Just a Minute with Dr Kumari

A Just a Minute Manifesto

In this gentle and grounding episode, Dr Kumari Valentine shares the Just a Minute Manifesto —a compassionate philosophy of healing through micro-moments of self-connection. Rooted in trauma-informed mindfulness, this episode explores how just one minute can reconnect us with our body, our breath, and the parts of ourselves that need care. You'll be invited into reflection, regulation, and a quiet rebellion against burnout culture. A soothing listen for anyone craving deep self-care, one deliber...

Dissociation

In this episode I talk about Dissociation and introduce the idea of the Dissociation Thermometer I developed this week. You are welcome to download it and use it. Please share: https://pdflink.to/eccbd83c/ I also mentioned the petition that is taking up my time and is part of the concerning things happening for psychologists in New Zealand alongside other health professionals. https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/protect-public-safety-and-psychology-in-new-zealand-a-petition-by-psychologis...

Protecting Psychology and the Public: The Threat to Evidence-Based Practice

I had planned to talk about this at a later point, but recent events have caused me alarm. The Minister for Mental Health (NZ) revealed on Tuesday that the government is developing Associate Psychologist Scopes of practice, with the help of the Psychologists Board in NZ. The proposed pathway means that people with a basic undergraduate degree (where there is no clinical or hands on training) would do a one year training and then be registered health professionals, Associate Psychologists. Amongs...

Eating for a Stress Less and more Healthy Christmas with Bridget Foliaki Davis

Can the way we eat affect how stressed we feel? The Christmas or holiday season is typically associated with a variety of stressors. In this episode with award winning chef and author, Bridget Foliaki Davis, we talk about gut health, stress, and eating. Bridget has some amazing tips to eat better this season in order to really nourish you and manage stress better. Bridget has TONS of free resources. She also has a transformative 28 day boost camp: https://bridgets.shop/ Free resource from me abo...

Mood Boosting Strategies Backed by Science

Low or depressed mood affects EVERYTHING. I am a clinical psychologist with almost two decades of clinical experience as well as previously having been a researcher and lecturer in psychological science. In this episode, I share some evidence based tips for lifting low mood or maintaining mood. The awful thing when you feel low is that it feels like "this is it"! It isn't! You can improve your mood. Stress also affects mood. Would you like some additional quick strategies to help soothe the nerv...

Mindfulness and Relational Trauma

Mindfulness has many benefits but can also be misunderstood. I talk about what mindfulness is and how it can be useful when we are dealing with relational trauma.

The Gut Brain Axis and Polyvagal Theory in a Nutshell

Episode 47: There is so much to the Gut Brain Axis but I give you a very quick overview and briefly cover Polyvagal theory.

People Pleasing and Fawning in Response to Relational Trauma

Do you struggle with people pleasing and perhaps even identifying your own needs? In this episode I talk about the "fawn" response to relational trauma. My deeper self care course is available here: https://kumari.gumroad.com/l/deeperselfcare

The Body in Stress and Six Things I did during an Extra Stressful Week

I often talk about the nervous system and soothing it for dealing with stress and trauma. Here I talk about what I mean by the nervous system. A couple of weeks ago, I had an extra stressful week and was pleased with a few things I put into place - I'm always learning! I hope these tips are useful to you too! Here is a download to the handout I talk about: 5 strategies to soothe the nervous system and cope with stress: https://drkumari.ck.page

Some Reflections on Waitangi Day 2024

Waitangi Day is pretty important in New Zealand and a day I have mixed feelings about. One the one hand, it is really important, I feel, to honour our known guardians of the land and the special history and culture. On the other hand, there has been so much wrong doing, bias, racism, and disadvantage to the indigenous people of this country.

New Year Goals Driven by VALUES

Best wishes for the holiday season! This is often a time of year when we start thinking about "resolutions" and "goals". These are more likely to succeed when they are driven by values. In this podcast, I talk about how we might discover or re-discover our values and some tips. Goal setting and values clarification are always easier when coming from a place of a more soothed nervous system. Here are 5 strategies I commonly teach, as a clinical psychologist, to help soothe and reset the nervous s...

