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HEALING ARTS As a Certified
Grief Recovery Specialist, I help grievers find completion to the pain connected to their loss so they can get more out of life.
The Power of Playfulness
• One on one sessions • Online or in-person • 7-week action program • Evidence Based Method
by Marlaina Donato
Jennica S. Klemann
Advanced Certified Grief Recovery Specialist 6812 N. Oracle Rd. #100 • 520-850-8151
Photo by Alex Shutin on Unsplash
GriefReliefWithJennica.com
24
Tucson Edition
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irth has been a memory for most of us this past year; something that we need now more than ever. White-knuckle survival and transition can drain neurotransmitters, those chemical messengers vital for strong immunity and good mental health. Taking a vacation from seriousness just might be what the doctor ordered. As kids, we rarely turned down an opportunity to roll in the grass, laugh ourselves into bellyaches or catch a wave of spontaneous fun. With the advent of adulthood, pouring a drink or going on a shopping spree often becomes a knee-jerk relaxation strategy, leaving the option for nourishing play in the distant past. Recent research shows what kids and kittens already know: Snippets of playtime are good for the soul and provide benefits like reduced depression, stronger emotional resilience and higher productivity on the job. A study by Martin Luther University HalleWittenberg, in Germany, published last year in the journal Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being suggests that even serious, poker-faced humans can train themselves to be more playful. Postponing levity accomplishes nothing and doesn’t solve today’s problems, yet we may find it almost impossible to grab downtime without guilt gnawing away at our joy. Try making a to-do list that is solely dedicated to pure, inner-child-approved, illogical fun. Some activities to consider penciling into the calendar:
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