Ilana Estelle is a mental health and wellbeing advocate who combines educational insight with her personal experience of living with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities.
She holds diplomas in Counselling, Diet and Nutrition, Nutritional Therapy, Psychotherapy and Counselling, and Stress Management. Through her writing, Ilana supports others in navigating their emotional, mental, and physical health challenges.
In addition to writing for The CP Diary, her work has appeared in healthy lifestyle magazines.
Ilana is also the author of three books: Cerebral Palsy: A Story – Finding the Calm After the Storm, Spirituality, Healing and Me, and Survival: The Covid Years – Time for Change.
Something inspirational: “Think wrongly, if you please, but in all cases think for yourself.” DORIS LESSING Thinking for yourself means more than having your own opinions. It means owning your words, your choices, and ...
Something inspirational: "We are not what happened to us. We are what we choose to become.” JAMES HOLLIS "I am drawn to James Hollis's words: 'We are not what happened to us. We are what we choose ...
Thanks Lisa. Yes we do. Unfortunately institutions like school don't encourage free thinking and don't teach children how to think. Children are taught to follow guidelines on what the Government expect them to learn.
It's also something we all unconsciously do without giving it a second's thought. If it's not being encouraged in school, it's up to parents to make sure their children are being encouraged how to think so they are fully prepared for the outside world.
We shouldn't put words in other people's mouths, let alone children's mouths. They should be doing that for themselves.
My parents spent the majority of my childhood trying to teach me "what" to think rather than "how," so it's no wonder I was so screwed up for so long because I was actually battling the world and myself to find my own identity!
I've tried explaining many times to my girlfriend about the "tapes" that keep playing in the back of my mind, but she doesn't quite get it! They have quieted down over the years but they still play in the background most of the time.
People usually have a chance to grow up, to learn "how" to think and the parents usually encourage this. I've been trying to help my daughter with this, which she doesn't always appreciate, but I know her mother hasn't done a lot of it which is why she's so dependent!
Thanks Randy. I know what you mean, I used to have the same times of my childhood playing in my mind, until I changed my thinking.
I found replacing old thoughts with new experiences helped. We tend to continue with the same old patterns when we have nothing new to replace them with.
I try not to get in the middle of an argument among my kids.
I think it's good for them to work out out their differences by themselves. By doing this they will learn how to resolve conflicts, a skill that will be useful in their future adult social life.
Thanks Maria. I agree with you. Children must learn to resolve conflict, support and be there for each other and that must happen in childhood if it is to continue into adulthood; although if sometimes they need help that's where parents come in.
As long as parents dialogue with their children fairly and help their children understand, I believe children will always learn how to think and deal with issues themselves, whether it's with a sibling, parent, friend or someone in authority.
Definitely. We want our children to be able to work things out on their own and not be dependent on others for the answers.
Thanks Lisa. Yes we do. Unfortunately institutions like school don't encourage free thinking and don't teach children how to think. Children are taught to follow guidelines on what the Government expect them to learn.
It's also something we all unconsciously do without giving it a second's thought. If it's not being encouraged in school, it's up to parents to make sure their children are being encouraged how to think so they are fully prepared for the outside world.
We shouldn't put words in other people's mouths, let alone children's mouths. They should be doing that for themselves.
Great little saying and so true.
Children must be encouraged to think for themselves as mature, confident, caring individuals and not simply to tow the parental line.
My parents spent the majority of my childhood trying to teach me "what" to think rather than "how," so it's no wonder I was so screwed up for so long because I was actually battling the world and myself to find my own identity!
I've tried explaining many times to my girlfriend about the "tapes" that keep playing in the back of my mind, but she doesn't quite get it! They have quieted down over the years but they still play in the background most of the time.
People usually have a chance to grow up, to learn "how" to think and the parents usually encourage this. I've been trying to help my daughter with this, which she doesn't always appreciate, but I know her mother hasn't done a lot of it which is why she's so dependent!
I can only lead by example at this point.
Thanks Randy. I know what you mean, I used to have the same times of my childhood playing in my mind, until I changed my thinking.
I found replacing old thoughts with new experiences helped. We tend to continue with the same old patterns when we have nothing new to replace them with.
I believe you can do it Randy.
I try not to get in the middle of an argument among my kids.
I think it's good for them to work out out their differences by themselves. By doing this they will learn how to resolve conflicts, a skill that will be useful in their future adult social life.
Thanks Maria. I agree with you. Children must learn to resolve conflict, support and be there for each other and that must happen in childhood if it is to continue into adulthood; although if sometimes they need help that's where parents come in.
As long as parents dialogue with their children fairly and help their children understand, I believe children will always learn how to think and deal with issues themselves, whether it's with a sibling, parent, friend or someone in authority.