{"id":20967,"date":"2016-07-15T13:39:00","date_gmt":"2010-07-15T13:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.accessrx.com\/blog\/?p=167"},"modified":"2010-07-15T13:39:00","modified_gmt":"2010-07-15T13:39:00","slug":"interview-with-marriage-and-family-therapist-kristen-routh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/expert-interviews-and-podcasts\/interview-with-marriage-and-family-therapist-kristen-routh\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Marriage and Family Therapist Kristen Routh"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Interview with Marriage and Family Therapist Kristen Routh. This interview is one in a series of expert interviews on the eDrugstore.com blog. We add new interviews on a regular basis. Please see our complete list of insightful interviews<\/a><\/p>\n

1. You are a big advocate of the mind-body-health correlation. Can you elaborate on how one aspect affects the other and which \u201clink\u201d a person should address first when they are looking for change.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The mind and body connection describes the interactions and influences the mind and body have over one another. The mind can be used to control or change physical aspects of the body, and physical reactions in the body can influence feelings and thoughts in the mind. <\/p>\n

For example, to decrease a physical ailment like high blood pressure, a person could focus on stress-reduction techniques involving the mind (like meditation) to create physical and chemical changes in the body. To improve mood and decrease depressive thoughts, a person could exercise and follow proper nutrition guidelines to change body chemistry and improve mental processes.<\/p>\n

By looking at the mind-body-health correlation, you can see that the mind and body are not separate; in fact, they are very influential over one another. Therefore, if a change in the body is desired, changing the thought process of the mind might be the first step. Similarly, if a change in thought or mood is desired, changing a physical component of the body might be beneficial.<\/p>\n

Oftentimes, a mood disorder or problem with the mind will \u201cshow itself\u201d through the physical body first (i.e. depression results in weight loss, anxiety results in hives and rashes, stress results in high blood pressure and heart palpitations). In order to best relieve physical symptoms, the mind and thought process must be addressed. Since there is usually less stigma associated with having a physical problem rather than a mental problem, people suffering from certain ailments might go to a physician to treat just the physical body, and might neglect addressing the true mental reason the physical ailment is present. People seeking treatment from therapists and counselors to address mental health issues like depression, oftentimes neglect addressing physical problems like chemical imbalances in the body that could be organic causes of mood disorders.<\/p>\n

Therefore, it\u2019s important to address both the mind and the body when illness is present, no matter if the symptomology shows itself through the physical body or through distressing emotions.<\/p>\n

2. When a person seems defined by their job and family obligations and has very little free time for themselves, in what way \"\"would you advise them to \u201cget a life\u201d of their own? How might they go about implementing your suggestions?<\/strong><\/p>\n

We are all busy Americans with many daily responsibilities. In any given day, each one of us plays several demanding roles: wife, husband, mother, father, employee, boss, friend, advisor, listener, cook, driver, cleaner, accountant\u2026and the list goes on! We often get caught up in what we think we need to do rather than what we truly want to do resulting in high levels of stress, resentment, burnout, and unfulfilled dreams. We get caught up in a destructive routine, rarely stopping to evaluate if we enjoy any parts of what we accomplish, yet we push forward to do more and more, neglecting our true passions and interests.<\/p>\n

When clients come to me with the desire to \u201cget a life\u201d I have them first look at what life they already have. What are their strengths and talents? What demands are put on them that they enjoy and excel at accomplishing? What is required of them that they don\u2019t enjoy and would rather not do? What secret wishes do they have or fantasies of another life? By verbalizing the inner desires they have for change as well as allowing themselves to speak in detail about their dissatisfaction with their current situation, we create a plan for change, bringing the fantasy of a different life into realistic and achievable terms. We break down each goal for change into specific steps to accomplish day by day, providing more structure to what seemed to be an unimportant or unachievable goal.<\/p>\n

