Catalyst Counseling

Even At A Distance,

We Are All Still Connected

This pandemic has changed the pace and patterns of our daily lives with breathtaking speed. So many of us are noticing that our levels of depression and anxiety have gone up considerably, but stuck at home, we don’t have access to many of the coping mechanisms we are used to relying on. We could be at home for weeks, or possibly even months, as we use social distancing to help keep our community safe. Don’t just stay inside and let the distress come to a boil. Everything is changing – maybe now is the time to look at your emotional tool kit and add a few tools for our new world?

​At Catalyst, first and foremost we are a community of healers. Not only are we experiencing the changes in our own lives, we’re witnessing our community’s pain and struggles. We want to help. We have a unique skill set – with years of combined expertise in helping individuals learn how to ground and find their center, each of us knows several exercises to help you find peace and calm. Take these videos with you on a walk, or listen in your own home – whatever works best for you.

​In each video, a clinician guides you through their favorite grounding and calming exercises. All of these videos are a little bit rough – shot in our own homes using whatever technology we have available. These videos are meant to be our own little handmade gift to you, our community. Stay safe and be well.

Allison Doyle teaches belly breathing, a deep breathing technique designed to cultivate a sense of calm and awareness.

Katherine Walter shares the Raisin exercise, an example of how Mindfulness can transform relatively mundane tasks into something novel and interesting.

Lis Bergdahl leads the 5/4/3/2/1 exercise, a coping technique for anxiety management.

Ariel Alon leads an exercise called “The Stage Show,” from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, about our ability to decide where we put our attention.

Ariel Alon shares Leaves on a Stream, from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. It is a tool for observing and noticing emotions rather than getting stuck in certain emotions.

Chris Garrido-Philp shares Practica de Respiracion Profunda (in Spanish).

Gemma Stilley leads a relaxation exercise called Progressive Muscle Relaxation.

Carlo Quedado leads a deep breathing exercise called 4.7.8 for relaxation and practicing patience.

En este video, Chris Garrido-Philp comparte algunas técnicas de meditación y respiración con la comunidad de habla hispana. ¡Esperamos que lo encuentren de utilidad! Chris Garrido-Philp shares some meditation and breathing techniques with the Spanish speaking community:

More resources are available – check out the “Resources” tab in our menu above!

Caveat: these videos are not intended to serve as counseling. If you are in crisis or need immediate support, please call Seattle’s Crisis Connections (866-427-4747) or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-800-273-8255).