A Denver Therapist Guide to the Perfect Mental Health Day, Spring 2024

Written By Kerri Sterrett

Hello fellow Denverites 😀

Who doesn’t love spring in Denver?! 70 degrees, patios filled with people, Rockies games, dogs on hiking trails? Yes please.  

As a Denver therapist, I’m frequently suggesting my clients take a purposeful mental health day. Let’s not wait until we’re burnt-out or hungover, let’s engage in a planful, preventative wellness day. Here, I make suggestions of activities for a mental wellness day in Denver that is good for your nervous system and will have you headed to work in better shape than you left.    

Below is our Denver Therapist Guide to local activities to support your wellness journey!  

Of course, in reality, everyone will need to tweak this based on their unique attributes.  

Introvert? Delete half these suggestions or do more things solo.  

Extrovert? Invite a friend (or 3).   

Burned-out? Incorporate more rest.  

Bored? Incorporate more adventure.

Discontented in life and work? Incorporate more that activates the SEEKING system (see below).

Lonely? Incorporate more community.

First, let’s learn some of the psychology behind how and why we may prioritize certain activities. 

Here at Denver Wellness Counseling, we use the following two theories to encourage healthy self-care and wellness practices:  

  • The Polyvagal Theory – specifically the Social Engagement System 

  • Panksepp’s 3 Life-Enhancing Affective Circuits

What is the Polyvagal Theory?  

The Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, is a framework that explains how the autonomic nervous system regulates social behavior and emotional responses. It proposes that the autonomic nervous system has evolved three hierarchal subsystems, each serving a distinct adaptive function in response to environmental cues.  

  1. Social Engagement “Ventral Vagal” System: Promotes feelings of safety and connection. 

  2. Sympathetic Fight or Flight: Prepares the body for action after a threat, saving energy to either fight or flee.

  3. Dorsal Vagal Shut Down: The most primitive subsystem, triggered in response to perceived danger or overwhelm, leads to immobilized freeze, shut down, and dissociation as a last resort survival strategy. 

Activation of the Ventral Vagal (Social Engagement System) can be supported by the following activities: 

  • Mindful movement

  • Physical touch and affection 

  • Breath work 

  • Listening to soothing music

  • Creative activities and endeavors 

  • Spending time in nature

  • Self compassion and self care (doing soothing, kind, caretaking things for yourself)

What are Panksepp’s 3 “life enhancing” Affective Circuits?

Jaak Panksepp is most known for his work in the field of affective (emotion) neuroscience. Jaak identified and studied 7 core emotional systems found in mammals. He proposed that these 7 basic affective circuits are present at birth and are imperative for survival of the species and serve as the foundation for more complex human experiences/emotions.  

Out of these 7 circuits, some, such as FEAR and ANGER are Life Preserving, meaning they help mammals protect themselves and ultimately stay alive. Others, which we will focus on today, are Life Enhancing, meaning they support mammals in creating a life worth living. These Life Enhancing emotional circuits are called SEEKING, CARE, AND PLAY. When we are living our best life, these circuits are engaged regularly. 

Let’s learn what they mean…

SEEKING CIRCUIT: 

The SEEKING system is our system that monitors the pursuit of novelty, exploration, and reward.  Activation of this system motivates individuals to seek out new experiences, engage with their environments, and pursue goals that align with their desires and interests.  This system involves the neurotransmitter dopamine.  

CARE CIRCUIT: 

The CARE system is the underpinnings of nurture, social bonding, and caregiving behaviors.  Activation of this circuit is associated with feelings of warmth, compassion, and the desire to take care of one another.  It supports both intimate human relationships as well as social cohesion within communities.  It involves the neurotransmitter oxytocin and helps ward off depression. 

PLAY CIRCUIT: 

The PLAY system is associated with spontaneous, joyful, and exploratory behaviors.  Related to both the Seeking and Care circuits, it plays a significant role in promoting social bonds, learning, and emotional regulation across species.  Play supports the processes of managing stress, fostering resilience, and promoting overall well-being in both animals and humans.  

