As people begin to embrace a post COVID normal, Hudson Valley psychologist Dr. Denise Morett gives her take on having a balanced mind.
Dr. Morett practices bioenergetic medicine, which emphasizes how one’s mental state impacts energy.
“Everything is energy and affects energy,” she said via email. “Not just having ‘energy’ to take actions, but where we exist energetically in terms of the level where we function.”
For example, negative thoughts often lead to projecting negative energy when not countered with positive thoughts.
This is especially true when it comes to body image. If one is overweight and does not believe new diet and exercise habits can change this, they may remain overweight, says Dr. Morett.
“We can maximize our psychological and energetic position to achieve healthy weight and physical wellness,” she said. “The brain is powerful in that way.”
She encourages her patients to have an empowered mindset, with positive thoughts but with room for doubt and challenges.
“I often encourage spending a few minutes each day saying, thinking and imagining being at our best selves,” she said. “Even if we do not know how we will get there, even if we do not believe it is possible, it helps.”
Dr. Morett is currently seeing patients via Telehealth, but may resume in person sessions starting this summer.
She offers traditional psychotherapy alongside bioenergetic and mindset medicine strategies. Her practice accepts some insurances and also offers sessions on a sliding scale fee.
Shaped by Crisis
A personal crisis partly influenced Dr. Morett’s approach to encouraging positive thoughts in her clients.
When her 21-year-old son Ryan was only 14, he received a diagnosis of a rare form of cancer. An ongoing health battle left the family in despair, and Dr. Morett could not find enough emotional support.
The experience inspired Dr. Morett’s life philosophy, aptly referred to by the acronym L.I.F.E. It stands for Love, Inhale, Flowing, Exhale, and is documented in her book Lifeline, a guide for parents dealing with a child’s chronic illness.
The book also shares anecdotes of her patients who dealt with similar struggles in their household.
“My experience with my son’s illness taught me a lot,” she said via email. “It truly showed me even more how to be present and listen with empathy.”
She also learned that it was ok to not be ok.
“I use those words a lot now in my work with patients,” she said.
During the pandemic, the survival skills she developed from her son’s health trauma helped her teach others how to cope with theirs.
“I figured if I could find my way through his illness, I could find my way through a global illness,” she said.
For more information on Dr. Morett’s practice, visit www.drdenisemorett.com
