Listening to the Body

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Hi! I'm so glad you're here!
I'm Yael, (@yaelsaar on twitter) a mama on a mission: to liberate mothers from their PPDemons by disarming guilt and teaching self-kindness. I host the monthlyPPD SpeakEasy Support Phone Chat and I'm the virtual camp director at the Mama's Comfort Camp private facebook group where mamas from around the world support each other. To get in on the action, subscribe right here:
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Not Therapy!
I hope my work will bring you comfort. I have a passion for social support and coaching for emotional skills, but I have no medical or mental health qualifications! And when you are dealing with PPD and anxiety you really need to have an ongoing relationship with a trusted medical professional.
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Because I wasn't born knowing, and they don't teach this stuff in school. Some of my favorite skills on my journey from PPD to Joy were found in these sources:

From Hiro Boga: Are you the sovereign ruler of your inner kingdom? Learn the sacred yet oh-so-useful practice of sovereignty.

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Category Archives: Listening to the Body

My comfort zone at 40 and 1 year.

Written on September 23, 2011 by Yael in Anxiety, Blogging, Comfort-Zone, Community, Fear, Listening to the Body, People I Love., Permission-Based Healing., Postpartum Depression, Suicide Prevention, Trust

My birth mom never made it to 30. My beloved second mom is in her sixties, and makes it look very good. My over-40 friends make it clear that it’s a really good club to be joining. I am done freaking out about turning 40, and just in time. I’m going to be 40 in 2 hours. As…

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On Fighting the Pain in the Neck.

Written on August 25, 2011 by Yael in Experimenting, Fear, guilt, Listening to the Body, Non Violent Communications, pain, People I Love., Permission-Based Healing., Postpartum Depression, Progress, Self-Care, Setbacks, Trust

I’m in pain. Because my neck has been acting up. And because I’m getting old. I don’t like pain. Not one bit. And I’m a wuss. And I’m talking major pain. I mean, I’ve had neck and back pain before. This is a completely different order of magnitude. This is scary. My first inclination is to fight. Fight…

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Of Course I am Anxious (part 2) + Wound-Licking Time Out

Written on August 10, 2011 by Yael in Anger, Comfort-Zone, Experimenting, guilt, Listening to the Body, My Process, pain, Permission-Based Healing., Postpartum Depression, PPDemons, Progress, Self-Care, Trust

So, where were we? In part 1, we talked about how to get ourselves off the hook and begin to stop feeling guilty for being anxious. And about disarming anxiety rather than fighting it. And how this is scary, and very empowering. It was sort of a what’s-in-it-for-you kind of post. This one here is…

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Of course I am anxious. How about you? (Part 1)

Written on August 6, 2011 by Yael in Cultural Conversation, Discomfort Tolerance, Experimenting, guilt, Listening to the Body, Permission-Based Healing., Postpartum Depression, PPDemons, Progress, Self-Care, Trust

This post is about disarming anxiety with Permission-Based Healing. About meeting yourself where you are, and not making your going be any tougher than it has to be. It’s about how to bring Ease to What Is when what is hurts. This post is dedicated to my #ppdchat friends: Jamie, (@jamesandjax on twitter, she blogs…

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Is UTI TMI?

Written on June 15, 2011 by Yael in Comfort-Zone, guilt, Listening to the Body, Self-Care

In this safe space, I hope you feel comfortable talking and reading about the body’s betrayals inconveniences. I invite you to whine about PMS, rant about stretch-marks, and rage against hemorrhoids. Not to mentions back pain, headaches, and exhaustion, do mention, bitch, and moan about those too. Motherhood is a tour-de-force. It is tough on the body,…

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The Breath of Joy

Written on March 14, 2011 by Yael in creativity, Experimenting, Listening to the Body, Postpartum Depression, Progress, Self-Care

This is my secret weapon against the morning ogre (that’s me when I wake up). This tittle depression-busting-yogic-breath-of-a-Jedi-trick has saved my marriage, and my sanity, countless times. I mentioned it in today’s afternoon session of #PPDchat, and just shot this video now for my friends in the evening chat session. This is a spur-of-the moment,…

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On Pain: Lessons from a strep throat

Written on March 2, 2011 by Yael in Listening to the Body, Postpartum Depression, Progress

So this is kinda funny, except not: I was planning the next experiment in the LOVEratory to be “interacting with the pain in the neck” which is a part of the intention ” to get out of my head and into my body, because the head is where the critic lives, and the body knows…

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Mama’s Comfort Camp on Facebook
A safe haven of Self-Kindness and support. Join me and over 200 moms from around the world at our private facebook group (only members can read and post). You can ask to join on this page: Mama's Comfort Camp private facebook group. New members are added every Monday.
A three weeks e-course for moms of kids of any age: Practical BodyMind methods for disarming anger and anxiety , because motherhood doesn’t have to hurt so much.
The Ithaca Mothers’ Support Group

This is a free support group for moms of kids of any age. No official diagnosis required. If you are struggling while mothering, you are not alone. Please join us.
Monthly meetings on the first Thursday of the month at 12:30-1:30. Dates sometimes change, please check the events calendar.
Location: The Women's Opportunity Center: 315 North Tioga Street, one block from the downtown parking garage by the Ithaca Commons. More info here. Babies, toddlers, and brown bag lunches are all welcome.
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ESL Disclaimer
I’m a horrible capitaliser of letters, and a poor speller of words. i am working on the spelling thing, but kind of gave up on capitalisation. My first language (Hebrew) doesn’t have upper or lower case letters, and if after 18 years of living in English I still don’t have it down it’s probably never going to happen. If this bothers you, I apologize. But if i don’t choose my battles, i’d be fighting much too often, and then there wouldn’t be any blog posts, like, ever, and what fun would that be?

Category Archives: Listening to the Body

My comfort zone at 40 and 1 year.

On Fighting the Pain in the Neck.

Of Course I am Anxious (part 2) + Wound-Licking Time Out

Of course I am anxious. How about you? (Part 1)

Is UTI TMI?

The Breath of Joy

On Pain: Lessons from a strep throat

Don’t leave before reading these:

This I Believe

Permission Based Healing

The Opportunity in Setbacks

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My 5 minutes video