Holiday Gift Guide: Self Care x Wellness Edition

This just might be the greatest present you Gift this Season!

The past two years have been quite stressful and unique. We went through the woes of the pandemic/post-pandemic stressors, social injustice, and life overall. Many people have had to face their fears head-on, find new ways to adjust to our new normal and find balance after these past events.

Self-care has been at the forefront lately to improve our all-over well-being. So, we thought it would be a great idea to encourage others to take steps towards Self-Care with a focus on wellness. Gift those you love to speak openly, focus on their inner, add balance to their lives through talk therapy and meditation.

We’re gifting inner - P E A C E this season!!

In this blog, we will break down our favorite giftable wellness services.

*Read our full disclaimer below: We are NOT medical professionals. We're simply here to help you gift well by providing the most up-to-date information on available gift options - we are not liable.

First, Let's Talk Therapy!

Get it “TALK Therapy about…” Okay nevermind-

So, what is therapy?

Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy or simply "therapy," treats emotional distress and mental health issues. It entails studying and learning about the life choices and issues that individuals, couples, or families experience. It is delivered by a wide range of qualified specialists, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and licensed counselors. (Therapy Today)

Talk Therapy Gifting Options:

Talkspace

Say what!

Talkspace is one of the most popular online therapy services out there, so you might have heard about it. This therapy app is excellent for anyone who needs someone to talk with, whether you're just starting or have had your fair share of difficulties in life! Their mission is to remove the stigma associated with seeking mental health care and make it more accessible to everyone. As a result, they provide their customers with instant texting and live video sessions with a professional therapist.

Gifting:

There are two options for gifting Talkspace:

● 30-minute live video session with a therapist for $79.

This offer provides your loved one with 30 minutes of live interaction with a therapist of their choice to discuss challenges they are facing.

● Your giftee will receive Unlimited texts, videos, and messaging with a therapist (Daily responses; five days per week) per month for $260.

This offer provides much more communication with the therapist. Your loved one gets to text, video, and message the therapist without limit for one month.

Betterhelp

Say What!

If you know Talkspace, you probably have heard about BetterHelp. They are the two top online therapeutic platforms. What Betterhelp does is that they connect their users with professional therapists or counselors from all over the world. You pick what's going on in your life, and they will find someone who specializes in those areas for you! They offer coaching and therapy sessions for stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, eating disorders, sleep disorders, parenting, anger, trauma, etc. Be informed that all BetterHelp subscriptions include unlimited counseling sessions via messaging, phone calls, or live video chat.

Gifting: Betterhelp has a single gifting option where you can provide ongoing therapy for $60-90.00* per week.

What’s included: All BetterHelp subscriptions include unlimited live messaging, phone calls, and video chat. You will get billed from $60 to $90 per week (billed every 4 weeks) continually as long as the recipient continues therapy or when you stop making payments.

*The price depends on the length of time committed to using the service.

How to cancel your plan? Go here!

What's the difference between the two?

How to decide between the two? The first question we would ask is, are you looking for this to be a one-time gift? Or are you comfortable with an ongoing gift? If you are looking for a way to give a one-time gift, talk space is your best option. From there, you can determine whether you believe your giftee would be word find the most value in a one-time 30-minute live session, something like a refresher restart. Or, if you want to give them more flexibility in talking therapy, you can choose the unlimited option from Talkspace. However, suppose you would like to give the gift of talk therapy, and you do not mind this being an ongoing gift. In that case, Betterhelp may be just the option for you! Your giftee will get features similar to the unlimited option on Talkspace. However, this will be a continuous service until you stop it or your giftee decides to end therapy. Also, please note this option will require cancellation.

Not sure if Talk Therapy is the right gifting option? We have more!

Let's Talk Meditation – No equipment NEEDED!

What is meditation?

Meditation is a great way to relieve stress, anxiety, and pain. Depending on your goals, you can engage in various meditation techniques. Meditation has been shown to provide a variety of health advantages, including lowering the risk of heart disease, stroke and improving brain sharpness. It has a long history of increasing calmness and physical relaxation, improving psychological balance, coping with illness, and enhancing overall health and well-being. (NCCIH)

Meditation Gifting Options:

The Calm App

Tell me more!

Have you always wondered how celebrities stay so relaxed with their ever-busy schedules? Well, some of them use Calm to achieve this feat. Calm is an online meditation and mindfulness app that offers guided meditations for sleep, anxiety, and stress relief - among other things. With this app, your giftee would find several techniques and methods to help them stay balanced throughout their day.

Gifting: The Calm App offers two gifting options: One-year $69.99 or a lifetime $399.99 membership.

Both give access to:

● "An original Daily Calm every day

● 100+ guided meditations covering anxiety, focus, stress, sleep, relationships, and more

● An entire library of Sleep Stories, with new stories, added every week

● Exclusive music tracks for Focus, Relaxation, and Sleep

● Life-changing Calm Masterclasses taught by world-renowned experts

● Access to all Calm Body programs.

Headspace

Tell me more!

If you want to give a loved one that needs meditation a gift, Headspace is a great idea. Headspace is an app that helps its users meditate. It does this by walking them through a 10-minute meditation session every time they open the app. It is a platform that offers online guided meditation to deal with mental health affairs. You can get various services from Headspace, including individual counseling sessions, group therapy, and workshops.

