Your Zen Friend

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a three part breath often used in the yoga tradition.  This three part breath work will help you to feel more calm, grounded and peaceful.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult wi...

Send Lauren a text! Have you ever gotten up at the crack of dawn to get your child to a sport's game on time? Have you stood outside in the burning heat or the freezing cold to cheer them on? Have you taken vacation time in order to attend games or tournaments and used porta pottys that have given you nightmares? If you have answered yes to any of these questions then this episode is for you!...

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a short meditation designed to help you offer yourself compassion and gentleness on difficult days.  We all have moments or days when we feel  emotions that are umpleasant. I hope this mediation will help you to be kind and nurturing to yourself when you are feeling low.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes onl...

Send Lauren a text! Whether you feel stylish and trendy or have no idea where to start when it comes to putting outfits together, you are in for a big treat! I am super excited to have an interview with Jennifer Mackey-Mary. Jennifer has been styling women for over twenty years and is here to share her wisdom on: how you can be comfortable while also looking great how understanding your body shape...

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a short meditation designed to help you feel more calm, relaxed and peaceful.  This is a great mediation to do anytime but especially nice to do during a hectic or busy day. Enjoy! This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological...

Send Lauren a text! On this episode I'll tell you about the benefits of tweens and teens engaging in activities such as participating in sports or clubs. I'll also tell you about the downside of tweens and teens being overscheduled. From kids who have no time to get their homework done to kids who experience constant stress or even have their mental health impacted negatively by doing to...

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a short meditation designed to help you feel safe and grounded.  This is a great mediation to do anytime but especially if you are feeling anxious, stressed or overwhelmed.  Enjoy!  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychologica...

Send Lauren a text! On this episode fan favorite, interior designer Don Richards is back once again! Zen Friends have written in with their home decorating dilemmas and Don has answers. Don will answer three different listener questions including, grandparents who needs a solution to a room in a home that they will sell in the next two years, a newly single mom who has a brand new rental home and...

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a short meditation designed to help you understand why your anxiety is present right now and allow you to be with it in a way that will help to decrease it.  This guided meditation will help you to connect with the sensations of anxiety and help you to check in to better understand why your anxiety is present for you right now. Wheth...

Send Lauren a text! This episode is the 2nd in a two part series on anxiety. If you haven't listened to Ep# 75, "How to Prevent Anxiety Symptoms," it might be helpful to listen to Ep#75 first.  On this episode I'll tell you how my anxiety symptoms show up for me. Think racing heart, loss of appetite and some other not so fun symptoms that I'll share with you. I'll als...

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a short meditation designed to help you feel less anxious.  The guided meditation will help you to connect with the sensations of anxiety and help you to be less afraid of feeling anxious. When we can sit with our anxious part and allow it to be present and seen it often gets smaller. Doing this meditation on a regular basis is a goo...

Send Lauren a text! As a a mental health therapist I specialize in helping individuals to heal from anxiety disorders. And one reason why I have a  good understanding of anxiety is that I too experience anxiety at times. And while anxiety is zero fun deal with there is some good news. There is a lot you can do proactively to help prevent anxiety symptoms. On this episode I'll share what I do...

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a mediation designed to help you rest in wellbeing. This meditation is perfect for when you would like to feel deeply relaxed and let go of stress or tension.  This meditation was loosely taken from the book, Resilience; Powerful Practices for Bouncing Back from Disappointment, Difficulty and Even Disaster by Linda Graham, MFT - You...

Send Lauren a text! On this episode naturopathic physician, Dr. Shawn Carney is here to talk about ADHD, (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and other challenges with focus and how he treats this symptom in children and adults. We will talk about how Dr. Carney searches like a detective to get to the root cause of  focus issues, how Dr. Carney's approach differs from traditional wester...

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through setting an intention for your day. Whether it's the beginning of your day or smack, dab in the middle, this is a great mediation for being more mindful and intentional.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treat...

Send Lauren a text! If you are a parent of a tween or teen you have probably been on the receiving end of eye rolls and attitude. You know, where you say something to your kid and in return they roll their eyes at you or give a snarky response like, ''whatever." On this episode we will talk about ways to respond to eye rolls and attitude that are helpful and the ways we often respon...

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a short mediation based on author Kristen Neff's steps on taking a, "Self Compassion Break."  This meditation is perfect for days that are difficult. Whether you are dealing with stress at work, worry about a loved one or physically feel unwell, this mediation will help you to care for yourself in a loving way that is...

Send Lauren a text! On this episode, Zen Friend and fan favorite, Don Richards is back to talk interior design on a budget. We will talk about some common problem areas that can be challenging to make beautiful in homes.  We will also talk about how to make your home work for you now instead of decorating for a fantasy self. Ever wondered what your options are for an easy fix for a popcorn ceiling...

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a meditation for when you are feeling worried about your child. It can be helpful to sit with difficult emotions. I hope this meditation brings you some peace and calm.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment...

Send Lauren a text! It is super challenging to parent a tween or teen who is experiencing symptoms of anxiety. On this episode I will break down common symptoms of kids who are experiencing anxiety and I'll let you know what behaviors kids often exhibit when they are feeling anxious. I'll especially focus on one particular way that kids demonstrate that they are feeling anxious or worrie...

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a short mediation designed to you invite in stillness and silence.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health provider in order to care for your physi...

Send Lauren a text! Using humor with your tweens and teens is a fun and effective way to connect! On this episode I'll give you suggestions for ways to use humor with your kids to make and keep connections. I'll also give you some examples for how you can use humor to reconnect after you and your child have had an argument or just feel disconnected. For the second half of the episode, my...

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a mediation designed to help you to release some stress and tension and feel more calm and grounded. Enjoy!  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental health therapy or psychological treatment of any kind. Please consult with your doctor or mental health...

Send Lauren a text! As a parent of a tween or teen your patience is tested on a regular basis! Gone are the days when your kids thought you were the most beautiful, amazing person in the world. Instead you get eye rolls and snarky comments and can often end your day feeling defeated.   On this episode I will tell you what you can do in order to help you stay calm, cool and collected with your kids...

Send Lauren a text! On this Drop of Zen I will guide you through a short and very sweet mediation designed to help you to connect with yourself and feel more calm and grounded. This meditation is perfect to help you take a quick break during a hectic or stressful day. Enjoy!  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and not intended to be a replacement for diagnosis, mental...