Reading Roundup | May 7, 2021
Posted May 7, 2021
Uncertainty, questions, and some aimless walking.
“How to deal with anxiety about returning to “normal”” — Art Markman, Fast Company (5/7/2021) [article]
This article, like many already out there and many more to come, looks at ways to prepare for a shift in our routines once vaccination rates have hit a point where we can return to some semblance of normalcy. Markman discusses how our brains prefer to operate from a place of predictability and that uncertainty and change can be great causes of anxiety, leading to the irony of feeling wary or even unhappy at the prospect of finally being able to do the things we miss: socialize, travel, or even eat a meal inside of a restaurant. He also discusses the role habits play in our lives and how it takes time to form new ones (including re-acclimating to a world without a pandemic).
“A Framework for Socratic Questioning” from Socratic Questioning for Therapists and Counselors — Scott H. Waltman, R. Trent Codd, III, Lynn M. McFarr, and Bret A. Moore, (9/9/2020) [book]
This excerpt details a revised, four-part framework for Socratic questioning in therapeutic settings based on feedback from CBT trainers. The chapter uses a case study, broken into four parts that correspond to the four parts of the framework, and shows how the revised framework can be utilized in a clinical setting. We look forward to checking out the rest of the book for a more in-depth understanding of how the revised framework for Socratic questioning can be a helpful tool for CBT clinicians.
“My doctor prescribed rambling for anxiety” — Angie Brown, BBC Scotland News (4/29/2021) [article]
What’s better than a nice long walk in nature? Doing it with strangers, apparently. This article looks at how one man, an avid walker who has struggled with his mental health—first generally after the passing of his wife and then more seriously during the COVID-19 lockdowns—found relief in walking with others (while social distancing). It’s no surprise, given the proven positive effects of physical activity, especially group walking in nature, and social support, both of which have become less common outlets during the pandemic. But rambling, which is essentially walking aimlessly in nature, safely allows for socializing with enough distance between individuals who don’t live in the same household. Rambler groups are common in the UK but organizations like America Walks have resources for those of us in the US.