Latest / ShameOver - The Drink Less Podcast / It’s Not About the Drink: A Holistic Approach to Mind, Body & Soul with Miriam Putnam (Part 1)
Transcript
- Erica+ShameOver: Hello everyone. Okay, I'm so excited. Today's guest, Miriam Putnam, is a holistic life transformation specialist. She looks at the whole person, body, mind, soul, and we get into why drinking is r rarely about the drink, which you know is very much my thing if you've been listening to me at all. also talk about how small intentional moments can recharge you so much more than a glass of wine actually could. So let's jump into it. Hello, welcome back to ShameOver. I'm your host, Erica Mallory, and today I am so excited about the conversation we are going to have with Miriam Putnam. So Miriam, thank you so much for being here. How are you? Miriam Putnam: Thank you for having me on. I'm so excited to have a great conversation with you too and help your listeners Erica+ShameOver: Yes. Miriam Putnam: in however I possibly can. And I'm doing great. Erica+ShameOver: Yes. So tell us about you. Who are you? What do you do? Miriam Putnam: So who am I and what do I do? What a loaded question. I do lots of different Erica+ShameOver: I know, right? Miriam Putnam: things, but overall I'm basically a life transformation specialist. And I have a lot of lived experience in the unfortunately broken mental health system because that's how I lost my mom. I grew up with a lot of family legacy, being that Amelia Earhart is in my family, Crayola Crowns, Putnam Publishing, things like that. And so at a very young age, I could see that. Just because somebody has money, it doesn't guarantee happiness. And bad, unhealthy decisions don't protect you, obviously, but the money doesn't protect you from the result of those decisions. And then also in the area of insurance, even if you have the best insurance, our healthcare system unfortunately does not always I it gets into a hairy subject, right? But it the you have to really be your own advocate. And I've lived through lots of bad advice from doctors. And for me, I was on a journey for what can be and what will be very workable for holistic mental health. So I became a holistic mental health, I don't know, over twenty five years ago now. Looks like I'm not that old, I know, but it's been a Erica+ShameOver: Yeah, not at all. Miriam Putnam: It's been quite a journey. And so yeah, I just researched and studied and went to school and higher levels of education and developed this program to get somebody from from point A all the way to point Z, where they envision their life going. So that's me. Erica+ShameOver: I love that. Yeah. So what what exactly does holistic mental health mean? 'cause obviously we everyone knows the term mental health. holistic is definitely more of a buzzword. I'd say a lot of people getting more holistic in their lives. So what what to you I guess does that mean? Miriam Putnam: Well, so holistic basically has two definitions from what I have studied and read about. On one side, we have natural, and unfortunately, there's a lot of misunderstandings in that word natural, and being that you're here in Colorado, you'll understand what I mean. A lot of people Erica+ShameOver: Yes. Miriam Putnam: will will still smoke weed or take hallucinogenic mushrooms or do different things like that and consider that it's holistic. that it's more on Erica+ShameOver: Mm-hmm. Miriam Putnam: the natural side since it's not a prescription medication that is prescribed by a medical doctor, but I use the definition of natural meaning no drug. Erica+ShameOver: Got it. Amazing. Miriam Putnam: And then we have body, mind and soul is the other definition, meaning the whole person. A lot of people think like the whole person and Erica+ShameOver: Mm-hmm. Miriam Putnam: then natural. So it's the a natural approach for the whole entire individual is where I specialize. Erica+ShameOver: That is incredible because the one thing that I've definitely learned through my experience doing what I'm doing is for pretty much everyone, the drinking is not about the drinking. it is external factors that have caused you stress or anxiety or depression, or even just being uncomfortable being happy. we all have our different things that trigger us, but That leads us to find alcohol, which has become very soothing, and that's why we turn to it. So once I kind of Miriam Putnam: Yeah, sure. I mean it's a huge it's a it's a huge coping mechanism. And in our society, Erica+ShameOver: Exactly. Miriam Putnam: alcohol is extremely accepted and most individuals don't consider it a drug yet, although, on an international level it is rated as an extremely deadly carcinogenic for the body health. So Erica+ShameOver: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Miriam Putnam: in moderation it's definitely ideal. Erica+ShameOver: Yeah. a hundred percent. Exactly. And it's almost everyone that I've worked with, especially early on, they're like, Well, no, I don't drink to cope. they it just we don't have that correlation because exactly what you said, it is so common and accepted and essentially pushed everywhere. I have a very vivid memory of being at a two year old's birthday party. where it was all about the mimosas and because it's at 10 a.m but it's like you can't go to a two year old's birthday party without drinking and I'm just like I don't love the message that this is sending like you know Miriam Putnam: Yeah, yeah. What are we doing? Yeah. Right. What are we doing? Erica+ShameOver: exactly yeah so so how how do you typically work with people? Is like is it a lot of talk? Is it energetics? Is it working with everything? Obviously being the holistic approach, what does that kind of look like? Miriam