Time management is also a big piece to \u201cgetting a life.\u201d I often help clients write down their day in detailed hour-by-hour checklists, making sure to schedule in exercise, relaxation, time spent in nature, time for meals, time engaging in conversation with friends and family, time spent alone, etc. When daily responsibilities are put on paper, clients usually find that they have a lot more time to do things for themselves than they originally thought. It just may mean using the time they have more efficiently or asking for help from co-workers and family members when responsibilities can be shared or designated to someone else. I have clients follow their time charts for one week to see if they feel like they have more time then they thought for their current responsibilities as well as where they can introduce new and fun activities into their day.<\/p>\n

\"\"3. How would you advise a client who was in a personal rut to once again begin to love and value themselves? How can they embark on the path of positivity?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Healthy and happy relationships are the foundation of an interesting life. Not only do our interactions with others provide connection and depth to our daily experience, but the relationship we have with ourselves determines whether we grow in character or if we stay stagnant. When we feel stuck in a rut, we usually have abandoned a healthy relationship with ourselves, deny ourselves the opportunity to evolve, and instead find ourselves in a cycle of engaging in meaningless activity and interactions that leave us feeling empty.<\/p>\n

In order to shake up a personal rut, I advise clients to initiate interaction with people rather than wait for others to make the first move. This could be as simple as smiling and making eye contact with three strangers each day, or as proactive as calling or e-mailing a friend, family member, or co-worker from the past who you haven\u2019t spoken with for months or even years. It\u2019s amazing what a smile and eye-contact can do for the self and for others; it allows you to open yourself up to the possibility of new connection outside of your normal daily experience and it automatically triggers a \u201chappy response\u201d in your brain and the brain of the person you connect with, even if the interaction is momentary and doesn\u2019t result in anything more than a returned smile. Similarly, engaging in conversation or even email with people you haven\u2019t spoken with in a long time allows you to think about the possibility for connection beyond your current social situation. When a person takes the initiative to connect with others outside of his or her current social group, confidence can be built and new and exciting connections can be made that can result in new and exciting activities introduced into a person\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

Another way to switch a negative outlook into a positive experience is to become aware that your mood is flexible and you can choose to be positive. It takes less energy to be happy and hopeful than it does to be sad and discouraged, so investing energy in happiness pays off more in the immediate as well as the long run. If you find negative thoughts dominating your mind, consciously choose to have a strong positive thought in that very moment of realization. Visualize your body looking and feeling exactly how you wish it could look and feel. Close your eyes and see your body strong and healthy, successful and loveable, creating an extremely strong visual image in your mind and feeling a sense of wellbeing flood your body. By spending time in conscious positive thought, you can change your mood to be more positive. With practice, you will find yourself easily slipping into positive thought until positivity becomes the norm in your life. <\/strong><\/p>\n

4. How can people tap into their truest talents? How do you know when to take these talents to the next level (such as, in a professional manner) or just enjoy them as a hobby.<\/strong><\/p>\n

You will know your true talent when you enjoy performing your talent, appreciate the work it takes to develop that talent, and you excel in the process. Once a talent is recognized, there are a couple phases a person can go through to either enjoy the talent as a lifelong hobby or take the talent to an elite performance or professional level. When you determine you have true talent, you enter into the \u201cInvestment Phase\u201d where you recognize your specific talents and then specialize in one or two of those recognized talents. You focus on the technical mastery of the recognized talent and promote long-term, systematic talent development meaning you dedicate your time to engaging in classes, study, and competition that challenge and develop your skills. You find excellence in your talents by putting in hard work and seeking out people who can help you expand your skills. You can choose to continue to engage your talents and develop your skills for a lifetime as a hobby, or you can decide if you want to use your talents in a professional manner.<\/p>\n

If your talents have been recognized as truly elite, and you enjoy practicing your talents and skills for many hours a day under the supervision of master coaches, trainers, or advisors, you may choose to enter into the \u201cElite Performance Excellence Phase\u201d where your goal is to turn training and technical skills into personalized performance excellence. When you and those involved in helping you hone your skills realize that your talent and skill set is very significant in your life, and you have the support from your family and friends to turn your dreams of professional success into reality, then it is possible to focus your sight on becoming professional. <\/p>\n

