We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rayni Collins a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Rayni, sincerely appreciate your selflessness in agreeing to discuss your mental health journey and how you overcame and persisted despite the challenges. Please share with our readers how you overcame. For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
Thank you for having me. I’m honored to share with your audience.
During my undergraduate studies, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery regarding my mental health. I realized I had been struggling with anxiety and depression since childhood, mistakenly believing them to be personal flaws and feeling isolated in my experience. With the guidance of a college counselor (who sparked my own interest in the field), I discovered the prevalence of these struggles and learned to embrace my vulnerabilities. This ignited a deep curiosity within me to understand the triggers and patterns that impacted my well-being. Recognizing these repetitive cycles, I actively sought help from loved ones and professionals, like doctors and therapists, during challenging times. This ongoing process of self-awareness, acceptance, and love continues to shape me into the person I aspire to be.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
As a therapist, I love to empower creative minded people to recharge through better sleep and rest, unlocking their full potential to accelerate towards what excites them most. Often, we explore past beliefs about work and professional identity that intertwine with personal life, causing stress and burnout. Together, we clarify and redefine “me” both inside and outside of work, leading to improved time management, focus, and effort allocation. My toolkit includes proven methods like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), Dance/Movement Therapy for emotional release, Person-Centered Therapy for self-exploration, and my latest addition, the exciting Brainspotting technique. As a creative myself, I find deep personal fulfillment in activities like dancing, skating, creating, being playful, and daydreaming, which act as pathways to my own flow state.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The cornerstones of my success I would say have been adaptability, emotional intelligence, and community.
Adaptability: Life throws curveballs, and I’ve learned to be flexible and roll with the punches. Rigidity only creates unnecessary difficulties. I embrace opportunities that arise, even if they weren’t part of the plan. In fact, unexpected paths have often led me to exciting destinations.
Emotional Intelligence: I use a blend of intuition and logic, guided by emotional intelligence, to make sound life decisions. Our emotions signal our needs, and ignoring them, like high stress, can lead to burnout and health issues. I’ve experienced this firsthand but ultimately recovered and found my way back to a fulfilling life. However, small doses of stress can be a motivator, pushing us forward instead of burning us out.
Community: We all need support, especially during challenging times. Going it alone, especially in difficult situations, is not only unfair but self-sabotaging. In my experience, people genuinely enjoy helping others. There’s always someone willing to lend a hand, you just have to ask. This can be incredibly brave, but the rewards are immense. I have a countless number of people to thank for their unwavering support on my journey.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
Self-awareness is paramount in my approach to managing overwhelm. Early signs, like tension in my head, neck, and shoulders, alongside restlessness and avoidance, alert me to impending stress. In such instances, I prioritize support from my trusted network of friends, family, and therapist. Beyond emotional support, I emphasize my biological needs – proper hydration, healthy eating, adequate sleep, and regular physical activity – to bolster my resilience.
Walking outdoors holds particular significance. The physical act of walking organizes my thoughts, while the change of scenery and sensory input (sunlight, fresh air, nature sounds) fosters creative problem-solving. These practices, honed through years of self-discovery, empower me to effectively navigate overwhelm and formulate action plans for overcoming it.
By actively practicing what I teach, I am able to effectively guide others in managing their own overwhelm.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.RayniCollins.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/e_motive_counseling/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RayniCollins/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/raynicollins
Image Credits
Arlynn Zachary
