Dr. Simone’s Mind Space

Today’s conversation with Haruka, founder of Sayaka Matcha- handpicked and nurtured in Uji, Kyoto. Get inspired by a female business owner, mother, and international ambassador. @sayaka.matcha @drschwank @unesurcent  

Why is it so essential with boundaries kids?   Boundaries provide safety and a frame. It’s difficult to do set them, as it’s encountered, like with adults with resistance. Yet, so important in the long run. Boundaries help children learn to deal with frustration and challenges, do teach them conflict resolution.   For parents, the challenge is the containment of the child’s emotions. Keep in mind,...

Today’s conversation with a special international guest. Jessica Mahler is a holistic health coach passionate about helping people feel fully alive. Through embodiment, creative exploration, deep listening, and playful exploration, she creates spaces for transformation, empowerment, and uninhibited self-expression.   @drschwank @unesurcent Learn more at www.jessicamahler.org  

Mom guilt often hinders women from taking time for themselves, when needed the most. Your glass is empty, only a couple of drops left, yet you give even these to your surrounding, before drinking yourself.   Metaphorically: Dehydrated and exhausted, you don’t get far. Fill up your water bottle with nurturing electrolytes.   Metaphorically: Take the oxygen mask first self, before helping others.  ...

Today‘s podcast is a reflection over a professional journey with a personal interim touch. Working in the field of women’s reproductive health for most of my academic career, I was always driven to improve the situation of women across the globe, to provide a better start for future generations. In the midst of my journey to become a professional and academic expert in the field, I was challenged...

Today, after a lovely yoga class, Regina and I sat together and summarized, what we had discussed during our lovely coffee hour. Our passion for women’s health. Regina is a global woman, who lived more than half of her life in Asia. She’s seen the world and the world changing in the East. She’s a hormone yoga teacher and passionate to share her wisdom to younger generations and women of her age on...

Feeling constantly anxious, tense, or overwhelmed, a state that can be more than just a hard time—it could be toxic stress. This type of stress, we experience as all-consuming, making it hard to relax. However, with the right support and practical tools, you can regain balance and shape confidence and resilience that lasts. What is toxic stress? Toxic stress is a prolonged state of stress. It’s th...

As an emotion it has quite a negative connotation, especially in women. We’ve been brought up and society expects us to not express or show anger outwards. What happens is, an internalisation (can lead to depression) or bubble up and expresses itself through hyper anxiety, sudden rage, jealousy, and aggression. These sudden and strong feelings are difficult to contain and can cause damage, much br...

Living on a constant high speed train is mentally and physically exhausting, not only for the hyper anxious individual, but the entire surrounding. Most of the time, the anxious person is too preoccupied with the handicapping anxiety, that they’re not seeing and mentally understanding their behaviour’s impact on others.  This can lead to lots of frustration, misunderstandings, feeling hurt, extra...

Many of us have experienced a situation of anxiety, may it be public speaking or your driver’s license ride. When there is lots on stake and personal, family, and societal expectations tied to it, we tend to over estimate the amount of time people spend being present and having an opinion about it. High achievers, with high intrinsic motivation, tend to overthink, overanalyse, and catastrophize ev...

Many children and their parents discuss and struggle with the same topic over and over: keeping school and generally for adults, their “stuff” organized. In order to be successful in school and generally in life, we very clear need how to organize individual people, small and big groups. The better we keep track of things, the less time we’d actually need and the less physical and mental effort wo...

A time of excitement, anxiety, and increased stress for all family members. Expectations, visions, milestones, and goals. As a family, each member contributes to supporting each other. Every member has a responsibility to make the common goal successful. This approach gives each member autonomy to achieve the envisioned milestones. Discuss with everyone how you’d like to achieve the goal. Who’s go...

It’s holiday season and for many parents around the world, this implies travelling with kids. Maybe you visit a family member alone with your child. How to cope with solo travelling?   Some recommendations: AA as -Travel Compact -Don’t bring too many toys. New places are like lot we s of new toys -Pack using lists to organise and minimise unnecessary multiples -Comfort before price: take that taxi...

