Sipping Good
Making tea is something that many people feel very passionately about. There are videos, articles, and even full books on the art and practice of making a perfect cup of tea.
Your goal as a natural support is to make a good cup of tea, and not focus so much on perfect that you lose track of being helpful.
If you have never made a great cup of tea before, or if need a quick refresher, please follow these simple instructions:
You need one (1) heat resistant mug or tea cup for each person.
In each cup place (1) tea bag or 1-2 tsp of loose tea in a tea strainer. If using milk, cream, sweetener or sugar, add it to the cup now.
Tea cups will use about 1 cup (8 oz) of water each, and coffee mugs may hold more. Heat water on the stove, in a kettle, or in the microwave until it’s just reaching its boiling point. Remove from the heat and pour the water over the tea.
Allow Black, Herbal, and Red teas to steep for about 4 minutes. Chai teas need 5 minutes, and Oolong and Green teas need about 3 minutes. White teas only need around 1 minute to steep.
Sipping Good
Yes, a beverage can warm us up and bring light on days that feel dark and cold. Sipping is even more helpful when the drink is served by someone who cares about how we’re feeling and is being helpful.
When a person experiences a crime, tragedy, loss or other trauma, a consistent focused approach to wellness can improve their path to healing. Being intentional about food and drink can help a lot.
A good cup of coffee, tea or cocoa can bring calm, reduce inflammation, and inspire conversations that heal.
While some people may instinctively reach for intoxicants, either alcohol or drugs, we know from peer-reviewed studies that imbibing instead of healing can hurt people even more. As a natural support, your person is counting on you to help them make healthy choices. Please offer them healthy choices, and if they choose to consume alcohol or drugs please make sure they have supervision and also have access to support if consumption becomes a habit.
A perfectly brewed cup of coffee or tea is almost always a great option – whether the day is hard or not – and it’s especially helpful on hard days. However, too much caffeine content can make us feel unwell or have other negative effects. It’s important as natural supports that we offer non- caffeinated options, too.
High Caffeine Options: Brewed coffee or espresso, energy drinks, cola and other caffeinated sodas, matcha and yerba mate teas, some black tea
Options with Some Caffeine: Most black teas, white tea, green tea, kombucha tea, cocoa, some sodas
Options with Minimal or No Caffeine: Herbal tea, decaffeinated coffee, decaffeinated black or green teas, many sodas
Tea and coffee purists will argue that there are traditional or correct ways of making hot beverages, your goal in helping someone is not absolute perfection. Focus on making a good cup, and being a great helper, instead of crafting a great drink that makes you less present in the moment.
