Articles by Kate Francis on ArticleSnatch.com

Amp Up Your Fall Plans!

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:32:43 -0400

It is fall, and for many of us that means that we feel the need to resume our plans and planning that we left behind for some summer fun. Some people meet this time of year with excitement; they cannot wait to figure out how they are going to make their dreams come true this year. Others meet this time of year with anxiety. It is a reminder to them of what has not gotten done rather than a check in with possibility. Whether you are feeling the excitement or the anxiety, here are some tips that will help you make the most out of your plans. Prioritize: As much as we think we might like to snap our fingers and have our lives instantly transformed, this is not a possibility. Also, if you think about it long enough, having "it all" now is not all it is cracked up to be. The surest way to build lasting success and deep happiness throughout the process is to figure out what is most important to work on now and to put significant effort in that direction. If you are not sure of your priorities, try this: 1. **End Summary** Topics: prioritze]]> organize]]> motivate]]> fall]]> plans]]> larger visions]]> kate siner francis]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kate Siner Francis Ph.D: My coaching and therapy practice, 'Larger Visions' is the key to effectively creating change. It's time for you to do what you DREAM of doing with an ally who understands you and can offer you essential support and tools. To receive your free consultation visit: www.largervisions.com

Learn To Live From Your Core

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:31:41 -0400

A concept that guides my sessions is the essential self. I believe that each of us has a core way of being that finds its way into all of the things that we do. Overtime, many of us come to think of our preferences and opinions as the person that we truly are. Frequently, these preferences and opinions are much more about our persona, mask, ego than they are an expression of our essential self. However, frequently there are signs of our essential self within these more superficial trappings of our identity. What is the essential self? The essential self is who you are at your core. I prefer to think of it in more abstract terms. I think of it as the core energy. Some people might think about it as a person's nature -- if a person where giving his or her ideal environment what would he or she be? Somehow in all of our thinking, we come to believe that we should BE something. This something is inevitably something other than we know ourselves to be. In fact, after a while of doing this, we even forget who we truly are. **End Summary** Topics: essential self]]> being]]> true]]> kate siner francis]]> larger vision]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kate Siner Francis Ph.D: My coaching and therapy practice, 'Larger Visions' is the key to effectively creating change. It's time for you to do what you DREAM of doing with an ally who understands you and can offer you essential support and tools. To receive your free consultation visit: www.largervisions.com

Valuable Tools For Working With Grief

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

No matter where we are from or what has happened to us, each one of us deals with grief throughout our life. There is the grief that comes with the loss of a loved one and there is grief that is a necessary response to what we may carry with us from our childhood. There is also grief as a result of changes in our lives such as relocation, birth of a child, or a new job. This grief is there regardless of whether the change is inherently one that we are happy about or not; all change implies some degree of loss. In fact, the experience of grief is necessary to our overall health and wellbeing. Our goal is not to avoid grief but to learn to grieve well --to deeply feel, to honor these feeling and then to release them. Accept: In order to begin the process of grief, one must first accept there is a process to start. In AA, they say that you begin sobriety by admitting that you have a problem. In a grief process, a person will benefit from first acknowledging that there is a reason for the grief. **End Summary** Topics: grief]]> mourning]]> loss]]> personal growth]]> change]]> self help]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kate Siner Francis Ph.D: My coaching and therapy practice, 'Larger Visions' is the key to effectively creating change. It's time for you to do what you DREAM of doing with an ally who understands you and can offer you essential support and tools. To receive your free consultation visit: www.largervisions.com

Useful Ways to Overcome Depression

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Statistically, approximately 1 out of 8 people suffer from depression in the course of their lives. Depression can be related to stressful life events like the loss of a loved one. It can be a long term but mild depression, or it can manifest as a severe depression that renders a person, unable to get out of the bed in the morning. If you have ever suffered from depression, you know that regardless of its form it makes many aspects of your life more challenging. If you are experiencing sadness, grief, or a depressive like state in response to a difficult like event, it is important to gather support and give yourself time to feel your feelings. If you know someone who is going through a difficult time you can help them understand the importance of doing the things on this list: Make sure that other people know how you are feeling. Do not assume that they know how badly you are feeling just because they know the situation. Ask them to check in with you. It is crucial that you give your support people this instruction. They may not be certain how to support you. **End Summary** Topics: depression]]> psychology]]> personal growth]]> ]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kate Siner Francis Ph.D: My coaching and therapy practice, 'Larger Visions' is the key to effectively creating change. It's time for you to do what you DREAM of doing with an ally who understands you and can offer you essential support and tools. To receive your free consultation visit: www.largervisions.com