Putnam: Well, so for each individual it starts the same way, just a little bit of an assessment. I begin with a two hundred question personality test, which actually gives the person Erica+ShameOver: that Miriam Putnam: a very amazing experience because they get to look at their viewpoint of themselves. So who I am and who my team is is very different and from my viewpoint better from the different psychol psychology outlets that are out there because there's no evaluation in what I do. Meaning if a person says they're having an issue with their husband, then that's what we're working on. I'm not evaluating them to tell them, no, this is actually the way. So we look at a personality test in the beginning, which is actually a graph. So a person gets to see their graph while we talk about their body health. And go through the three pillars of body health in order to get those stresses out of their life. are you taking too much drugs or medication? What is the body health? What what's the what's the baseline here? What are we working with? when's the last time you had a comprehensive blood exam, right? Because about 80 to 90 percent of mental mental health, mental illness issues actually reside in the body as undetected. Body health conditions. So, is the anxiety actually Lyme's disease? Is the sleep issue actually related to hormones? right, all these different things have to be considered. Erica+ShameOver: Yes. Miriam Putnam: And then we're peeling an onion together together while I'm always keeping in mind their viewpoint on themselves and where they're interested in going. So body health and we get into Erica+ShameOver: Absolutely. Miriam Putnam: mind health and then we get into soul health. Erica+ShameOver: That I love that approach because that that's one thing. even after doing this work for years now with myself, I was having issues with X, Y, and Z. And I'm like, okay, well, I did stop breastfeeding, however long ago, but that should be fine now. So it's got, let's look at the hormones, let's look at this, and it's even doing the work, you still need someone to help you see things differently and help you advocate. For yourself to be like, okay, no, it's not just you need to talk more. maybe you need more action here. Maybe you need to see what's going on in this issue, in this space too. So that I love, love, love that. And especially that you do it with a quiz or the assessment. I was the sucker for those anytime that there's a what's your personality type? I'm like, I am in. I I I'm curious. Miriam Putnam: Yeah. Erica+ShameOver: I wanna know. Miriam Putnam: Yeah, it's very interesting. And since what I do is is has a scientific base to it, after each Erica+ShameOver: Teacher. Yeah. Miriam Putnam: step we take that test again to see how the viewpoint actually increases changes, sometimes certain areas lower, then a person is more aware and they can see more and they're willing to look at different categories with more open eyes. So it's just it's it's good because it because it actually gives the answers along the way and a way to measure the success. Erica+ShameOver: Absolutely. So is yours something that does work with insurance, or I'm assuming it's separate than insurance just based on the lovely world of in insurance that we do with. It is. Yes. Miriam Putnam: Yeah, right. Insurance is a interesting whole interesting category. I have done a lot of advocacy in the area of mental health and overall Erica+ShameOver: Mm. Miriam Putnam: that is a major agreement point within psychologists that I've talked to and doctors that I've talked to, because if their hands weren't so tied with the rules from insurance, then it could be better care. I don't know firsthand Erica+ShameOver: Exactly. Miriam Putnam: if that is necessarily true, but being on the fact that I'm more on the outside of insurance than in the inside, I can Erica+ShameOver: Hm. Miriam Putnam: definitely see that. So since I'm a board certified health and wellness coach, I can do insurance right off the bat. But Erica+ShameOver: He said. Miriam Putnam: amazing. Right. Yeah, I know, 'cause I'm I'm Erica+ShameOver: Yes. Miriam Putnam: certified through a little offshoot of a medical board. So that, some people are interested in in that and some don't really mind and don't care, but Erica+ShameOver: Absolutely. Miriam Putnam: Yeah, just when we get into the deeper levels and actually obliterating and finding the hidden subconscious stress and that's Erica+ShameOver: Mm. Miriam Putnam: one on one in person that not everyone is qualified for. But yeah, that is not covered by insurance because it gets more into the, spiritual side. Erica+ShameOver: Yes, and let's let's talk that because that is something that especially the the older I get, the more not only spiritual I become, but I'd say the more I believe that that is Such a key part to everything. Miriam Putnam: Sure. Definitely. Erica+ShameOver: So how if you have someone who very disconnected, whether it's with their mind, their body, their everything, how do you help them start even just that simple connection piece? Miriam Putnam: Yeah, well so I am not ever teaching somebody what to believe. I'm giving facts and I'm giving all of my lived experience and all of my research and all of my credentials, I made a course. So that's the first step we go through. And the soul health module in the course that I did has to do with the fact that we are souls, just since I know it to be a hundred percent truth. But how a person understands that and sees their their truth in that is the way that they see their truth, whether someone is Jewish or Christian or Buddhist or whatever their background is Erica+ShameOver: Mm-hmm. Yep. Miriam Putnam: and however they go