In my practice, I teach a personal mindfulness strategy, that I have previously written about, and named “Stones Across the River”. Think of a wide river that you must cross. I help patients to notice moments (stones), by learning a daily practice of paying mindful attention to the seemingly small activities in a day that,…
Generalstrategies for self-care
Feeling lethargic or down today? It’s not uncommon; the start of the regular workweek can bring on a dysphoria or sadness. If you’re no fan of Mondays, the chances are that it’s not the day itself you dislike, it’s what you have to do upon waking up. Responsibilities, phone calls, commitments. Your pangs of dread…
strategies for self-care
One of the founders of psychology, Sigmund Freud, elucidated the idea that talking about your feelings, experiences, and emotional states is mentally therapeutic. But who should you talk to? Often it is a therapist, friend, parent, teacher, or minister. According to Freud, just letting it out, ventilating emotion, has a therapeutic effect. In my practice,…
Generalstrategies for self-care
Some fascinating recent research has been focusing on the social life of singles. Single individuals tend to have a lower desire for a romantic relationship when they are more socially satisfied, engage in a variety of activities and interests, and place their friends higher in their life priorities, according to new research published in the…
General
“Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,” Leo Tolstoy wrote famously in the opening paragraph of Anna Karenina, one of my favorite novels. Cohesive families seem to share a few critical traits, as most family psychologists agree. Being emotionally flexible may be one of the most important factors…
General
Awe is the feeling of smallness and wonder you experience when you stand before something vastly bigger than you. A new research study indicates that experiencing mindfully beauty around us adds another tool to our strategies to manage stress, anxiety, and even depression. The awe factor. Perfect for a day of thanks.
strategies for self-care
Holiday feels are OK Gratitude for technology and social media so we can see our loved ones Sad that the holidays will look different this year Lonely that you don’t have plans Guilty for spending too much time watching social media Angry at people who are not taking the pandemic seriously Jealous of people who…
Generalstrategies for self-care
Tis the season when we presumably spend our days sipping hot cocoa, eating delicious food, gifting, and doing all sorts of holiday fun-ness with our loved ones, these days, virtually. It’s the jolliest time of year. At least, that’s the lovely picture we’re all marketed for the holidays. The unfortunate reality is this sentimental holiday…
anxietyCovid-19 Crisisdepressionstrategies for self-care
The holidays are upon us, which usually means family and friends. Either way, in the current state of the world you’re bound to have someone in your life who is just not taking the virus (and the precautions to slow the spread of it) seriously. And while you might feel like you have to avoid…
Covid-19 Crisisstrategies for self-care
Recent evidence suggests that a promising approach is to complement psychological counseling and treatment with additional activities that are not too taxing for clients, but yield high results. Research has zeroed in on one such activity: the practice of gratitude. Indeed, many studies over the past decade have found that people who consciously count their…
Generalstrategies for self-care
Combined with psychoeducational testing, it helps provide comprehensive information and recommendations to help children and teens six and up.