Denver Therapist Guide to Your Wellness Day

Here at Denver Wellness Counseling, our Denver Therapists make thoughtful suggestions about wellness activities that specifically support Ventral Vagal activation, as well as the SEEKING, CARE, and, PLAY affective circuits.  

Based on our neurobiology, here are some Denver Therapist suggestions for local activities to promote connection, safety, and stress relief:

1. Schedule time to AIMLESSLY WANDER

Aimless Wandering is a concept originally from Daoism where we intentionally schedule time outside of any to-do list, to mindfully explore our community and surroundings. Even wellness activities can add to stress as just another thing to “check off our list.” Consider scheduling some time where you put down your to-do list and spend anywhere from 2 hours to an entire weekend just exploring without any itinerary or expectations around accomplishment. Start with your neighborhood, and graduate to new places, either other neighborhoods or anywhere in nature. Your SEEKING system will thank you.  

2. Get sweaty and bendy in a YOGA CLASS

Yoga hits many of our wellness goals at one time – body movement, sweating, community, and relaxation all at once.  

Try Yoga combined with live wind and percussion instruments, or baby animals.  

Places to try:  

3. BREATHWORK, ACCUPUNCTURE and ENERGY WORK– solo or join a class 

Breathwork is one of the primary ways we have direct control over self-soothing our sympathetic nervous system responses (fight, flight).  Advanced breathwork practices can have major long-term benefits, such as reduced stress, reduced blood pressure, improved immune function, and reduced inflammation in the body.  

Energy work promotes physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being through a number of modalities, such as chakra healing and Reiki. 

Acupuncture works to stimulate and influence hormones and neurotransmitters in the body to reduce pain, relieve stress, improve immune function, regulate hormone imbalances, and improve sleep. 

Places to try:  

4. NATURE WALKS or HIKES:

Physical movement in nature has special benefits.  Walking (left foot, right foot) is a form of bilateral stimulation (just like we use in EMDR) and has the benefits of soothing the nervous system and balancing the brain.  Exercise and sunshine will boost dopamine! Find a few of Denver’s favorite hikes here (within 1 hour from the city):

5. SMASH SOMETHING 

Maybe your nervous system has been stuck in flight, flight, or freeze and we need an active way to move energy through our system.   In Denver you can find a “smash room” or commonly called Rage-room or Breakroom where you can safely smash anything from glass bottles to electronics or furniture.  Many call this “cathartic” and can be done individually or as a group.  

Places to try:  

6. TAKE A WORKSHOP OR CLASS

Learn something new or interesting that has nothing to do with your daily work.  The key here is that we’re learning and engaging in something that isn’t “productive” in the sense that it fulfills our CE credits or is required for our job.   This is a primary way to activate the SEEKING system, meet like-minded people, and build a more balanced life.  You’d be surprised at the types of places that offer classes:

Places to try: 

7. GET YOUR CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING

Creativity signals safety to the body (it’s quite difficult to be creative if we’re running from danger) and activates the ventral vagal (safety) circuit in the body.  The ways to be creative are endless in Denver:

8. ALLOW SOUND VIBRATIONS TO SOOTH YOUR BODY

A Sound Bath is a meditative experience that often uses “singing bowls” to immerse the participants in relaxing sound vibrations to soothe the body and mind.  Sound baths are typically done as a group and participants relax on a yoga mat and bring their own soothing items such as blankets and eye masks.  Here in Denver you can find Sound Baths at many of our yoga studios, meditation studios, or even Salt Caves:

9. CONNECT TO YOUR INNER CHILD THROUGH ADULT PLAY

Ready to activate your PLAY circuit??

Denver is the perfect place for adult play at an amusement park, scavenger hunt, escape room, murder mystery dinners, or organized club sports.   

Some of our Denver Therapist Favs:

10. BE A BEGINNER 

Exploratory growth happens when we are competent in what we’re doing.  Tolerating the discomfort of not knowing what we’re doing and then pushing past that limit can bring both self-growth and a related sense of joy/accomplishment.  Some ideas from our Denver Therapists:

Our Denver Therapists here at Denver Wellness Counseling hope you honor yourself this Spring by planning a day (or more) for Wellness. You deserve it! 

Kerri Sterrett
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