Breaking the Habits That Hold You Back

Sat, 30 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Forget for a moment all that you have learned about commitment to your goals, all every relative or friend has ever said to you, and all the things you regularly say to yourself. If you have struggled with reaching your goals, do what I recommend all my clients do, "commit to doing something different." Perfectionism: Are you stuck because you will settle for nothing but perfect from the first moment you start? Habit Breaker: The perfect cure for perfectionism is failure. Fail..., flamboyantly, beautifully, even... perfectly. Test drive doing things poorly. If you are feeling blocked or stuck starting a new project, give yourself permission to do it wrong -even embrace your not knowing. There is freedom and joy to be found in this phase. If the price seems to be too large. Try messing something up that is totally free from consequence. Should's: The "should's" in life can get so overwhelming that we don't even know that we are living by them. Habit Breaker: A way to see if "should's" are dominating your choices is writing down your ideal. If you could have anything that you wanted, what would it be? Set your spirit free. **End Summary** Topics: coaching]]> goal setting]]> habit]]> breaking habits]]> personal development]]> success]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kate Siner Francis Ph.D: My coaching and therapy practice, 'Larger Visions' is the key to effectively creating change. It's time for you to do what you DREAM of doing with an ally who understands you and can offer you essential support and tools. To receive your free consultation visit: www.largervisions.com

Is Medication the Best Treatment for Depression?

Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Many people who suffer from depression wonder, "Why am I depressed?" and "What is wrong with me?" With the increase of psychotropic drugs, many people wonder if their problem is biologically based or whether it is the result of the events of their lives. Even when asking professionals about the origin of their depression, people are likely to get many conflicting responses. Some professionals will claim that it is strictly biological and should be treated with medication. While other professionals say that medication is a last resort and may cover up or distort the origin of the problem. The fact of the matter is, that we are still learning, both about the human body and the human psyche and collectively we only have guesses - some more accurate than others -as to the nature of depression. However, there are some things that are important to know... 1. There is a biological component to depression. 2. Medication is helpful in treating this biological component but essential only in severe cases. 3. Medication is not a complete solution. It has been proven that a medication works best in conjunction with therapy. 4. **End Summary** Topics: depression]]> medication]]> psychology]]> therapy]]> personal growth]]> ]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kate Siner Francis Ph.D: My coaching and therapy practice, 'Larger Visions' is the key to effectively creating change. It's time for you to do what you DREAM of doing with an ally who understands you and can offer you essential support and tools. To receive your free consultation visit: www.largervisions.com

Turning No Way Out Into Possibility

Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

It is very common for clients walking in my office to say to me that they feel trapped by their life and they just can't seem to make the changes that they know they want to make. They say they want things to be different but they just don't see how it is possible. Perhaps, you have found yourself thinking this way as well. The bottom line is, that whether you are aware of it or not, everything that you have at this moment required that you followed a series of steps. Getting what you really want is no different. So.... The real question is: On what level can you make a change now? Regardless of the goal, or even if you do not clearly know what the goal is, there is almost always a step that can be taken to start the energy moving in the desired direction. This movement of energy should not be underestimated. It is the beginning --the first steps. Below, there are five steps to get you moving when you are feeling stuck. First steps for getting what you want: Connect to what you want: Don't worry about the specifics. **End Summary** Topics: goal setting]]> personal growth]]> coaching]]> awareness]]> tools]]> ]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kate Siner Francis Ph.D: My coaching and therapy practice, 'Larger Visions' is the key to effectively creating change. It's time for you to do what you DREAM of doing with an ally who understands you and can offer you essential support and tools. To receive your free consultation visit: www.largervisions.com

Helpful Techniques for Overcoming Anxiety

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

In the course of one's life almost everyone deals with a certain amount of anxiety. Sometime this anxiety is relatively mild and sometimes it is severe. Sometimes it makes us uncomfortable and sometimes it stops us from doing things we really want to do. How we can best mitigate the challenges of our anxiety depends on how severe it is. This newsletter simplifies the experience of anxiety by putting it into three categories mild, moderate, and severe and then offers some ideas for working with each of these levels of anxiety. Mild Anxiety Mild anxiety might make your body tense and your mind unsettled. It might leave you stumbling over your words or stumbling over your feet. People frequently experience this type of anxiety when preparing for a performance, a test, or in unfamiliar social situations. The most common mistake people make when dealing with mild anxiety is sometimes the way they interpret this feeling of mild anxiety. For example, you might tell yourself that there is something wrong with you for feeling this way. When in fact, at this level, anxiety is quite similar to excitement. Some tools for working with mild anxiety are: Tip #1: Keep breathing. **End Summary** Topics: anxiety]]> anxiety tools]]> personal development]]> personal growth skills]]> psychology]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kate Siner Francis Ph.D: My practice, 'Larger Visions' is the key to effectively creating change. It's time for you to do what you DREAM of doing with an ally who understands you and can offer you essential support and tools. To receive your free consultation visit: www.largervisions.com

Effective Ways to Balance Your Life As A Working Mom

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Without a doubt one of the most difficult issues encountered by women with children is balance. This article discusses four areas to focus on to help keep your sanity. Get organized: The more time pressures you have the more important it is that you are well organized. Despite what is sometimes said, there is no one way for every woman to stay organized; however, there are some golden rules: Do not do it if it does not need to be done: This may mean that things such as your standards for what clean means to you might change with your newfound priorities. Use a list: Keep an up-to-date list of what needs to be done next on hand at all times. There are many times to get things done, which do not become that apparent unless you are this organized. Prioritize: Make sure that you do things in the order of most important to least important. Remember, even thought you are doing it all, you likely cannot do it all perfectly. There is only so much time in the day. **End Summary** Topics: Stress management]]> women]]> mothers]]> career]]> resources]]> personal development]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kate Siner Francis Ph.D: My coaching and psychotherapy practice, 'Larger Visions,' is the key to effectively creating change. It's time for you to do what you DREAM of doing with an ally who understands you and can offer you essential support and tools. To receive your free consultation visit: LargerVisions.com

