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Articles on mental health concerns and wellness

New podcast episode - Promoting Positivity in a Negative Environment

3/16/2021

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Rich Lombino Counseling therapist therapy podcast amplify insight wilmington delaware philadelphia west chester Pennsylvania
New podcast episode: Promoting Positivity in a Negative Environment. Social Worker Polly Jansen and I discuss how to keep and promote positivity in all of our lives during challenging times. Please subscribe, rate and comment, and share this podcast on social media and otherwise. Available on Apple, Google, Pandora and Spotify.
Unedited Transcript

Rich Lombino
Hey everyone, it's Rich Lombino, therapist and lawyer. Welcome and thanks for joining. In this podcast, I explored topics for maintaining good mental health, expanding your knowledge, developing insight and creating and sustaining behavior change with the goal of improving the quality of your personal and professional lives. Alright. Let's get started.
Today's topic is promoting positive ITI in a negative environment. With me is Polly Jansen. Hey Polly, how you doing.
Polly
Good, how are you?
Rich
Yeah, yeah, pretty good. How about we start if you want to tell the listeners a little bit about yourself.
Polly
Sure. So I've been in the field of social work approximately 25 years. I am currently working for the State of Delaware as a clinical services administrator. I work in a community mental health program called the Promise program, and the division is the division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.
Polly
And basically we work with adults with certain mental health diagnosis and we help get them connected with Community providers with the goal of helping them to stabilize in the community and keep them out of hospitals.
Polly
And then I have a staff of.
Polly
8.
Polly
Care managers and they each have case loads of people that they see in the community and then they just make sure that they're getting the services that they need.
Polly
So prior to that I also worked in the youth field for many years I worked in.
Polly
Basically the the child welfare field in Philadelphia.
Polly
I work for the City of Philadelphia and I was a case worker.
Polly
I was a supervisor and I also worked in the staff Development Department into training.
Polly
So I did that for several years and I've also worked in foster care and residential work with youth, so that was my.
Polly
Pretty much my my work prior to what I'm doing now.
Rich
What do you think Drew you to the field of social work and and helping people in that way?
Polly
My father was a probation officer.
Polly
My parents were both teachers, so I guess I became interested in it through them at 1st and then I had.
Polly
Some friends in college who were in social work and I was.
Polly
Actually it came came into school as a journalism major and decided that wasn't for me and I was kind of trying to explore different.
Polly
Fields and I took a couple classes and it was a really good fit.
Polly
I decided I really liked it and.
Polly
Guess that the rest is history.
Rich
Yeah, 25 years later, that's great.
Polly
I know right time flies.