5. You specialize in counseling for athletes. How might the relationships of an athlete differ from those of a regular person? \"\"Please elaborate.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Elite athletes have unique counseling needs since there are considerable demands placed on an athlete as he or she is identified as \u201cexceptional,\u201d and much of the athlete\u2019s life is focused on maintaining the excellence that he or she has achieved. Weaknesses are not viewed as \u201cnormal\u201d things to accept but are looked at as hindrances to improve in order to achieve near-perfection. Sports-counselors must take into consideration that athletes will try to seek perfection and gain a winning-edge at almost any cost, even if it means harming the body and mind with performance-enhancing drug abuse or by engaging in dangerous training regimens and extreme diets. Athletes must rely on their bodies performing at their peak, and injuries, age, and illness can all cause physical and emotional stress when athletes can no longer view themselves as invincible.<\/p>\n

Interpersonal relationships are often challenging for athletes to sustain, since much of the athletic world is based on competition rather than cooperation. Elite athletes must maintain demanding training, diet, and sleeping schedules that interfere with \u201ctypical\u201d social and family lives. Furthermore, athletes have unique \u201cextended family\u201d issues since an athlete\u2019s team is essentially another family with certain people taking on specific roles. Interfamilial conflict with teammates, training partners, and coaches is likely to occur especially when athletes spend lots of time with one another.<\/p>\n

Sports counseling is also essential when elite athletes transition out of sport. Identity and role confusion can surface when former athletes are forced into early retirement. Financial hardship, career confusion, and lack of motivation can affect former athletes as they enter the standard workforce after spending most of their lives in the sporting world.<\/p>\n

By gearing specific proactive therapeutic approaches to athletes, sports counseling can assist athletes in maximizing their personal, academic, and athletic potential as well as improve their unique interpersonal relationships.<\/p>\n

About Kristen Routh, M.S.<\/strong> – KristenRouth.com<\/p>\n

Kristen is a California marriage and family therapist intern in practice in Westlake Village. Kristen counsels individuals, couples, and families using solution-focused therapy techniques, and has a special interest working with athletes on personal as well as performance-related issues. Kristen was a student of the Royal Academy of Dance- London, passing rigorous annual ballet examinations and performing on stage. She suffered an injury which put her professional dance aspirations on hold, and entered physical therapy sessions which inspired her fascination with the science behind physical and emotional healing. She earned a Bachelor if Science in Exercise Science and Sports Medicine\/Physical Therapy (2005) and a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology\/Marriage and Family Therapy (2008) from California Lutheran University. She earned several nationally-recognized fitness and nutrition certifications including certification as a mind and body fitness specialist, a certified Pilates instructor, a certified massage therapist and certified personal trainer. Kristen\u2019s holistic approach to counseling acknowledges the whole person, and is built upon the belief that the mind, body, and spirit all interact to create vitality, passion, and purpose. Though counseling, Kristen helps her clients to overcome life\u2019s challenges, to enhance performance in sport and life, and to live vital, joyful, productive lives.<\/p>\n

Read more of our expert interviews:<\/strong>
\nBetty Dodson, Renowned Sexologist, Author, Feminist, Educator<\/a>
\n<\/a>Dean Osborne, Human Nature of Cheating<\/a>
\n<\/a>Dr. MP Wylie, Relationship Advisor<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Interview with Marriage and Family Therapist Kristen Routh. This interview is one in a series of expert interviews on the eDrugstore.com blog. We add new interviews on a regular basis. Please see our complete list of insightful interviews 1. You are a big advocate of the mind-body-health correlation. Can you elaborate on how one aspect […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_autoblog_aioseo_focus_keyphrase":"","_autoblog_aioseo_title":"","_autoblog_aioseo_description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-expert-interviews-and-podcasts"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t