Mental health,
stress and compassion fatigue
costs the funeral profession
upwards of $48 billion.
she said, such as watching a YouTube color-
wash video, or painting a wall to whatever
color you find soothing. Particular colors may
not have the same effect on people across the
board, however. For example, while some see
red as an invigorating color, others see it as
angry. Notice how you react to colors and then
use chromotherapy to change how you feel.
Cheldelin Fell noted that some people might try
their hand at adult coloring [books], but there
are other ways to engage in chromotherapy
without having to pick up a crayon.
Another stress mitigator is an ancient Japanese
practice called forest bathing. Studies have
shown that spending 20 minutes outside in
greenery can lower your heart rate and make
you feel calmer by reducing blood pressure and
pulse rate. “If you can, make that part of your
lunch break,” she said. If you don’t have a park
near you, use a serene photo as the wallpaper
on your computer or blow it up into a poster
and put it on the wall.
Another stress mitigator is sensory therapy.
Engage in simple pleasures, like finding five
things you can see, hear, smell, touch and taste.
[...] When we engage with our five senses, the
body still feels pleasure. And so we're going
to connect that pleasure from the body to the
brain by letting it resonate.
Some people are huggers, but not everyone
is, so hug therapy may not be for everyone.
Benefit of hugging as a modality is that we are
all born with the need to be touched, that’s our
first way of feeling loved,” she said. When we
give a hug and get one, it triggers endorphins.
But, she added, what most people don’t know
is it also puts pressure on the thymus gland,
which is responsible for manufacturing white
blood cells, which keep us healthy.
Another modality is something Cheldelin Fell
called “mindful decon,” which involves creating
a “decontamination ritual” at the beginning and/
or end of the day.
Knitting therapy can also prove effective
because repetitive motions of the hand induce
a meditative state. “
Next, Cheldelin Fell relayed her friendship with
a school superintendent back home who chairs
many committees. In every meeting, she said,
the superintendent has a doodle book and
she doodles throughout the meeting. A lot of
people were offended by that – they thought
she was not paying attention – but she has a
Ph.D. for a reason. “Research has proved that
people who doodle while on the phone or
listening to a meeting retain up to 29% more,”
she said.
Cheldelin Fell also recommended restorative
sleep, which allows the body to repair and
replace the cellular components necessary
for biological functions that become depleted
throughout the day. [...]
The saying goes that laughter is the best
medicine. Laugh therapy is one of the most
powerful modalities, and yes, it is evidence-
based. “When you get a belly laugh, you create
a perfect diaphragmatic breath, and the perfect
diaphragmatic breath oxygenates your brain,”
Cheldelin Fell said. “It’s also a natural painkiller.”
The brain cannot tell the difference between a
fake laugh and an authentic laugh. “What you
can do is fake it until you make it,” she said.
Crown massage stimulates the nerves and
calms the nervous system. The prefrontal cortex
of the brain is the center for logical thought.
During stress, blood leaves this area to assist
other areas for immediate action.
Like chromotherapy, music therapy is also
effective. Music influences how we feel, so use
it to your advantage.
Dance movement therapy is an evidence-
based modality as well. Dancing is something
that moves your lymph system and triggers
hormones. Everyone has a go-to song. It’s
not about knowing the steps, nor is it about
knowing all the words; it’s about triggering the
vagus nerve to release those chemicals.
Moving forward, know how stress affects you.
Engage in activities, modalities, that trigger the
happy cocktail. Remember, you can’t pour from
an empty cup.
THANOS MAGAZINE | No. 107 – AUTUMN 2024
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