5.
Rich
And it's and it's rewarding.
Rich
Being in like a supervisory role as as well as in the past doing the direct service yourself.
Polly
Yes, definitely.
Polly
I think right now, it's just it's it's good to be able to educate people and kind of share the experiences that I've had.
Polly
And then just to see people really grow in their own careers.
Polly
So I really enjoyed that aspect of it.
Rich
Great great alright.
Rich
So how do we shift to the topic at hand here?
Rich
Promoting positive ITI in a negative environment which you suggested and I think it's great especially.
Rich
What we're dealing with a year in, so how would you you know, introduce the topic or or define it what we're talking?
Polly
About well, yeah, I think.
Polly
It's it's something that's really important. This, yeah, like you said, this year is been really traumatic for everyone. It's been taking a toll on everyone's mental health with the pandemic.
Polly
Socially, not being able to see your friends and family, you know not having your normal routine like you would.
Polly
Uh.
Polly
Kind of being.
Polly
Trapped in in your house for so long and you know a lot of people are working remotely, but other people have had a lot of other traumatic effects.
Polly
Loss of job.
Polly
Loss of income.
Polly
An an an then it just in general the political climate has been difficult for people this year, so I think it's just been a lot to handle and it's just really been hard to keep a positive outlook.
Polly
And it's something that's important to me because I feel like normally I'm I'm.
Polly
Pretty positive, pretty upbeat, but this year has been a struggle for me and I've kind of had to reevaluate the way that I look at my life and and how I approach.
Polly
Every day in my work and my relationships.
Polly
So so yeah, I just I just have a couple of points to make that that kind of have helped me through this that I wanted to share.
Polly
I think first of all, just checking in with yourself and your feelings.
Polly
You know it's it's been, it's been so so difficult.
Polly
A man and I think we don't really take time out to really allow ourselves to feel. Sometimes right, right? You know you don't want to sugarcoat your life. You don't want to say everything's OK and I can go on. You really want to check in like, how am I really feeling today?
Polly
Uh, even like scale one to 10.
Polly
Maybe today is really really down day, like I'm a I'm a 2 today.
Polly
But just kind of to give yourself a baseline to really, really be honest with yourself.
Polly
And then.
Rich
Yeah, and what how would you compare like the baseline as far as your usual baseline versus, you know how you feel in that particular day?
Rich
How could that be valuable if you're able to determine that?
Polly
Yeah, I think it.
Polly
It just kind of gives you perspective on you know what's really going on on.
Polly
You know if I'm normally at an 8 but today I'm gonna do what's what's going on, is it?
Polly
You know things would work and I just really.
Polly
In a bad space today, like I'm I'm bogged down.
Polly
With all this happening, I'm reading too many news headlines.
Polly
Maybe an it's just really affected my mood.
Polly
Maybe I'm struggling with some relationships, so I think you know, kind of looking at where you normally are and where, where you are on any given day can kind of help give you at least a perspective and then maybe give you a goal.
Polly
To say hey, what can I do to increase my number and maybe have a better number tomorrow?
Rich
Yeah, that's a really good point I.

Uh-huh
Rich
I think it probably also could help with not having like catastrophic thinking like things have been going pretty well for two weeks and then you have a really bad day and it could.
Polly
Right?
Rich
It could be very easy to be like Oh my God, you know this is how it's going to be every day or you know, as opposed to well look, look at it more.
Polly
Uh-huh
Rich
What is your perspective?
Rich
If you just look at today as opposed to, well, how have I been feeling it mean that could kind of.
Rich
I think also kind of put things in better perspective so that that particular day you actually won't wind up feeling as bad as as your initial reaction.
Polly
Right, absolutely yeah.
Polly
And then kind of going along with that.
Polly
Like what you said, you know you don't want to think catastrophic LY like everything is going to go wrong.
Polly
From then on.
Polly
You know you want to try to stay president and focus on today, and that's something that's been really hard this year.
Polly
With all that's going on.
Polly
You know we're thinking about what's going to happen in the future.
Polly
You know what's going to happen tomorrow?
Polly
You know what other restrictions are there going to be or?
Polly
You know, every every day this year is has been something something else.
Polly
It seems like when you turn on the news.
Polly
So it's it's something that I really.
Polly
Struggled with myself like OK, I need to really try to focus on today.
Polly
What can I do today?
Polly
What decisions can I make today?
Polly
What can I you know, control with my with my attitudes with my behaviors.
Polly
What can I do today to really to really be present and avoid being overwhelmed?

Right?


Rich
Right, well, that's I mean, that's all at best.
Rich
That's all we have control over is our own own thoughts and actions.
Polly
Right absolutely.
Rich
And when all of these.
Rich
Things are going on around us, you know, not not much.
Rich
Good news in the world.
Rich
Typically it focusing on the the external could really bring down your your internal.

Uh-huh
Polly
Right absolutely.
Rich
OK.
Polly
And then kind of stemming from that.