Many parents around the world struggle with sleeping patterns of their children and often themselves too. What to do? Especially, when on holiday break? It’s a challenging endeavour and can make one get to physical and mental exhaustion. It’s important to listen to oneself and one’s body’s signals. Having a different sleeping schedule comparing to the everyday life is rather normal during the holi...

What to do as working parents when daycare/ schools are closed?   The holidays weather in the northern hemisphere is usually quite a challenge. Especially, with smaller kids who can’t yet be put on skis. Many parents decide to skip the chaos up in the Swiss mountains, but where to go to get some urgently needed sunlight and not too much hassle?   Parents of small children in the lowlands of Switze...

Spending time with loved ones can be one of the greatest joys of the winter holidays. But family time can also result in conflict.   Long manifested challenging family dynamics can cause friction between members of ones and cast a shadow over happy gatherings.   There is always the family members that don’t get along. Holiday stress can amplify the already tense situation among family members, esp...

Prioritizing guilt free self care is essential. Self care is often misinterpret  as a luxury “problem”. The opposite is true, it’s an intentional practice that nurtures your emotional, spiritual, physical, and intellectual well-being.   As many are parents; especially mothers, experiencing reoccurring guilt is a big topic. Guilt for not spending enough time with the children, not giving the child...

Tips to manage the holiday break   Set boundaries find time for yourself and minimize activities that may negatively impact your mental health. You don’t need to put other people’s preferences ahead of your needs.   Communicate friendly and clearly with loved ones about your boundaries.   Your island establish a daily routine of self-care practice (yoga, meditation, skin care routine, .   Values m...

Today‘s  podcast is in conversation with Dr. Christine, live from New York and off her therapist sofa. Together with Dr. Simone, live from Hong Kong, we discussed the topic of infertility, IVF treatments, and common themes and practices in our therapy sessions.     @drschwank @unesurcent @drchristineforte @optimalperformancezurich  

Spending another research trip in beloved Shanghai, yet feel as lonely as one can feel. Arriving in the city, the central business airport and I’m the only western person passing migration. Such an experience is very interesting, yet l certainly challenging, lonely, and lost in translation, despite the language proficiency. There is something difficult to put the finger on, but it’s a small mutual...

Two generations ago, my family decided to move east and explore new territories. A fascination, admiration, and certain level of adventure certainly played a role. A love affair that I had already during early teens. Living in Shanghai was a true dream and returning for my PhD and onward research was almost too good to be true. This very research also connected my partner and me, an MD PhD with fa...

Many of us live in rush hour 24/7. Their everyday life in the hamster wheel. But how can we escape the hamster wheel and set boundaries for ourselves? How can we deal with the fear of missing out and where to say no or stop. We need to tolerate the consequences of boundary setting, for ourselves and our environment. This is also why it’s so hard, because you won’t get any positive reinforcement of...

We’re constantly on, rushing, running, trying to get a giant to-do list done. It is crucial to take some time out of your busy day, go for a 15min walk, a manicure, hair wash, facial massage, a candle light yoga time at home, something small, that’s giving you the care and nurture you need. We all need me time minutes, to be a better partner, parent, boss for our employees, including ourselves, if...

What could be more unsexy than having your doctor monitor your sex life, as intrusive as ultrasounds on a weekly basis. When under IVF treatment, or actually even before that, when trying and trying with no success, sex becomes performance driven, rather than passionate, seductive, emotionally intense, and exciting.   How can we keep this passion up and the performance pressure down?   Arrange dat...

Perinatal depression is a common challenge for new parents, one in 10 was the common standard. Perinatal mental health problems have however significantly increased during the pandemic, up to almost every other pregnant and postpartum women struggling with depression and anxiety. It is a dark place for the entire family, the couple, and the individuals. An untreated perinatal depression causes lon...