Take heart with HALT

Buying gifts, making reservations, feeling alone—Valentine’s Day presents plenty of opportunities for stress, and it can trigger many of us. And when you’re feeling hungry, angry, lonely, or tired (HALT for short), it’s a recipe for vulnerability, irritability, and making choices you may regret.

But HALT is also a handy tool to remind yourself to intervene and treat yourself to some self-care, like HeartMath.

When you find yourself slipping into a susceptible state, HALT and try the HeartMath quick coherence technique. It’s a simple and proven approach to breathing and finding balance that can be done anywhere and in just one minute.

During particularly stressful times, consider doing quick coherence for longer periods or until you begin to feel the negative emotions dissipate.

Also try the HeartMath Notice and Ease tool to up your joy this February.

Ask a therapist: What is ADHD anyway?
ADHD complicates six main domains of functioning:

1. Activating—including organizing, prioritizing, and estimating

2. Focusing—sustaining, shifting, and generally paying attention for longer periods of time

3. Effort—remaining alert and processing what is happening

4. Emotional awareness—quickly becoming aware of emotions and moving beyond them

5. Memory—difficulty remembering what just happened, not usually long term memory issues

6. Action—regulating action, impulsivity, and energy

Have a great month—and don’t forget, take heart with HALT.

Cheers,
Schuyler Cunningham, LICSW
Director
Washington, DC Center for Neurocognitive Excellence (DCNE)
[email protected]
To leave a message: 202-998-ADHD (2343)
Direct: 202-999-2884