News: June 2023

June is National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month!

If you are one of the 45 million Americans who suffer from tension, migraine, or cluster headaches, you're probably familiar with the stigma that accompanies these conditions. For many, headaches can be debilitating, interfering with daily life and activities.

Sufferers are often met with misconceptions about their condition, and a lack of understanding when their symptoms prohibit them from meeting goals and expectations. Stigma can make people with headache conditions feel discouraged and invalidated, leading to depression, anxiety, and poor quality of life. The mental distress of stigma leads to more headache attacks, and a vicious cycle ensues.

National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month strives to reduce stigma by educating people about headaches and migraines, and encouraging headache sufferers to speak up, tell their stories, and advocate for themselves.

A supportive social environment can make a huge difference for people with headache conditions, easing mental distress and building resilience in the face of severe symptoms. This can include online support communities, which are helpful for connecting with others who offer empathy and understanding.

You know what else works wonders for headaches? Massage! The evidence is not only in the research, but also in the clients I help in my practice and the thousands of happy comments on my headache self-massage YouTube videos. (Do them even if you don't get headaches. They feel amazing!)

Research: Massage Therapy and Frequency of Chronic Tension Headaches

Research: Massage for Migraine

Anxiety Relief in 5 Minutes! 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise

Are you struggling with anxiety? If so, you are not alone. We live in a very fast-paced, high-tech, and ever-changing society that values productivity and 80-hour workweeks - at the expense of our health and wellbeing. To live healthy, fulfilling lives, we need to find ways to reduce our anxiety, so that our bodies and brains can function optimally.

Follow along with me as we practice an effective breathing exercise to melt away anxiety. It's a quick technique that you can use anytime, anywhere, to calm your nerves, soothe your mind, and relax your body. A few slow, deep breaths go a long way!

What's new with me ...

The weather is warm and Sienna and I spend countless hours in playgrounds. She swings non-stop - there should be some sort of award.

This is an eventful month. My mom has a big birthday this weekend, and the family is gathering on Long Island to celebrate. I have a not-as-big birthday in another week, and Jesse and I just celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary. And we still like each other!