See.
Polly
I try to think of the positive things that are going on.
Polly
I have a friend on social media who posts.
Polly
Almost every couple weeks tell me something good and it basically is like tell me something good that happened to you today and so people will post things you know just really simple things like meeting exercise goals.
Polly
I got outside and walk today around my neighborhood.
Polly
I caught up with a friend, you know, even.
Polly
Via zoom.
Polly
I finished the house project or.
Polly
I got a package in the Mail that I was waiting on or something like that or or or.
Polly
I just got through the day and kept my sanity intact an.
Polly
I, I think it's really a good thing to focus you like it's not all doom and gloom.
Polly
You can focus on what what has happened in your life, what?
Polly
What is something positive that happened today?
Polly
So I really I really do appreciate that that he does that, and so I really try to take that to heart.
Rich
Yeah, that's really sweet.
Polly
Miller
Rich
'cause it's.
Rich
It's not just him doing it himself for his own benefit.
Rich
It's, you know, putting it out into the world and you know we're so busy and professionally personally very easily kind of just gloss over that.
Polly
Yeah, absolutely.
Rich
Not even not even recognize that.
Polly
Right absolutely.
Rich
Yep, OK.
Polly
And then I think going along with that is just practicing gratitude.
Polly
You know it's not just thinking of things that you are thankful for, like your family or friends having shelter, employment, but just expressing gratitude to others just for the positive impact that they have.
Polly
You know, compliments positive feedback.
Polly
Just simple kindness is, I think, just really do mean the world to people.
Polly
Up
Polly
I have one example that I just.
Polly
I was blown away we have yeah Christmas decoration in our window it's a leg lamp from the Christmas story.
Polly
It's funny 'cause I I, it's hilarious.
Polly
We love it.
Polly
We've had it for years and we put in our front window every Christmas and we got this card in our door that someone some stranger left in our door randomly and just said I I look forward to your lamp in the window every year.
Rich
Yeah.
Polly
It just makes me happy an my husband and I love it and especially this year I just wanted to say thank you.
Polly
And somebody just did that.
Polly
You know, out of the blue and I just like this is the nicest thing and you know, it's a complete stranger.

Wow.
Polly
They didn't sign their name.
Polly
You know they just wanted to say thank you and.
Polly
You know it's just simple.
Polly
Things like that are really, really makes a difference for people.
Rich
Right, and even yeah.
Rich
I mean, that's another example of like kind of just doing something that made you guys happy and then it has an effect on.

Uh-huh
Rich
Probably not just that person, because yeah, I don't know who wouldn't crack up if I know.
Rich
And I know get inspired.
Rich

Rich
Inspired.
Rich
They drove fast.
Rich
It's so it's so funny.
Polly
Yeah, so just just simple things that you don't even realize the impact that you can have on someone else.
Rich
Right right uh-huh, that's cool.
Rich
Thanks for sharing that.
Rich
For sharing that exam.
Rich

Rich
Yeah, yeah.
Polly
I think also just scheduling time to do the things that you enjoy, but also even trying new things.
Polly
You know, it's one thing we always say we should exercise more.
Polly
We want to work on our favorite hobby more, but it's always hard to really take that first step to actually do it and make time for it.
Polly
An I think sometimes for me.
Polly
You know, I kind of look at my week and I'm like, OK, let me make time on these days and I'm going to.
Polly
Go out for a run on these days or.
Polly
I had I.
Polly
Had some friends who they were kind of creative during the pandemic.
Polly
They one of them started an online exercise class and one of them was streaming live music and they would.
Polly
You know, put it out there that I'm going to do a class on this day and I'm going to stream my live music this day.
Polly
Can you please?
Polly
You know?
Polly
You know, during the live stream, and I'll be like, oh, OK, you know everybody's kind of zoomed out a little bit, you know, but I'm like let me let me try to do this and so I I participated in a couple of those things and they were really fun an and just. You know, being able to share that with somebody. You know something that was was completely new.
Polly
You know we we haven't done this before.
Polly
We're not.
Polly
You know, doing things on zoom, you know?
Polly
Before this though.
Rich
Oh no, no.
Rich
Yeah, no.
Rich
It's it's especially with creative people, you know.
Rich
Hey I need to get this creativity out in some way.

