Modern Wellness Counseling Therapy Techniques & Personal Training

Some of you may have noticed that one of my personal goals this year was to run my first half marathon, which I did this past June in Yellowstone! I was so happy and proud that I was able to finish, even though I was so tired and thought my legs were going to give out. But as I reflect on that training and now as I train for a full marathon, I have noticed how lessons I have learned as a therapist and in my own therapy, are also helping me as I work towards another goal. 

I know, you may be thinking, how my running experience and personal goal setting is related to mental health, but trust me, I’ve learned so much and am excited to share.

You have to slow down in order to get momentum

If you start off too fast and push too hard, you will burn yourself out. I definitely learned this the hard way, after trying to run as fast as I could during a long run, only to have to stop and walk way more than I planned to. Part of it was a lack of patience and thinking that “if I make it to the end as fast as I can, I will get it done.” Only to find out that I would dread most of the run/walk.

I see this all the time in my practice from professionals who believe they have to give it their all and then wind up experiencing compassion fatigue and burnout in a profession they once enjoyed. 

Learning to slow down when knowing you can go faster is hard, but if you want to eventually build momentum, you have to slow down first.

Enjoy the moment

For me this meant noticing the scenery, feeling the wind, noticing the water that I drank, and essentially stopping to smell the roses (yes I did that a few times). This helped instead of constantly thinking, “What mile am I at? How many more miles? Am I almost there? How much longer?”

I’m sure just reading that spiked some cortisol levels because we have all been there, it’s tough to be on a constant edge and to just want to get it over and done with. Embracing the moment you have in front of you will change your outlook and experience in a positive way.

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Believe in yourself

This one can be hard for me as I still consider myself to “not be a runner” because this is what I told myself for my entire life until last year. It can be easy to fall into experiencing self-doubt, negative self-talk and imposter syndrome, but when this happens, it will only break you down. I know, because I did this to myself and it only left me unmotivated until I had to find some way out of that headspace.

Having to shift your thinking pattern to believe you are capable of doing something you have not done before, to believe that you are worthy of it, and to believe that you can push through it is vital! I have had to rely on this reframing of thoughts so many times throughout my life.

Deep breathing will help you relax

Sometimes when running it can feel like you are dying and unable to catch your breath. So the idea of taking a long deep breath in and slowly exhaling seems a little counterintuitive. But deep breathing will actually help you relax in the moment and help you be present. 

This is of course similar to experiencing high levels of stress or anxiety or a panic attack. It can be hard to take that long deep breath, but training your body to know that this is helpful and will lead to the reward of relaxing is worth it.

Lean on your support system

Sure you can do things on your own and be completely independent. But sometimes it can be lonely and feel even more exhausting when you are running by yourself or simply doing life alone. Finding people around me who were (and still are) encouraging me and holding me accountable to reaching my goals was super helpful! 

For this has been my family and close friends and along the way, I have met some new friends as well.

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Most importantly, take care of your body

Stretching, fueling and nourishing, hydrating, resting, sleeping, and meditating are all needed when training for a race, reaching for a goal, and living life. Giving your body what it needs to thrive is needed regardless of what you are doing in your life at the moment.

Modern Wellness Counseling Therapy Techniques & Personal Training Yellowstone

Again, I know this blog is a little different than others,, but just slightly. I love being able to apply what I help clients daily into my life. I understand that sometimes past traumas, hurts, anxiety, low self-esteem, and even grief can get in the way of being able to reframe your thought process or even push yourself. If you have found it challenging to stay motivated to reach your goals and sometimes find it frustrating to understand why your past keeps haunting you, be sure to reach out to us and we can definitely help. Clinicians at Modern Wellness Counseling can help you by seeing you virtually for online counseling. You can call our office at (210) 706-0392 to schedule an appointment or visit our online booking system here.

By Priscilla Rodriguez, M.S., LMFT, Owner of Modern Wellness Counseling

Priscilla specializes in working with couples and individuals who have experienced issues with anxiety, self-esteem, self-doubt, grief, and shame. Priscilla utilizes research based techniques to help clients implement healthy coping skills. Learn more on how you can enhance your relationship today.

Want to say “thank you”?

Priscilla Rodriguez, M.S., LMFT (she/her/hers)

Priscilla is the owner and founder of Modern Wellness Counseling and is passionate about helping people learn how to implement healthy relationship skills and learn how to take care of their mental wellbeing.

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