more like that ideal version of yourself. This is empowering! Visualize different outcomes. Brainstorm several ways to deal with the situation by playing each one out in your mind’s eye. Which serves you best? Which creates the best outcome for everyone involved? Which outcome creates calm in your body? Which creates tension or uneasy feelings? Tap into your body’s wisdom and intuition before settling on a response. One of the easiest and most effective ways to enhance your ability to stay calm in stressful situations is to regularly visualize yourself being there yet remaining calm. The body follows the brain’s instructions. The body can’t tell the difference between a real and an imagined thought so rehearse feeling calm during stressful situations and your body will naturally follow this pattern when true stressors arise. Practice this regularly and you’ll thank yourself later. Most importantly, remember to intentionally ease the tension in your body and breathe deeply. This shortcircuits the stress response and prevents an overstimulation of stress hormones like
From The Story
“Allow yourself time to process and reflect before responding.”
cortisol and adrenaline. Make this a habit too as it will serve you well many times over. Like any skill, it takes practice. Deliberately let go of the stressor for a few moments while you do these exercises. Connecting to your breath allows you to briefly get out of the stressful situation and into the present moment. Use whatever methods resonate with you tapping, breathwork, meditation, massage, affirmations, music or prayer, among a myriad of choices. Focus on relaxing the tension in your entire body and being. When we get out of our heads and into our bodies, we make better decisions. Knowing and doing are two very different things. The real power comes from using these methods regularly and making them your first defense. Apply these ideas to your life regularly and you’ll see steady progress in your ability to handle stress. Before you know it, you’ll be the calmest person in the room that others want to emulate!
About The Author
LINDA MITCHELL Linda Mitchell is a board-certified coach, speaker, intuitive healer, and LMT. She empowers people who are stuck, overwhelmed, or ready for change to release their struggle, gain clarity, balance, and radiant health, as they move through life’s challenges and transitions and step into their highest purpose. To Learn More Visit: www.LivingInspiredCoaching.com
Are You A Midlife Woman Who Wants To Find More Joy, Meaning and Good Health Every Day? There’s a vibrant, joyful woman inside of you –
LET’S BRING HER BACK TO LIFE!
Your role as a midlife woman changes. Here’s the thing: You need to reconnect with your inner strength and remind yourself of how much you’re capable of Aging is not about decline. You need a roadmap to wellness that addresses the mind-bodyspirit connection Are you ready to connect with the version of yourself who knows exactly what she wants and what she needs to do to get it?
START YOUR TRANSFORMATION TODAY!
Join The Magnificent Midlifers Facebook Group and discover, learn and grow!
Free Worksheet 3 Power Prompts to Help You Reconnect with Your Most Vibrant Joyful Self
Check out our website www.healthlinkadvocates/mykajabi.com
September 2021 Issue
Achieving Sound Mental Health Written by C. Victor Brick, MEd
O
One of the most pernicious legacies of the COVID-19 global pandemic is the mental health crisis. It is so severe that it is often referred to as the “parallel pandemic.” According to Johns Hopkins, “An estimated 26 percent of Americans ages 18 and older — about one in four adults – suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year”. In a CDC report, which surveyed adults across the country in late June of 2020, respondents reported symptoms of anxiety and depression “nearly double the rate we would have expected before the pandemic”. The same was true for substance abuse, stress-related symptoms, and thoughts of suicide. This means that more than half the population is struggling with some form of mental health issue. And, according to Thierry Malleret and Klaus Schwab, in their best-selling book, COVID-19: The Great Reset, it will only get worse. Why? Because the two things needed most for sound mental health are connectivity and coping skills. Connectivity refers to the social need of humans to connect with one another. Coping skills refer to practices and techniques that can be employed to maintain sound mental health. Conversely, the two things that lead to mental health issues the most are loneliness and lack of coping skills. Because of the required quarantines, and the resulting lack of access to personal support individuals, fitness professionals, and other lifestyle coaches and mentors, COVID has greatly exacerbated the latter two. Mental health/mental illness has historically been
