For most of us, the more we become aware, work with or sit with our feelings, the harder it can feel. We haven’t been given all the tools to deal with our emotions and feelings, so we can often feel bad, wrong, or like we’re failing, which couldn’t be farther from the truth. Lisa Olivera, LMFT is on the show today to talk about how we start to learn the tools, embrace the all the feels of life, and how to start building your emotional toolbox to feel more equipped to be fully present and fully alive.

 

About Lisa Olivera

Lisa Olivera is a licensed marriage and family therapist and writer in Oakland, California. She has a private practice and shares her writing and work on Instagram as a way to support more people in accessing the tools often only found in therapy. She is passionate about working with people on unraveling their stories, developing more self-compassion and self-acceptance, leaning deeper into vulnerability, and finding more fulfillment, joy, and presence in their relationships with life, others and themselves.

Small Steps in the Show: 

• Acknowledge that all feelings are okay
• Learn how to trust yourself with your feelings
• Gather tools and support that make it easier to know you can handle feeling all of the feelings
• Reminding yourself of times when you’ve felt all the feelings to increase your capacity
• Set aside 1-2 times in the day or the week to start writing
• Consider giving yourself prompts or topics that feel relevant, things that happened during the day or what you’re working on/through
• Consider a guided journal
• Embrace curiosity, especially around the uncertain things
• Practice non-attachment or letting go of the outcome
• Spend time in nature/go for a walk
• Try breathwork with youtube videos, books, courses or apps
• Try writing as a way to process, explore and go inward
• Try meditation at any length to start
• Build a community and connect with others
• Using mindfulness and self compassion practices
• Check in with your basic needs (food, water, sleep, getting your health checked out)
• Implementing routines and rituals that are meaningful for you, no matter how big or small

Mentioned in the Show:

Lisa’s feature in the New York Times

Lisa’s post about being truly, fully alive

Self Compassion by Kristen Neff

Today I Affirm By Alex Elle

Morning Pages from The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Insight Timer

Lisa Olivera’s Website

Follow Lisa on Instagram

 

Get the full show notes here!

Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.