Watching my grandchildren grow has been a mind-blowing and mind-expanding experience, from both a personal perspective and a psycho-therapeutic one as well. I have viewed the positive interactions between parent and child closely. I feel fortunate to have observed patient, kind, and empathetic responses from parents and noted how it directly relates to the positive… Read more »
We are creatures of habit; change isn’t easy. Yet every New Year’s Eve, we ceremoniously make resolutions of personal change. But, that doesn’t mean we are each in a place to make those changes. Many of us “fail” within a couple months, maybe giving up all together, yet repeat it again a year later. Like… Read more »
Every New Year, if you’re like most everyone else, you make a list of resolutions, but they soon go by the wayside. What if you chose one goal for 2022? It sounds simple enough, but how do you pick just one? Most of us accept that the past is history and the future is a… Read more »
Thanksgiving and seasonal holidays are upon us and it is the time to be jolly. It’s the time to get together with your loved ones, friends and family, create memories, and heal things of the past. Or, it’s a good time to accept that we can’t change others, but we can change ourselves. If we… Read more »
In her new book, Michal Oshman, head of company culture, diversity and inclusion at TikTok Europe and former leadership expert for Facebook, recalls seeing a sign hanging in the reception area on her first day at Facebook that read, What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid? The quote really hit home with her at… Read more »
As any of my clients will tell you, one of my favorite topics is joy. Why joy? Think for a moment about a stressful or upsetting event in your life. Notice your thoughts and emotions. Do a quick body scan and take note of the physical sensations in your body. Observe where you feel those… Read more »
While the holidays are immortalized in song as “the most wonderful time of the year,” the fact is that they can also be the most stressful time of the year. This is true even if you and your family members are healthy and not filled with fear, anxiety or stress that comes with these challenging… Read more »
When was the last time you checked your mood? How often do you ask yourself, “How am I feeling today?” Our go-to answers might be “I’m good” or “I’m fine,” protecting ourselves from feeling a much more uncomfortable emotion. The truth is there is no such thing as a “bad” emotion. Humans experience a spectrum… Read more »
My last article, “Embracing the Unexpected” (July/August 2021), chronicled a severely wounded cat that showed up at my door this last April. He was a mere five pounds of sick and tired. That was the bad news. The good news is he is now thriving — physically. The mental emotional part is in question, which… Read more »
Wouldn’t it be nice to glide through life without a care in the world like a free and easy wanderer? It is certainly a nice dream, but not reality for most of us. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), we have a famous herbal formula called Xiao Yao San, which means “free and easy wanderer.” It… Read more »
Frank Meadows was a high school track and field star with a promising future. He had a passion for running and dedicated himself to staying in shape. Raised in a military family, he entered the US Naval Academy Preparatory School at 17, looking forward to a naval career. Unfortunately, life had different plans for Meadows.… Read more »
First, you fall in love. Then you decide to adopt that adorable cat, dog, parrot, rabbit. So you set off together, learning to adapt to each other’s expectations. Life is fun. Life is fuller. Your pet cheers you up in ways you never imagined possible. You catch yourself speaking in funny voices. You both grow… Read more »
Not surprisingly, mental health providers cite a marked increase in clients reporting depression, anxiety and stress during COVID-19. The pandemic has affected many of us in ways we have never experienced before. From being fearful of getting the virus, caring for someone who has COVID or other conditions such as dementia, being isolated at home,… Read more »
If we look at the practice of meditation from a distance, we notice that this process of rebalancing our body, mind and spirit is something natural. In fact, it is the most natural process for us human beings to recharge and recover. It takes place every night while we sleep. We rest our mind and… Read more »
The art of relaxation comes naturally for some people, while for others, it is hard to turn off the chatter in their minds. You don’t need to sit in a lotus position and meditate; however, this is one way to start the feeling of easing out of fight or flight and into the parasympathetic response… Read more »
There is a relatively new segment studying human behaviors, happiness and overall well-being referred to as positive psychology. Defined by the Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, it is the scientific study of the strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive. In other words, focusing on the positive side of the human life… Read more »
Drew Ramsey, MD, a psychiatrist in New York who lives on a family farm in Indiana, introduced me to nutritional psychiatry. I did not realize such psychiatrists existed; it turns out they have international meetings. Leading the way is psychiatrist Daniel Amen, MD, who has authored over 30 books and established more than 7,000 clinics.… Read more »
You become what you think about. Throughout history, philosophers, historians and even poets have written about the power of the mind. Your thoughts become your reality. Norman Vincent Peele said, “Change your thoughts, and you change your life. If you think in negative thoughts, you will get negative results; if you think in positive terms,… Read more »
What led me to write this article is the noticeable increase in clients seeking help for their mental and emotional distress, particularly as the pandemic has drawn on. Is the rise in people seeking psychological help coming from the stress of the current pandemic’s circumstances? For many, it is. However, I’ve also seen a surge… Read more »
How can there be a crisis of loneliness when there are more than 7 billion people in the world? Doesn’t that seem counter-intuitive? A few years ago, the UK created a Minister of Loneliness because loneliness in England was increasing at such an alarming rate. This crisis poses as grave a threat to global… Read more »
