James Fishman | Sunstone Online

Your Canine is Your Corona Companion

The coronavirus pandemic forced us all to retreat indoors and seclude ourselves from colleagues, friends, and even some family. Lockdown and quarantine have meant long stretches of time without in-person interactions and human contact. Feelings of loneliness, solitude, and anxiety are not uncommon. However, pet owners, specifically those with dogs, are reporting profoundly less isolation and increased cohesion with their furry friends.

According to dog-owner Evan Metropoulos, dogs have an exceptional capacity for companionship, love, and friendship. They are almost always willing to play, their clever and curious nature can be entertaining, and they are fiercely loyal. Scientific research backs up Metropoulos’s assertions showing that the company of a dog can be as comforting and mood-enhancing as that of a friend or loved one. Furthermore, owning a dog is shown to be good for your heart: dog owners have lower cardiovascular responses when stressed.

Evan Metropoulos with dog seated oppo — Evan Metropoulos with his best canine friend

With all the tensions and pressures of COVID-19, mental and physical health are a top priority. So if you already a dog owner, now is the time to develop a stronger bond with your pooch and explore new ways to have fun together. If you don’t yet have a dog at home, consider fostering one or even caring for a neighbor’s dog for a few days. This will give you the chance to experience some of the benefits without making a full commitment.

Evan Metropoulos with dog standing oppo — Metropoulos recommends finding different ways to play and exercise with your pet

Beating the Winter Blues

Winter has started in many locations, while others aren’t too far behind, and many are worried that it will be a lonely time. Especially for the elderly and those with compromised immune systems, it can become a time of staying indoors and not seeing others. Here are a few ways to get through these dark months without letting it get you down.

Some people are forming pods with friends and family for the winter months. These are small groups that are agreeing to get together and to keep very strict health rules for themselves. It’s an interesting idea and one that could allow an older couple, for instance, to have weekly meals with one other older couple. Or it might mean that five members of a card game group can see each other weekly.
Tune in to the Happiness Lab. This is a pod cast from a Yale professor that is offering some very interesting insights into what makes us happy. And it’s not always what you might expect. Listen to this podcast, or others that talk about concrete steps to bring happiness and fulfillment into your life at a time like this.
Solidify those Zoom programs and other online classes. Keep your brain stimulated and keep yourself to a busy schedule. This busy schedule might just mean that you have a lecture on Zoom at 10 every morning, a TV show you like at 12, a Zoom call with the grandchildren at 4, and an evening exercise program. Just the act of getting up each day knowing that you have a plan can really ease depression and make the day move that much more quickly.

Dr. Jaymie Albin On Current Trends in Therapy

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many more people to seek the help of mental health professionals. Technological advances and the prevalence of telemedicine are also making it easier for people to participate in therapy.

Dr. Jaymie Albin, a New York City-based clinical psychologist, CBT practitioner, and yoga instructor says that many of the stress management techniques people used before corona are not available to them, compelling those in need to seek professional intervention. The app Talkspace, which connects clients to licensed therapists via text and video calls, has seen user growth double since March.

Similarly, Dr. Albin says that the current trend of using Zoom and other interactive platforms is making people feel more comfortable about talking to a therapist. According to Albin, whereas some patients might have once been loathe to be seen walking into a therapist’s office, now they can talk to the right person from the comfort of their own home. Albin insists that in some cases, and for some patients, it makes the entire thing a lot less nerve-wracking.

Jaymie Albin trends in therapy3 — Teletherapy is making it easier to seek and provide mental health support

Albin also reports that an immediate result of prolonged isolation has spurred a swell in the therapy industry. In a turbulent economy, Albin says, it is not uncommon to see a decline in therapy-seekers; people view mental health as a luxury. But when economic realities are coupled with extended periods of social isolation, health uncertainties, and extreme stress, most people find the time and resources to devote to their emotional and psychological states.

Reasons to Smile

There are so many reasons to be stressed today. We are all struggling with economic insecurities, social distancing from those we love, and so much more. And while social media can be an incredibly divisive and difficult place to be – it can also be a place that brings us more smiles. Here are a few fun social media accounts that will brighten your day no matter your circumstances at the moment.

There is a French bulldog making people smile this month, as he dresses up in a different costume each day to get ready for Halloween. He goes by Goodboy.toad and he’s definitely worth a glance!

Next, we’ve got an amazing grandmother who is really showing the rest of us how to have fun and how to live. Baddiewinkle will make you smile and giggle.

For the ultimate famous laugh, Jerry Seinfeld is always a sure win. He’s still got it and he’s offering it up to the rest of us.

The artists out there will love seeing the things that this guy manages to draw on coffee cups.

These are just a few of the many resources you have that can help you to have a minute of fun and light humor in your day. It’s worth the time to brighten up your day and add some smiles!

America’s Healthiest Counties?

If you were asked what the healthiest place in America is, what would you answer? And what would your answer be based on? Recently, according to the annual U.S. News Healthiest Communities rankings report, Los Alamos County in New Mexico wins the race. The evaluation was based on the quality of the drinking water, the affordability of housing, park access, and population with advanced degrees. There were 3000 total communities evaluated and the rankings were based on 80 factors.

The runner ups included Douglas County, Colorado; then Falls Church, Virginia; and Broomfield County, Colorado. Last in the rankings was Columbia County, New York.

Read the whole article to gain more insights about the rating system, and the issues that are being tackled by the various counties.

Can You Paint Upside Down?

Life is heavy and difficult for so many right now. It seems only natural to want to offer some interesting and unusual entertainment here to lighten the move and provide a distraction. If you’ve never seen the artist Boubou Dakar paint, then you’re about to enjoy an amazing 45 seconds; or it might be a few hours as you go from video to video. He’s better than any magician out there – and his art is as fabulous as his technique. Enjoy!