Gifting: Headspace offers two options for gifting: Choose 1-month for $12.99 or 1-year $95.88 currently on sale for $69.99.

Both plans will give you access to:

● Hundreds of guided meditations on everything from stress to focus to relationships.

● Stories, soundscapes, and music to help you sleep soundly.

● A new meditation is delivered to your phone every day.

What's the difference between the two?

Headspace is for beginners, people who are just starting their meditation journey. It provides the best experience, with good guided courses and terrific short meditations for on-the-go users. If your giftee is a beginner meditator, it will help them start and continue the habit. Calm provides a wealth of resources for both the newbies and the seasoned mediator. The resource bank is lively and features mediations and sleep stories, masterclasses, and music. So, which to gift? It comes down to deciding which features will best suit your giftee.

Mediation with Trainer

Core – might be the best device made for meditation, breath training, and heart health monitoring, says Mashable.

What is it?

Core, in simple terms, is for anyone who wants to meditate right and needs some support in developing a consistent meditation habit. If you want to ensure that your giftee practice meditation the right way, Core is the right gift.

So how does Core help improve a person's meditation life? Core developed a handheld meditation trainer with calming vibrations to help users focus and direct their breathing. This device works with its companion app for streaming guided meditations.

This trainer is a great on-the-go device- perfect for every time and space. It will help your giftee meditate more effectively in just 10 minutes per day! However, it is essential to note that you will require the trainer to attain the goal of Core, which is to meditate effectively.

Meditation with "Trainer by Core"

Core x Trainer Meditation Device

Say less!

So how does Core help improve a person's meditation life? Core developed a handheld meditation trainer. It uses calming vibrations to help users focus and direct their breathing. This device works with its companion app for streaming guided meditations.

Users can use it at home or take it with them while traveling to ensure constant improvement in their physical well-being. It will help your giftee meditate more effectively in just 10 minutes per day! However, it is essential to note that you will require the trainer to attain the goal of Core, which is to meditate effectively.

Gifting: CORE has a few gifting options available:

Memberships & Trainer:

● 1-year premium membership without the trainer - $69.99: Core Premium offers your giftee access to courses taught by Core's expert instructors, which are uploaded daily to the app. It gives your giftee full access to Core's entire collection of guided lessons on topics such as better sleep, stress management, good relationships, and more. Premium customers may also listen to original soundscape compositions by new and notable artists. It is a one-time payment, so you don't have to bother about auto-renewals. Note, it won't come with the trainer.

● Digital gift card - starting at $10: The gift card is more like giving your giftee a discount to try out Core for themselves! Once you purchase this gift card, you will receive an email with instructions for redeeming it at the time of purchase.

● Core Premium Bundle: Trainer + 1-year unlimited premium content on the app is usually $249; currently $219.00: With this option, your giftee will receive one trainer device and one-year premium content and basic meditations on the CORE app.

● One Core meditation with the trainer x Premium Bundle Pricing -$179: This option comes with the trainer but with limited access to basic meditation content on the CORE app.

Bonus: Here is a wonderful Talk Therapy Resource

Black Girl Therapy

An excellent resource for those seeking or curious about is Therapy for Black Girls! Dr. Joy Harden Bradford is out here doing the Lord's work!! She is a licensed psychologist in Georgia, and she founded Therapy for Black Girls in 2014. What started out as a blog morphed into a podcast and a Black Therapist directory. Overall, Therapy for Black Girls is a fantastic resource where Black Girls can go "To be seen, to be heard, and to be understood.

All the links

Visit their Website, find a therapist using the Directory, Listen on Podcasts: on Apple Podcast: and Google Podcast, Follow them on Instagram, and here’s how to Support.

Shout out to the mission: “Therapy for Black Girls is an online space dedicated to encouraging the mental wellness of Black women and girls.”

Final Thoughts

It's the time of year where we all start to think about what gifts we want to give our friends and family members. Gift-giving can be difficult, but we are here to help you.

*Full Disclaimer, the contents of the following blog have not been written by or evaluated by a medical professional. This website is for informational purposes only. We facts based on information available at the time of writing and are believed to be accurate according to the best discernment of the author. This content is not intended to replace, nor should it be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Always visit a physician or other healthcare expert if you have any concerns or questions regarding your health. This blog is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment.

Additionally, suppose you or someone you know have a mental health situation. In that case, we recommend consulting with a licensed, trained professional physician or other medical and mental health providers. The above information does not constitute medical advice.

CITATIONS:

“Meditation: In-Depth | NCCIH.” NCCIH, Nccih.nih.gov, https://nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation/overview.htm. “About — Therapy For Black Girls.” https://therapyforblackgirls.com/about/ “How To Cancel BetterHelp Efficiently [Pro Hacks].” DoNotPay, https://donotpay.com/learn/cancel-betterhelp Psychology Today, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/therapy. Photo Credit: Cover photo by Jacob Lund Photos and Research Talkspace:https://www.talkspace.com/ Betterhelp: https://www.betterhelp.com/gift/ Headspace: https://www.headspace.com/buy/gift Calm: https://www.calm.com/gift Core: https://hyperice.com/products/core-premium/ https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-meditation-apps/

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#Gift Guide

First, Let's Talk Therapy!

Black Girl Therapy

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