A Vote for Women's Health this holiday season

The Festival of Trees at Westfield Southlake Mall is in full swing, and among the entries is Franciscan Alliance’s “Spirit of Women” tree. The public is encouraged to vote for their favorite tree, and the winning nonprofit group will receive a $1,500 donation to the cause of its choice.

If awarded a donation from Westfield Mall, the Franciscan Alliance Foundation will divide the funds equally between St. Clare Health Clinic in Crown Point and Catherine McAuley Clinic in Hammond. Both of these clinics are mission programs of Franciscan Alliance and operate as free primary care clinics to the working uninsured and underinsured throughout Lake County. The money will be used to provide free digital mammograms to women who are deemed financially unable and ineligible for federally funded breast programs, as well as those who are uninsured.

The trees are located in the center court area on the main level. To vote, shoppers can take the escalator up to the Westfield Concierge Desk, located on the upper level by Macy’s, where they’ll find a voting box and ballots. Only one vote per person will be accepted, and the deadline to vote for the tree is Dec. 24.

Staying Connected During the Holiday Season and Beyond

Submitted by Jamie Monday, Clinical Therapist with the Employee Assistance Program of Franciscan Alliance - Northern Indiana Region

You walk into a restaurant and you notice a couple seated near you. And you observe that they really are not enjoying this opportunity to be together, because one is patiently waiting for the other to stop talking or texting on the cell phone.

It’s not that technology is inherently bad. It actually helps us connect with people in many positive ways. However, our electronic communication has become an easy way to escape genuine communication. Our ability to connect easily through the web, social media and through cell phones is causing many of us to forget the importance of conversation in developing strong relationships.

Through our relationships we experience laughter, companionship, teamwork, friendship, stress-relief, support, a sense of belonging, love, the list goes on and on. Investing in our relationships is crucial.

During this holiday season when you are spending time with family and friends practice working on interactions with each other that promote face-to-face communication. Boundaries like the ones below help establish a strong family value: When you’re with someone, that relationship is your priority!

Setting Boundaries for Mobile Technology:

1. No Devices at the dinner table - Dinner time should be reserved for conversation.
2. No phones at restaurants - We all need to find time daily to disconnect from all the information and reconnect with our families. Maybe even leave your cell phones in the car.
3. No texting someone when you’re both at home or in the same room - Don’t laugh it happens all the time!
4. No texting or talking about really important issues over the phone - This should be done face-to-face unless it is something that can’t wait. You can’t fully understand what that person really means unless you hear the tone of voice or see their face and a lot can be taken the wrong way.
5. Regulate use of devices on vacations - Set limits that force the family to interact with each other.

Wishing you and your family a Holy Advent and a Blessed Christmas

“You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”
(St. Augustine)

Dear Friends,

In every cell of our body and in the DNA of our souls there is always an ache and longing for something yet to come. We long for becoming a better person, having better health and being in better shape, a better home, a better community, better financial performance. Entertainment industry thrives on our longing for becoming leaner or more beautiful, winning The Voice, X-Factor, American Idol, Next Top Model or the Super Bowl…  We ache in a way that often leaves us dissatisfied and restless inside.

The Season of Advent, which begins this coming Sunday, celebrates that human longing and restlessness. It asks us not to deny them, but to enter them, deepen them, widen them. Longing shapes our souls in many ways. Longing carves out a trough, creates a space within us where something new can be born, where God can be born.

And Christmas is God’s answer to that human longing and restlessness. But God’s answer didn’t exactly meet our expectation. What our world expects is a superstar, someone charismatic, someone rich and famous, a superhero, someone with extraordinary talent, sharpness and muscle-power to out-gun everyone. God’s answer to that: a baby lying helpless in the straw – Jesus, our Savior! Like a baby, God does not out-muscle anyone, outgun anyone, threaten anyone, or overpower anyone. Instead, the power of God revealed in Christmas is the power of a baby, nothing more, nothing less – innocence, gentleness, helplessness, a vulnerability that softens hearts, invites us in, has us hush our noise, teaches us patience, brings us love, joy and peace, and calls forth what’s best in us. Such is the way of God in re-birthing a New You, re-creating a Precious You in His image and likeness. This is the message of Christmas.

As we continue Baby Jesus’ healing ministry in our Franciscan tradition, may we serve each other and our patients with a renewed vigor of gentleness, love, compassion, patience, peace and joy. Wishing you and your family a Holy Advent and a Blessed Christmas.

MISSION AND SPIRITUAL CARE TEAM

Managing Stress During the Holidays

The holiday season can be one of enjoyment, connection and fun. It can also be a time of too much to do, too many places to go, and too many people to deal with leaving us tired, frustrated and even angry.

We can feel stress physically, spiritually, emotionally, socially and intellectually. The first step is to identify what the stressors are for us as individuals. We are all different and experience the same events differently. What is fun for one can be dreadful for another.

Judy Elwood, LMHC, MAC, NCC, an Employee Assistance Program Therapist and Case Manager for the Franciscan Alliance, Northern Indiana Region, offers the following tips on how you can better manage stress this holiday season:

Physical Stress

• Take a short nap - more than 30 minutes and you won’t sleep well at night.
  
• Get some exercise - even a brisk walk will help.
  
• Take it easy on the rich, fatty, sweet foods that are prevalent during the holidays.
  
• Increase portions of healthy food and decrease unhealthy food.
  
• Slow down. You’ll actually accomplish more.
  
• Breathe deeply.
  
• Do things that are relaxing to you.
  
  

Spiritual Stress

• Listen to sacred music of the season.
  
• Say a prayer.
  
• Think about the real reason for the season.
  
• Attend worship.
  
• Read uplifting, spiritual materials.
  
• Help someone in need.
  
• Give presents to those who have little.
  
  

Emotional Stress

• Deal with your emotions in appropriate ways. Don’t push them aside.
  
• Have a good cry, if needed.
  
• Have a good laugh. Don’t take everything so seriously.
  
• Listen to another’s troubles. Give them support.
  
• Call a friend or family member if you feel lonely. Reach out to someone.
  
• Don’t expect perfection from yourself or others whether it be decorating, cooking, baking or even finding the "perfect" present.
  
  

Social Stress

• Go to a party. Stay home if you’d rather.
  
• Don’t do things mainly because you "should." Do things that are important to you and the family.
  
• Start some new traditions but remember and celebrate the old traditions as well.
  
• Share the work. Do it in a fun way.
  
• Sing some carols while you work at all those holiday tasks.
  
• Remember the "bartering" system. I’ll do this for you since I like doing it, and you do this for me because you like it and I do not.
  
  

Intellectual Stress

• Focus on a hobby or a good book to take a break from all the holiday "busyness."
  
• Evaluate your goals.
  
• Return the focus to what is important.
  
• Enjoy the quiet of a starry winter night.
  
• Go to bed early. You’ll think better tomorrow.
  
• Have a lively discussion with friends or family.
  
• Play a board game that requires strategy.
  
  

Got 5 Minutes? Take our Stress and Anxiety Assessment. At the end of the assessment you’ll receive:

• An explanation of stress factors in your life
  
• Tips for relaxing and reducing stress
  
• Links to additional reading
  
  

For more information, read our in-depth report on Stress. >>