Category: Resilience

Moving forward after an allergic reaction

7/26/2020

If you've ever experienced an allergic reaction, or witnessed your child experiencing one, then you're likely familiar with how it can feel afterwards - once the reaction is over. These emotions and thoughts may include feelings such as fear, worry, sadness, or even guilt, and explorations to try and understand what happened in order to prevent it from happening again.

For some, they may process through this phase quickly, while others take longer. Some may even find themselves becoming stuck along the way, unable to find their way back to navigating food allergies confidently.

New podcast episode on this topic!

In episode 9 of the Exploring Food Allergy Families podcast, I'm joined by fellow allergy-informed clinician, psychologist Fawn McNeil-Haber, PhD.

Together, we explore common feelings and thoughts that many may feel for days, weeks or even months after a reaction. We explore how those emotional reactions may lead to common behavioral changes and actions. Additionally, we share strategies to help people through this while on the journey back to confidently managing food allergies. [These tips may be helpful for parents and allergic kids, teens, and adults].

Listen to Episode 9 here, or find it via your favorite podcast app!

Helpful Resources:

Below are helpful resources mentioned during our chat, as well as others that may prove useful after an allergic reaction:

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5 Steps to Build Confidence & Navigate Food Allergy Vulnerabilities

5/14/2020

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The latest podcast episode of Exploring Food Allergy Families was inspired by stories I've read about within food allergy support groups, experiences my clients (and I) have had, and of course, Brene Brown! You truly can't explore the topic of vulnerability without including what Brene's research has unveiled.

Vulnerability felt like an important topic to begin discussing because the truth is, we will all feel feelings of vulnerability throughout our lives. When we fall in love. When we put ourselves out there for others to see. And of course, when we navigate life with food allergies or other allergic conditions.

This 15-minute episode covers the following aspects of vulnerability:

The standard definition versus Brene Brown's definition
HOW and IF weakness plays a role in vulnerability
Real life examples from Brene's research
What role time plays in vulnerability and lack of confidence in managing allergies
Food allergy-related vulnerability examples
5 steps to work WITH vulnerability rather than AGAINST it

You can find Episode 03 here. Missed the other episodes covering the intro to the podcast (4 mins), and what survey responses from 90 food allergy dads revealed (26 mins)?

Find them here via the podcast website, or find Exploring Food Allergy Families on your favorite podcast app!

Additionally, below is the "Take Home Challenge" handout associated with Episode 03, which can also be found in the "Exploring Food Allergy Families Podcast - Take Home Challenge" section of the Food Allergy Mental Health Resource page.

And while it may be tempting to just read the handout without listening to the episode, the additional context within the episode is extremely helpful as well!

5 Steps to Navigate Vulnerability & Food Allergies (Handout)
File Size:	76 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

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But how are you really doing?

4/8/2020

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For many of us, we're well into week three or four of social distancing and sheltering-in-place.

So we've got this whole thing down pretty well by now, and our emotions aren't quite as scattered or intense, right? NOT NECESSARILY!

Here's the thing you really need to hear: All of your feelings are normal!

There are so many changes happening on a weekly (or daily) basis, that our feelings are likely going to go through phases. Unfortunately, there's no specific road map when it comes to feelings, especially those of grief.

Image credit unknown; based on work from David Kessler

STAGES OF GRIEF:
The image above helps illustrate how our emotions might ebb and flow through this COVID pandemic. David Kessler, a grief expert who co-authored books with fellow grief expert Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, recently explored the feelings of grief we can expect to feel during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this Harvard Business Review interview, Kessler explored anticipatory grief and anxiety, and the importance of remembering that people don't move through the stages of grief in a linear manner.

What does that mean? Simply put, we can move through these stages, and suddenly find ourselves back at a previous stage. While making your way to acceptance is the ideal goal, that timeline will look different for everyone.

You may feel mentally stronger one day than the next. One week you may feel more motivated than you did the previous week. Recognize that this is normal and expected given the current circumstances, and be more patient and compassionate with yourself and others as we navigate these new, ever-changing waters.

BUT HOW ARE YOU *REALLY* DOING?
Sure, it's important to gain an understanding of expected emotional responses during times of crisis. But do you know what else is important?

Just checking in with one another and genuinely asking: HOW ARE YOU DOING?

So here goes.....

To those that are parents: How are your nerves holding up? Are you giving yourself some extra grace right now?
To the medical/healthcare providers: I see you, and I thank you! I know you’re being strong, but how are you really feeling? It’s okay to not be a strong rock at all times. So what are you doing for yourself and your wellness right now? How are you coping?
To those that are sheltering-in-place alone: How are you staying connected with others? Truly, what are you feeling these days? What do you need more of to comfort you right now?
To my mental health and counseling peers: How are you holding up? And don’t feel you have to give a “therapized” answer! Have you found it hard holding others’ emotions while navigating the same situation/feelings? What are you doing for your own well-being right now?

Taking the time to reach out to those in your world to see how they are holding up - just a bit of time to focus on others - can be a great way to step out of your own overwhelming emotions for a bit, too. Just be a listener, a supporter, and an empathetic ear to someone you think might need it most right now.

HELPFUL FA COMMUNITY COVID-19 RESOURCES: