Mindful Gifts for your Mental Health

It’s about that time of the year when we start holiday shopping. Are you looking for gifts that support healing + mental health for your loved ones this year? We’ve got you covered. From navigating anxiety to gifts for children and adolescents, our team at Nourished Wellness Group has put together a Holiday Gift Guide for you.

Let’s explore some of these gifts + their benefits…

Gifts for someone navigating anxiety

One great gift idea for someone experiencing anxiety is a weighted blanket. These blankets can have a calming effect and for many, elicit a similar feeling to being held. “Weighted blankets help ground your body during sleep by pushing it down. This process, known as “earthing” or “grounding,” may have a deeply calming effect. The blankets also simulate DPT, a type of therapy that uses firm, hands-on pressure to reduce chronic stress and high levels of anxiety” (Whelan & Boyers, 2022).

gifts for someone navigating depression

Do you have someone in your life that has been experiencing depression? Often times, support for depressive symptoms are things that improve our mood or increase something called behavioral activation, which in a sense means doing things. Give the gift of an experience this year, perhaps an experience in nature or through sound baths.

A recent study showed improvement on mood and decreases in depression following exposure to sound baths.

“Improvement in spiritual well-being for age group 20–40 (and particularly ages 31–40) was associated with lowered depression scores post-sound healing. This age group is one in which many are building their careers, possibly raising a family, and experiencing the resultant stress, depression, and anxiety (Melchior et al. 2007; Wang and Patten 2001). Thus, this may be an especially important period in the lifespan to utilize a simple treatment technique that may assist in improving spiritual well-being while lowering depression with a technique that does not necessitate a lengthy learning curve” (Goldsby, et. al, 2022).

Our sound healer, Jazmine, utilizes reiki and sound baths to focus in on relieving stress, centering you, and regulating your nervous system. Give the gift of sound with a gift card to a sound bath or a private session!

Gifts for someone navigating grief

In thinking about gifts for someone moving through grief and loss, it can be helpful to think intentionally about what may be a good fit for them. Gifts for those of us who are grieving often look like floral arrangements and care packages. Consider gifting something this year that can carry meaning aside from sympathy. Perhaps something to memorialize their loss.

Give the gift of a memorial tree. These trees will be something to honor a person’s life, something you can take care of, and something you can watch grow. Memorials can be a way to make the grief visible and can allow them to interact with their grief in a different way.

gifts for someone navigating trauma

For someone moving through difficult experiences, it can at times feel uncertain and isolating. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk is one of the most talked about books on trauma. This book is filled with scientific information and knowledge related to the experiences and impacts of trauma. This book is a fan favorite of many therapists as well as survivors of trauma and can provide validation as well as insight into the experiences of others that can help combat the feeling of being alone in this experience.

“Bessel van der Kolk summarized his four decades of experience studying the impact of trauma on the brain. He synthesized the most important breakthroughs in neuroscience, psychology, and body-centered therapies and created a coherent blueprint for understanding and treating trauma” (Anonymous, 2019).

This book is recommended by many of our therapists when thinking about resources for those that have experienced trauma, their friends, or families for an introduction to the mind + body impacts of trauma.

gifts for children + adolescents

Let’s explore supportive gifts for kids and teens!

Nervous system regulation techniques can be learned even at a young age and one of the easiest ways to begin is through breathing. Unfortunately, we are not born with the knowledge of how to regulate ourselves, and kids struggle with this as they’re developing brain regions that control movement and emotions. Breathe Like a Bear is a book filled with exercises to help kids learn how to manage their breath, bodies, and emotions. Check it out here!

Gifts to support the nervous system

One way to help support the nervous system and practice nervous system regulation is through the breath. If you have someone you care about in your life that you would like to give to, breathwork can be a wonderful introduction. So what are some of the benefits of breathwork? Breathwork can aid in reducing stress and anxiety, improved sleep and energy levels, pain relief, improvement in physical performance, and increased relaxation. Give the gift of breath with a gift card to Our Breath Collective and work with our breathwork coach, Reis!

This holiday season, consider the gift of encouraging those around you to prioritize their wellness and healing.

Find more on our Holiday Gift Guide! Happy Holidays from Nourished Wellness Group!

Interested in learning more about us or beginning the journey of holistic healing?

We would love to hear from you.

References:

Anonymous (2019). 5 Lessons We Learned From The Body Keeps The Score. Mynd Lift. https://www.myndlift.com/post/5-lessons-we-learned-from-the-body-keeps-the-score

Goldsby, T. L., Goldsby, M. E., McWalters, M., & Mills, P. J. (2022). Sound Healing: Mood, Emotional, and Spiritual Well-Being Interrelationships. Religions, 13(2), 123.

Whelan, C., & Boyers, L. (2022). 8 Best Weighted Blankets for Anxiety. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/weighted-blanket-for-anxiety#benefits