Intergenerational Trauma

I'm Dr Kumari Valentine, Clinical Psychologist. I'm interested in trauma, including relational trauma. I'm an EMDR therapist amongst other things. I'm talking about intergenerational trauma and intergenerational resourcing on this podcast. I talk about soothing the nervous system and talk about 5 strategies I commonly teach and use. Here is the link for that download (on signing up to emails from me; unsubscribe when you would like): https://drkumari.ck.page/9f339e3e2b Take care everyone!...

Using Terror Management Theory to understand Conservative Leanings

Terror Management Theory is one of Psychology's "Grand Theories", explaining how existential terror influences decision making and choices. This is my contribution to an observation that we are moving into a time of more right leaning politics. Change can be hard to manage and mean that dysregulated nervous systems struggle more. Download five strategies to help soothe a nervous system: https://drkumari.ck.page/9f339e3e2b

Somatisation, Conversion, and Somatic Symptom Disorder

What do we mean by Somatisation? In this episode I look at the connection between body and mind and what we mean by these diagnostic terms. I read some lines from the amazing book by Professor Bessel van der Kolk: "The Body Keeps the Score". Relearning to be in our body means resetting our nervous system. Sign up to my newsletter to download five powerful strategies to soothe the nervous system: https://drkumari.ck.page/9f339e3e2b...

Just a Minute of Ease and Breath

What would bring you more ease in this minute? Might it be easing your breath?

Self Compassion Meditation Exercise

Perhaps not one to do actively while driving or doing something hazardous! We do a short mindfulness meditation aimed at increasing self compassion.

Why is Self Compassion the necessary ingredient in Healing?

Our childhood experiences can mean that it is hard to be compassionate towards ourselves. I talk about why self-compassion is the magic ingredient in healing and how to develop more self-compassion.

Just a Minute of Turning Compassion Inwards

Many of us are so skilled at being compassionate towards others. Here's Just a Minute of turning that outward reflex inwards....to build self compassion.

We are allowed to have it Easy - a Just a Minute meditation

We are allowed to have things easy and to have ease in our lives! Our life experiences and messages from growing up might give us ideas against this. Let's take a moment to notice what comes up when we sit with the idea of ease.

What is PTSD and Complex PTSD?

In this episode I talk about what PTSD and Complex PTSD are, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-5) and ICD-11.

Overthinking Part 1 - What, Why, and What to do

What is Overthinking? I talk about worry and rumination and the functions that they have. I talk about the socialisation of types of thinking and some alternatives to overthinking as well as some of the difficulties. I briefly talk about mindfulness (and why it might not be the solution for everything!) as well as what I think the core issue is that drives overthinking.

My Self Care Journey and Nutrition Part 1

Valentine’s Day, Parts of the Self, and Deep Self Care

In this episode, I talk about some deep stuff! Valentine's Day brings up all sorts of feelings for people (with good reason!). I talk about Parts of the Self and Deep Self Care.

Deep Self Care

In this episode, I'm starting to talk about deep self care and have some ideas of exercises and techniques for this. I'm referring to a list I made: https://drkumari.ck.page/selfcare with these exercises. Sign up to receive them into your inbox. Thanks heaps for listening and wishing you the best in this journey of healing!

Just a Minute of Healing Light

In this podcast we do a healing visualisation, imagining light entering through the crown of our heads. I realised I didn't walk you through the Crown Pull by Donna Eden that I had intended to! I'll do that next! Keen for other strategies to reset and rewire your nervous system for greater ease and flow? Go to https://tinyurl.com/drkumari I share one of my mindfulness inspired self care cards almost daily on Insta and Facebook: Dr Kumari NZ. If you wanted your own set of my mindful inspired self...

The difference between Pain and Suffering and how this helps dealing with physical sensations

In this episode I share how I coped with "Traveller's Belly" using some teaching from Bruno Cayoun and Melissa Spilsted and talk about the difference between pain and suffering. Keen on more audio tracks to support your mindfulness or self care journey? My tracks are on iTunes, Spotify and more - search for "Dr Kumari Valentine". You can also find them linked at www.kumarivalentine.com along with my mindfulness inspired self care cards. Would you like 5 powerful strategies to help reset and rewi...

Just a Minute Sydney

Just a Minute to step back from mental chatter, in Sydney.

Just a Minute Singapore

Taking Just a Minute to breathe into gratitude from Singapore.

Just a Minute Bali

Taking a minute to breathe in compassion.

just a minute Perth

Catching a minute while I can? !