Summary: <p>Dr. Melva Green, author, psychiatrist, and spiritual healer as seen on A&E's hit show “Hoarders” discusses the importance of making breathing room as you declutter mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.</p> <p>Dr. Melva Green is best known for her work on the critically acclaimed A&E series Hoarders. She is a psychiatrist and spiritual healer specializing in REAL LIFE living. Dr. Green is the co-author of Breathing Room: Open You Heart by Decluttering Your Home, a wonderful blend of personal stories interwoven into a clear, practical guide on decluttering.</p> <p>In this episode, Dr. Green discusses the importance of slowing down, taking a breath, and leading with compassion before we jump into the clutter. We also discuss the do's and don'ts associated with identifying and treating someone with a hoarding disorder and associated signs and resources.</p> <p>To connect with Dr. Green, you can find her at <a href="http://www.drmelvagreen.com" rel="nofollow">www.drmelvagreen.com</a> as well as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube at @drmelva. Dr. Green is offering our listeners a discounted, signed copy of Breathing Room using the following link: <a href="http://bit.ly/2qM2pVB" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/2qM2pVB</a></p> <p>Spark Joy wants to hear from you! Tell us your burning tidying questions or share stories about how KonMari has impacted your life. Find us at <a href="http://www.sparkjoypodcast.com" rel="nofollow">www.sparkjoypodcast.com</a> and email us at <a href="mailto:contact@sparkjoypodcast.com" rel="nofollow">contact@sparkjoypodcast.com</a> to leave a question or comment for a chance to be featured on next week’s show. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter via @sparkjoypodcast.</p> <p><b>In this episode, you’ll enjoy:</b></p> <ul> <li><p>What led Dr. Green to take a leap of faith, close her practice, declutter, and move to Costa Rica</p></li> <li><p>The moments leading up to Dr. Green getting the call to be an expert on A&E's <a href="http://www.aetv.com/shows/hoarders" target="_blank"> Hoarders </a></p></li> <li><p>How Dr. Green's book, <a href="http://bit.ly/2qM2pVB" target="_blank"> Breathing Room: Open Your Heart by Decluttering Your Home </a> evolved into a collaborative project with co-author Dr. Lauren Rosenfeld</p></li> <li><p>How Dr. Green's spiritual approach to therapy broadened her client's experience and given client's permission to pursue another path and reduce shame</p></li> <li><p>The role anxiety plays in disorganization</p></li> <li><p>How being kind to yourself can shift the heart space to the self love and tenderness required to start the process</p></li> <li><p>How the SLICE method (Stop & Listen, Intend, Clearing the Energy), a three step process described in Breathing Room, can help you jump start your journey to organization</p></li> <li><p>Signs a loved one's life may be impacted by hoarding</p></li> <li><p>Why common statistics tracking hoarding disorder misrepresent the scope of the public burden due to the "hidden" nature of the problem</p></li> <li><p>How trauma is often at the core of a hoarding crisis</p></li> <li><p>How in over 14 years, only two of Dr. Green's clutter clients were so resistant to change they couldn't be helped</p></li> <li><p>How the support system of family can help hoarders successfully dig out and recover</p></li> <li><p>How Dr. Green listens to her clients and reminds them to stop and breathe to hold a clear space </p></li> <li><p>Dr. Green recommends resources on <a href="http://hoarders.org/" target="_blank"> wwww.hoarders.org </a>, including a scale to help you determine if you meet the clinical criteria for a hoarding disorder</p></li> </ul> <p><b>Dr. Green's favorite tidying tip:</b> Breathe...</p> <p><b>What sparks the most joy for Dr. Green:</b> Her son starting at Stanford University!</p> <p><b>Gems:</b></p> <p>"Most of our clutter is unconscious."</p> <p>"The mess is not IN the way, it's PART OF the way."</p> <p>"Clutter is the external manifestation of what's going on in our internal space."</p> <p>"When we stop and breathe we're able to get a sense of what needs to go and what needs to stay."</p><p>Special Guest: Melva Green.</p>
