#18 – Psychologist and Owner of Private Practice Mind Body Well, Janet Lowndes
Janet Lowndes is a psychologist with over 20 years experience. Her professional practice includes psychological counselling, meditation training, and yoga therapy.
Janet's private practice Mind Body Well focusses on working with people addressing aspects of their lives affecting health and wellbeing. This includes Eating Disorders, weight management and body image concerns, depression, and anxiety.
Janet has provided counselling to assist people with Eating Disorders for over 15 years. Her interest in the psychology of food, eating and weight management began when she was working in the youth health field, and she started to learn about Eating Disorders from many of her clients. She also worked closely for a few years with Dr. Rick Kausman, the author of ‘If Not Dieting then What’, assisting in his training programs for Health Professionals about a non-dieting approach to healthy weight management.
After university studies in Psychology and Philosophy Janet’s early professional experience was in the areas of youth, community, and women's health, the prison system, and with young offenders. She then moved into private practice and continued to work with adolescents and adults, particularly those with eating disorders, weight management concerns, and behavioural difficulties.
After 10 years practicing psychology Janet travelled to India to explore her personal studies of Yoga. While in India she spent time in a Yoga ashram, and also taught English to Buddhist monks. These experiences were life-changing, exposing Janet to philosophies of integrative wisdom which assist people to live in harmony with the world around them.
Janet’s work is motivated by a fundamental interest in people, and a belief in the innate strength and wisdom we all all share. Janet’s approach treats the individual as a whole, rather than focusing merely on conditions or symptoms they may be experiencing. This approach is health-enhancing, aimed at promoting wellbeing in different areas of life.
Resources
Websites
Books
Jeffrey Kottler (2003) ‘On Being a Therapist’… and many others by him.
Irvin Yalom (2001) ‘The Gift of Therapy'
Babette Rothschild (2006) ‘Help for the Helper'
Daniel Siegel (2012) ‘Pocket Guide to Interpersonal Neurobiology’
Bonnie Badenock (2008) ‘Being a Brain Wise Therapist’
Janet's Self-Care Tip
Janet says that self care is not simple and not just one thing. As we are multifaceted creatures, we need multifaceted response. She thinks about self-care on 3 levels:
- Preventative – The things that we do that build our resilience, our health and wellbeing. For example, walks in the morning, meditation, having enough food in your office fridge for lunch, hanging out with good people.
- What we do in the room in the moment (in situ) – When we’re with someone who is in a high level of distress or agitation it's helpful to practice “putting the brakes on,” so we don't get overwhelmed and lost in the in the amygdala response. For example we can think about ways to settle back into ourselves, sink back into our bodies, feel our feet of the floor and pace our breathing.
- What we do afterwards (post session) – Debriefing, talking to people and/or having little things you can do for your self to assist with letting go of the residue of distress that can stay with us if we don't attend to it is important. For Janet it’s yoga!
Janet also recommends a good laugh!
Feedback
Leave me a comment or some feedback about this episode in the comments section. I’ll respond to everyone!
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I have bachelor’s degree in psychology, and I want a role model. Thank you
Thanks Abdul for the comment. Great role models can really make a difference to our careers. Good luck with your search! Amy
Great I’m iizo from Kampala Uganda and real appreciate your presence and new here hope I’m welcomed