thought of as a continuum with no or low mental illness at one end, mild forms of mental illness such as mild depression and anxiety in the middle, and high mental illness, in the form of clinically diagnosable diseases such as schizophrenia, psychosis and depression, at the other end. It was thought people moved back and forth on this continuum based on their chemical makeup, physiology, and life events. In this model, holistic practices such as exercise, nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices played a very small role. However, the Mental Wellness Initiative of the Global Wellness Institute has developed a Dual Continuum Model of Mental Health. This new model retains the traditional, horizontal continuum discussed above but also includes a vertical continuum that goes from languishing at the bottom to flourishing at the top. People move up and down this vertical continuum based on coping skills they employ to improve their mental wellness no matter what their clinical, pathogenic condition. In the Dual Continuum Model of Mental Wellness/ Mental Illness, the horizontal axis deals with mental illness/health. It is pathogenic in nature. In other words, it deals with the disease of mental illness. It is health care. It often requires medication, psychoanalysis and, at times, institutionalization. The vertical axis deals with mental wellness/wellbeing. It is salutogenic in nature. In other words, it deals with the factors that support human health and well-being, rather than the factors that cause disease. It is more focused on self-care and what the individual can do to help improve their sense of well-being. An individual can flourish regardless of their clinical mental health condition if they employ the proper coping skills. Conversely, someone with no clinical mental health condition can languish if they do not have proper coping skills This is especially true during a time of great mental stress such as during the COVID pandemic. What are some of the coping skills that can be employed? Exercise, proper nutrition, mind-body practices like yoga and meditation, having a proper support system of friends, family, lifestyle coaches and mentors, are just a few examples. Again, the horizontal continuum deals with health
care and is primarily the responsibility of the medical community, while the vertical continuum deals with self-care and is primarily the responsibility of the individual. Obviously, in the Dual Continuum Model, exercise and movement are a critical part of the vertical continuum and play a vital role in helping people go from languishing to flourishing regardless of their medically diagnosable condition. You would think that everyone knows and accepts this position, but nothing could be further from the truth. For the most part, the medical community still deals with the single, horizontal continuum and looks at mental health as a pathogenic condition that requires a medical solution. Because of this mentality, very rarely are treatments for mental health/illness fully integrated programs that include holistic, healthy lifestyle choices such as exercise, nutrition, and mind-body practices along with conventional ones, such as medication, psychoanalysis, and institutionalization. And the worst thing is that, because most people do not have or know about proper coping skills, they accept this form of treatment as the only solution. They abdicate their health, happiness, and sense of well-being to the health care community. Why? Because they do not know what else to do -- lack of coping skills. And why doesn’t the medical community integrate movement and healthy lifestyle choices into their treatment? Because they are not sure it actually works. The John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation is trying to flip that paradigm. It has compiled a comprehensive synthesis of all published scientific evidence over three decades on the link between exercise and mental health. This free report and the accompanying data visualization identifies the evidence, delivers an overview and summary of the results, describes overall trends in the literature, and provides an interactive way for people to explore the studies in an easy online interface. A key recommendation: exercise should be prescribed for depression, and be supported and monitored for 12 weeks, similar to physical therapy after an injury. To our knowledge, our report is the first of its kind. It is hoped that this report will help legitimize in the eyes of the medical community the benefits of exercise in promoting mental wellness and preventing mental illness. According to Dr. Deepak Chopra, an integrative medicine pioneer, and New York Times bestselling
author, “This synthesis of the evidence by the John W. Brick Foundation makes it clear that exercise and movement practices are key to mental health and paves the way for physical activity to be recognized and integrated as a key component of mental health promotion and treatment.” To view the Move Your Mental Health Report, please visit the John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation.
About The Author
C. VICTOR BRICK, M.ED C. Victor Brick, MEd, is the founder of the John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation and the founder and CEO of Planet Fitness Growth Partners. He is a member of the Board of Advisors of the Johns Hopkins Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, a member of the Board of Advisors of the Global Wellness Summit, and a member of the Mental Wellness Initiative of the Global Wellness Institute. To Learn More Visit: www.johnwbrickfoundation.org