through life and express their spirituality is gonna be true for them. It's just where I come in is enhancing that and supporting the person and thinking about how are we gonna get that recharge. So for you, Erica, it might look like, going on a hike, whereas for me, it might look like going on a boat ride. So it Erica+ShameOver: Hmm. Miriam Putnam: is intertwining purposeful events within one's week that are a lot more than self-care. we're not talking about massage or making sure that you brush your teeth or get sleep. Erica+ShameOver: Mm-hmm. Miriam Putnam: We're talking about I am gonna go on a walk and a date with my husband every single Friday night because that is what makes me feel recharge. had a client one time that sunsets were her thing. Okay. So she had to figure out Erica+ShameOver: Mm-hmm. Miriam Putnam: in her week when was she going to schedule going to a rooftop to enjoy that, know, and then Erica+ShameOver: Yes. Miriam Putnam: having actually purposely doing it. So it's intentional. The point is being intentional in Erica+ShameOver: Mm. Exactly. Miriam Putnam: taking a pause, right? So what I do is not about breathing. It's not about going slow. It's about being intentional. Erica+ShameOver: Yes. Miriam Putnam: So if you would like to feel better and recharge, then what are you going to do in order to do that? Erica+ShameOver: Yes, and figuring out what that looks like for you because we are all diff different. I do something Miriam Putnam: Yeah. Erica+ShameOver: very early on with all of my clients that I I have them figure out what their PS is. So P Miriam Putnam: Yeah. Erica+ShameOver: is everything that brings you pleasure and S is anything that helps reduce stress. So, Miriam Putnam: Mm-hmm. Erica+ShameOver: all the everything that you just listed could be on both lists, either list, doesn't matter, but coming up with as many items as possible and then My biggest thing is before you drink, I'm not saying you can't drink, but before you drink, do something on that list because so much of what we're trying to do is to fill our emotional cups, but we Miriam Putnam: Yeah. Erica+ShameOver: fill our physical one instead. So this is you're gonna fill your emotional cup first and then you can go to your physical one. Miriam Putnam: There you go. Erica+ShameOver: Yeah. But for I guess people like you said, what are your your clients, it was the sunset. If you are having a hard time figuring out what this even is for you, that's a way to simplify it is what are things that help bring you pleasure, what can help reduce stress, and then those are things that are going to help recharge you when you do them intentionally, like you were saying. Miriam Putnam: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. It's very good. It's very good Erica+ShameOver: I don't know. Miriam Putnam: to have lots of different options. Sure. I mean, Erica+ShameOver: Exactly. Amazing. Miriam Putnam: a lot of people in the beginning don't have a ton. Erica+ShameOver: Yes. It's har it's hard to think of it until you get into it and then you're like, because you realize how simple it is. it doesn't need to be these big grand gestures, It can be something as simple as I love cuddling with my dog. that that one minute of snuggles is, very filling. Yes. Miriam Putnam: Right. Yeah, totally. It's very true. Erica+ShameOver: so with with people that you've worked with has alcohol or other substances Something is that something that comes up quite often that you see? Miriam Putnam: Well, yeah, overall, I have certain requirements, I guess you could say, in the beginning, as far as doing personal one-on-one with me. Some of my teammates that are on the team specialize in specific drug addiction or alcohol issues. for me, doing the virtual de-stress coaching, I go through a needs and wants. Right from the person. Erica+ShameOver: Yeah. Miriam Putnam: And then I will either they stay with me or they go to one of my teammates. Erica+ShameOver: Okay. Very cool. Wow. Miriam Putnam: Mm-hmm. Erica+ShameOver: So what are some of the needs versus wants that Miriam Putnam: Yeah, there's all different sort of niches. if you if you can actually imagine that somebody has an issue with it, then then somebody on my team knows how to help them solve it. Erica+ShameOver: That's amazing. I am all about empowerment and realizing the the saying that you are powerless to alcohol. I'm like, mm, no, no. That very, very against my beliefs. So, you Miriam Putnam: Yeah. Erica+ShameOver: obviously it's each their own, but it's all about finding the right fit and who who speaks to you. I I joke, but it's kinda like dating, finding someone who you do feel like you can be vulnerable with. That's the only way you're going to be able to attack whatever you're going after and find the growth and move forward is when you feel that connection with someone. So that's definitely very important. Miriam Putnam: Yeah, the affinity and the understanding and the likeness and sharing a bit of reality in order for somebody to shed those layers and go through a bit of a transformation. Right. But somebody has to be willing to go through the steps, Erica+ShameOver: Exactly. Yes. 100%. Okay, amazing. Thank you so much for listening to part one. If this conversation hit home, take my free drinker type quiz at shameover.me slash quiz. It'll show you why you reach for a drink in the first place and what to do instead. You can also check out the free drink tracking app. So I'll include that in the show notes. Besides that, we'll see you soon with part two of this episode. Thanks for listening. Don't forget to like, subscribe, share. It's the only way that I can keep sharing this beautiful message. So till then, we'll see you next time.