Reconcile Your Anger and Your Spiritual Growth

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The other day while talking to a friend, I found myself saying, "Have you ever met anyone who has done a lot of personal work who has not come to the conclusion that love is what it is all about? I haven't." However, I have been a part of enough spiritual communities to see that this basic understanding is frequently distorted. I have watched people strain to be only their preconceptions of what love is and lose sight of the whole and real experience of being human. For quite some time, many of us have held the belief that to be spiritual meant ignoring the body and overcoming any emotion that was not considered positive. What might at one time have been useful to us has in my opinion become a handicap. And while we may have overcome this belief to some extent, I believe that it still influences many of our relationships, organizations, and communities. Within some of these communities, we can see this belief in our attempts to stuff our anger and be nice rather than openhearted and honest. Anger, however, is an essential part of our humanity and therefore our, in my opinion, spirituality. **End Summary** Topics: Spirituality]]> anger]]> personal growth]]> psychology]]> emotions]]> emotional growth]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kate Siner Francis Ph.D: My coaching and psychotherapy practice, 'Larger Visions' is the key to effectively creating change. It's time for you to do what you DREAM of doing with an ally who understands you and can offer you essential support and tools. To receive your free consultation visit: largervisions.com

How to Effectively Work with Anger

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The emotion of anger occupies an importance place in our lives. It tells us when a belief has been violated or a physical boundary crossed. However, how to express our anger is often something with which we struggle. This article offers three strategies for working with anger and how to judge if you are expressing it in a way that is clean and relationship affirming. Understanding Anger: Sometimes, we are held back by our inability to understand why we are angry. For example, someone makes a casual comment and we find that suddenly that we are clenching our jaw or making an angry retort. There is a simple technique base on Albert Ellis's work that helps us clarify the origin of our anger. It is the ABC's of anger: A = Action: The behavior that is seen as being responsible for the anger. B = Belief: The interpretation of the behavior by the person feeling angry. C = Consequence: The result of the interpretation of this belief. This simple process can help you understand the reasons for your feelings. **End Summary** Topics: anger]]> tools]]> personal growth]]> relationship]]> psychology]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kate Siner Francis Ph.D: My coaching and psychotherapy practice, 'Larger Visions' is the key to effectively creating change. It's time for you to do what you DREAM of doing with an ally who understands you and can offer you essential support and tools. To receive your free consultation visit: www.largervisions.com

Easy Ways to Green Your Business Today

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

A certified green business complies with all environmental regulations, take steps to conserve natural resources, prevent pollution, reduce waste and work to improve employee health and morale (Green Business Program). Despite the fact that everyone and every piece of marketing material now seems to mention something about going green, still many people do not know or do not think that it makes financial sense to make these changes in their business. The article outlines easy and affordable steps for making your business greener. Business Cards and Promotional Products: Just about everyone in business has a business card. For a minimal additional cost, you can use a green printing company. Greenerprinter on the west coast and Red Sun Printing on the east provide full service printing. They use soy-based inks, no photochemicals, alcohol-free printing. They use treeless and recycled content paper and use energy efficient equipment. These businesses also offer ways to offset your shipping costs and promote healthy business environments. **End Summary** Topics: small busines]]> greener business]]> environment]]> ]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kate Francis Ph.D: My coaching practice, Larger Visions is the key to effectively creating change. It's time for you to do what you DREAM of doing with an ally who understands you and can offer you essential support and tools. To receive your free consultation visit: link

Creative Individuals and Job Satisfaction

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Although creativity is a new buzzword for desirable in the business world, the creative traits that are desired by many employers are not the same as the traits displayed by many creative personalities. Employers and organizations, who are looking for creative personalities, are generally looking for people who will use creative thinking towards any end the company picks. In short, these work environments measure creativity by the results produced. This demand, placed by these organizations and employers, is in direct opposition to the actual needs of the creative personality. Sigmund Koch discovered that highly creative people are frequently blocked when they need to produce on demand. This example helps to demonstrate the difference between the creativity sought by organizations and the actual needs and abilities of the creative person. Each personality type feels more supported and successful in certain types of work environments. A person with a creative personality type faces specific challenges due to the fact that truly creative ways of thinking and being have been marginalized by our culture. **End Summary** Topics: creativity]]> job satisfaction]]> career]]> success]]> psychological needs of creative person]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kate Siner Francis Ph.D: My coaching and psychotherapy practice, 'Larger Visions' is the key to effectively creating change. It's time for you to do what you DREAM of doing with an ally who understands you and can offer you essential support and tools. To receive your free consultation visit: www.largervisions.com