the health of your mind matters

Your mental health matters

because your partners mental health matters

because your child's mental health matters

because their friends and the people they come into contact with matters.

You may not have a partner, you may not have children. However, we are all connected and it's a beautiful thing.

Mental health isn't good. Mental health isn't bad, it just is. It's the way we handle and process stress, the way we speak to/treat ourselves and others. You can describe your mental health is good or bad but I challenge you to ask "what else" or as I like to say to my little yogies, "tell me more."

We are complex beings with heart, soul, stories, memories. Have conversations with one another, even yourself! Pay attention. Listen. Walk. Meditate. Sit. Journal. We can do so much for our mental well being if we slow down. Ask. Listen.

Excerpt from our Instagram post on World Mental Health Day

All images by @emilie.bers

True Roots Family Yoga was created from the "lack" of awareness I had as a child. When I was growing up, mental meath and mindfulness was taken with a strong v. weak, suck it up and push through mentality. What we learn and are exposed to as children shape who we become. These ideas become the foundation, the core of who we are, how we view ourselves, talk to ourselves and one another. As we grow into our teen years, peers become our teachers and examples shifting and reconstructing who we are and what we believe. As young adults and parents, we find ourselves in a transition once again; Who have I become? Who am I becoming? What type of partner/friend do I want to be? To myself/others? How do I want to raise my children? What foundation do I hope to provide for them?

At True Roots I want to make it a norm, to open up the dialogue of asking and checking-in. How are we feeling? Felling mad? Ok, let's feel it, move through it, talk through it and come up with a solution. Feeling excited? Great! Let's celebrate! Not the time to be super excited and high energy? Lets take 1 minute to shake and dance it out, 1 minute to slow the movement down, and then close it out with 3 breaths to re-focus and be present.

Does this mean we need to talk every. single. thing. out? No! Does this mean acknowledging their feelings making them feel seen and heard? Yes, and. It's ok to tell your kiddo that what's really going on is a small problem. It's ok to tell your kiddo they hurt someone's feelings and that feeling crummy is part of messing up. We all just want to be seen and heard. Keeping everything bottled up inside is what makes us feel trapped, alone and wanting to explode.