Although lab work is not always a definitive indication of your health, it is an important guideline, and knowing what it means can benefit you greatly. We standardly expect our doctor to review lab work for us, interpret what he or she sees and to make recommendations; we rely on their judgment. But labs… Read more »
As we settle into our new normal, have you reconnected with your circle of friends? It seems many of us haven’t. According to a recent survey by American Perspectives, a large number report having fewer close friendships than they did in the past. We are not talking with friends as often and relying on them… Read more »
We all have the ability to create the life we wish through the words we speak, the emotions we feel and the energy we put into them. That energy can be spearheaded by intentions —affirmative statements of what you would like to experience in life. Whereas goals are specific things you wish to achieve, intentions… Read more »
When my sons were teenagers, they would ask me to talk in my “baby voice,” which I usually did on a moment’s notice just to make them giggle like when they were little. You see, this baby voice was like a Saturday Night Live bit. She was one foul-mouthed, pissed off baby. For a few… Read more »
The gift of choice is what makes us human. The psychologist Albert Bandura wrote extensively about our free will to choose and described our human choice as “agency.” In his words, agency refers to the human capability to influence one’s functioning and the course of events by one’s actions. In our health experiences it is… Read more »
The Law of Attraction is the belief that “like attracts like.” The principle states that if you think positive thoughts, you will have positive results; if you think negative thoughts, you will have negative results. You attract what you think about. An everyday example of the Law of Attraction is when you start thinking about… Read more »
I don’t know about you, but I love the different seasons. Although we don’t have a lot of weather variations here in the valley, there is an energetic shift as the days get longer, the crowds disperse and plant life starts to bloom. As we move out of winter and into the longer days of… Read more »
It has been said that you cannot unite with other people until you are in unity with yourself. Are you at peace with the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of yourself? Do you find yourself conflicting with the outside world more than you would care to acknowledge? Is your inside world just as… Read more »
Many of my patients express feeling like they are on a hamster wheel – that they live this monotonous existence where their days are constantly filled with checking off a never ending “to do” list, from the time they wake up until their exhausted head hits the pillow. So, what can you do when you… Read more »
We all want to be seen and experienced as good people. We want to be liked and appreciated. We hope our best intentions are usually on display. But we’re also human, and humans have “shadow selves.” Maybe your temper flares in traffic and your horn makes you heard. Or, maybe you snap at your spouse… Read more »
(As inspiration, we are reposting this article from March/April 2022) Season is here! The sun is shining, swim suits are swimming, hot tubs are heating and cocktails are flowing. As the good times roll, it can take a toll and all too often, you feel it in the morning. The good news is you can… Read more »
Simon Jacobson, renowned rabbi, author and founder/director of the Meaningful Life Center, explains that the biblical phrase, “I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me,” (Song of Songs 6:3) captures the very essence of a relationship. He notes that a relationship is a “mutually symbiotic fusion of two forces” and a reflection,… Read more »
Being a caregiver can be very fulfilling and challenging at the same time. Whether the position comes out of love or obligation, caregiving requires a lot of work. It calls on you to take care of your loved one, educate yourself about serious illnesses, keep up with medical appointments, acquire new skills— and still manage… Read more »
Has it been a difficult season for you? Several friends and I have had extra curveballs thrown our way, and together we are searching for hope amidst hardship. When the going gets tough, sometimes it feels as if all reserves are exhausted. That makes this a good time to tune in to your own very… Read more »
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 »
It’s a fact of modern life: there will always be external crises ready to overtake you. The trick to happy, healthy living is to learn how to thrive despite the calamities. As this new year dawns, you do have a choice: You can focus on fear, division, and polarization, or you can choose to make… Read more »
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is one of the original “wholistic” medicine practices and affirms that all our bodily functions are connected and work together – physiologically, neurologically and emotionally. The theory of acupuncture and acupressure, as used in TCM for thousands of years, is that our bodies contain 12 meridians through which energy, or qi… Read more »
My daily intention is to live consistently with an attitude of gratitude, or as Reverend Michael Beckwith states, “May you suffer from chronic gratitude.” Chronic gratitude. What a fabulous blessing to have in your life. According to William Chopik, PhD, an assistant professor of psychology and director of the Close Relationships Lab at Michigan State… Read more »
Imagine your positive words and positive actions toward others as poker chips. Having a big stack of chips in your account can make you feel like a winner. Each of us has the power to give chips to others. A chip can be a compliment, a note, a favor and even a smile. Chips can… Read more »
When challenges occur, we often imagine getting “through” the hard times and then getting “back to normal.” Our society has hoped for this as we have lived with the pandemic, and I had imagined this with my cancer experience over the past 15 months. It has been a surprise to me that the time after… Read more »