Yeah.
Rich
You know if I can't I can't play in a bar brewery or whatever, or winery or just outside somewhere inside somewhere I gotta, I gotta figure something to get it out and bring joy to other.

Uh-huh
Polly
People's lives, Yep, absolutely.
Polly
So yeah, it was.
Polly
It was really nice, neat, and it really kind of really just boosted people spirits, you know, just to see see that and you know just to try something new.
Rich
So you you planning anything you you or what?
Polly
Oh, not not especially.
Polly
But I have I one thing I did start doing again was I started playing the piano again.
Polly
I haven't done that for years and I'm like well I need an outlet 'cause you know it's kovid winter and.
Polly
You know I need something to do something fun, so that's something I started doing again an then playing with my husbands band mates and it's been a lot of fun.

Oh wow.
Polly
So yeah, you know I'm like OK let me let me try to put myself out there and and you know, take a take a risk and try something.
Polly
They haven't done in awhile, so so yeah, it's it's.
Polly
It's definitely has helped, definitely.
Polly
Has helped with my my whole outlook and and my attitude.
Polly
So yeah, it's been fun.
Rich
Yeah, now I'm really happy for you reconnecting with an instrument.
Polly
Yeah.
Rich
This is really the time to do it and I thought I thought this story was just going to be like, hey, I have my upright piano or keyboard and my my place and I'm just playing but he took it to a whole another level.
Rich
Like no.
Polly
Right?
Rich
I'm going all in.
Rich
I'm jamming with the band and that's really cool.
Polly
Yeah.
Polly
Yeah, it's done well, it's fun.

OK.
Polly
It's been fun, so Yep.
Rich
Right, so how do you want to sum things up here?
Rich
Or if there's anything else that you want to you want?
Polly
To yeah that was.
Polly
Those are kind of the main points and I just I just think that you know, kind of reminding ourselves, focusing on positive ITI is just important as we.
Polly
Continue to move forward.
Polly
I think we're seeing a lot of light at the end of the tunnel.
Polly
You know, with the with the pandemic we've got a lot of positive things coming with.
Polly
You know the vaccine being rolled out.
Polly
Uhm?
Polly
An it's you know good to see the numbers dropping everything but you know we're still in uncertain times and I think it's.
Polly
Just important to focus on the things that we can control.
Polly
You know our attitudes, our decisions are behaviors.
Polly
Just to help us avoid becoming overwhelmed and then also reaching out to friends, I think is really important.
Polly
You know you think you're dealing with this.
Polly
Obviously everybody is dealing with the same thing, but you often kind of get wrapped up in yourself in your own situation, and I think it's important to reach out to friends and family when you need to, because there are sharing the same feelings that you are.
Polly
And they can be a support to you even if you don't realize.
Rich
Right, no, that's a good point, because if we start feeling isolated, that's only going to exacerbate any negative feelings that you may have going on.
Polly
Yeah, absolutely.
Rich
Well, Polly, really appreciate you your time and positive iti sharing.
Rich
You know you're really positive person in general, so I think not just having knowledge on this topic but really being able to infuse that positive energy.
Rich
Obviously into this episode, but into into your life and the lives of those around you, which is.
Rich
Please keep that keep that going alright.

Alright.


Polly
Thank you.
Rich
Alright, so take care.
Polly
Alright thanks you too.
Rich
Well, that's it for this podcast episode.
Rich
Please subscribe, rate and comment and share on social media and otherwise.
Rich
Is it rich lambino?
Rich
Dot com to learn more about my counseling practice.
Rich
See how to contact me?
Rich
Connect with me on social media and we might blogon E books to learn about other topics.
Rich
Most importantly, if you or someone you know we're looking for more support, I'm here for you.
Rich
Look forward to you joining me for other podcast episodes.
Rich
Take care and be well.

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