From Stress Relief to Self-Discovery: How Hobbies Enhance Wellbeing with Online Therapy In Maryland

Finding hobbies you enjoy is a terrific supplement to online therapy in Maryland.

Part of providing online therapy in Maryland is helping clients become educated and empowered about their mental health. I was delighted to help contribute to an article about the role of hobbies in mental health for the website Partners In Fire. My thoughts about this are below, and feel free to read the online article by Melanie Allen here.

Supporting and nurturing good mental health is a day-in, day-out process, and includes what we do in our free time. When we do have down time, many of us try to relax in front of some sort of screen, watching videos and shows, or spending time on social media. While those activities can be enjoyable, they aren’t giving us a lot of mental health benefits and often don’t do much to meaningfully reduce our stress outside that moment. I kind of think of these kinds of activities as just putting the brain on pause for a bit. Sometimes that’s the best we can do and we just need that break. We should go ahead and enjoy that show or that funny video and be kind to ourselves about needing a breather. But the challenge is that once that activity is done and we “hit play” again, we’re often right back to where we were before that pause time. These kinds of activities don’t give a lot back to us after we’re done and it’s nice to get some added benefits beyond just a pause. Thankfully, there are plenty of hobbies that are extremely helpful in boosting mood, reducing anxiety and relieving stress. Look for options that include physical activity, creative expression or appreciation, connecting with others, or time in nature.

Crafting Your Mental Wellness: Integrating Hobbies With Maryland Online Therapy

Physical activity is one of the best ways to help our nervous systems offload stress.

It doesn’t have to be vigorous exercise to be beneficial (or even what anyone would think of as “exercise” at all); just being present in our moving bodies provides rewards. You can walk, jog, bike, bird-watch, play disc golf, garden, do yoga, scrub floors or shovel snow, and so much more. All movement counts, whether it is in a gym or your home or outside.

But we get some bonuses when we head outside, whether for physical activity or just to relax. Time outside, in nature, has been shown to not only improve mood, but even improve cognitive skills such as attention and concentration. Use all your senses to take in the experience of being outside. Feel the warmth of the sun or coolness of the breeze on your skin. Listen to the birds, the wind or the sounds of your steps. Look and see what colors you see all around you in the world. Let your brain and body settle into the environment around you.

We supercharge these benefits of movement and/or being outdoors when we add in time with others. Connecting with others is vital for our health and well-being, whether it is taking a walk with a friend or simply engaging in a positive activity with others. Human beings co-regulate their nervous systems with those around them. When we join together, we share the load of managing the stress we all carry. Enlisting company also helps many of us follow through with our good intentions and plans to do things that are helpful for us. On our own it can be too easy to let these activities fall to the bottom of our priority list when we have things come up or are feeling tired or uninspired. Having a commitment to a plan with a buddy can help provide that nudge to get out the door, as planned.

Get Creative For Mental Health

Creative activities are for everyone and are great for mental health.

Creative activities, either solo or with others, stimulate our brains, allow expression, and can open us up to a state of flow. We can sing or play music, read and discuss books, try crafts or baking or any number of things we can create or explore. Plus, most of the benefits of engaging in creative activities are actually available simply from being a spectator of them as well, like going to an art museum or the theatre, or seeing some live music. For folks looking for activities at home, puzzles, board games, or even building with Legos are a great way to engage the mind, have fun and connect with others that might want to join in the fun.

You don’t have to be “good” at any of these activities in order to explore or enjoy them. Make things just for the joy or making them. Bring a spirit of play and curiosity to this exploration of creativity. There are no grades, no critiques. Sadly, many people get their creativity squashed as they grow up once their efforts are evaluated and commented upon. Left to their own devices, little children will usually create just for the experience of it. They will squish dough to see what shapes it can make and how it feels in their hands. They will swirl paint colors together to see what happens and because it feels cool to see it swish across the page. They will sing a little tune that they made up just because it popped in their head and feels fun to sing. Can you tap into that spirit of play when thinking of creative activities? I think that the fad of adult coloring books a few years ago was great for lowering the bar of expectations around creative activities. You don’t have to think of yourself as an “artist” to enjoy playing around with colors to make something interesting or beautiful.

Integrating hobbies into online therapy in maryland

Games can be a great way to connect with others and have fun.

Whatever it is that brings you to therapy, there is a good chance that incorporating hobbies into your life can be a useful and enjoyable part of your therapy treatment plans and goals.

Some themes that often come up in therapy can include:

• Being more connected with your body

• Stress management

• Managing anxiety and/or depression

• Improving relationships and social connection

• Finding your own desires and voice

• Trusting yourself and being kind to yourself

Hobbies can be a wonderful and enjoyable way to build on what you learn in therapy and work them into your life throughout the week. Try out things that you think you might enjoy. This is supposed to be fun so see if you can be led by curiosity and interest, instead of what you think you “should” want to do. Even though hobbies provide great benefits, they don’t need to turn into another chore or demand of productivity. We can do things just for the fun of it.

A free consultation For Online Therapy Maryland

If you are looking for support in finding more calm and confidence around your anxiety, please reach out. I see folks for therapy in College Park, MD and offer online therapy in Maryland. You can explore more information about my services throughout the website. Feel free to contact me for a free 15-minute phone consultation.