Traditionally, the premise that partners are prioritized over friends has been the theme of many a movie, blog, and book. Recently, the idea that friendships may transcend and certainly equal romantic or marital relationships has received research attention in the psychology literature. Some intriguing conclusions from these studies: 1. A substitution for assisted-living or elder…
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Dr. King was a prolific and eloquent wordsmith, very much in touch with his own humanity and that of others. Instead of posting feel good quotes that are out of context, I suggest actually reading his powerful work. It is a life changer. Five lesser known facts about Dr. King: He was not a pacifist.…
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A good friend of mine (who is also a clinical psychologist) lives in Maine and has recently enrolled her daughter in a year-round outdoor elementary school. The vast power of the outdoors, everyday, as an education. We use the word awesome lightly. From a psychological standpoint, awe is an emotional response when coming across exceptionally…
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The philosophy we follow at Embolden is to add seemingly small but significant things to your life. Instead of taking things away; which actually leaves a vacuum that often fails to be sustained. Our strategy is Stones Across The River. Adding a few small things every day, every week, every month creates new ways of…
anxietyGeneralstrategies for self-care
Toxic positivity involves dismissing negative emotions and responding to distress with false reassurances rather than empathy. It comes from feeling uncomfortable with negative emotions. Toxic positivity imposes positive thinking as the only solution to problems, demanding that a person avoid negative thinking or expressing negative emotions. A generally positive outlook is not harmful. However, a…
General
Frontal lobes are the head chef of your kitchen. I teach teens how to make an omelette as an illustration of executive functioning: planning, initiating, obtaining and organizing ingredients, sustaining attention, sequencing, timing, and self-monitoring. Here are the key steps I teach in my office kitchen for a simple omelette: Organize and prep all your…
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If you find yourself feeling anxious for the holidays, you are certainly not alone. Here are a few steps you can take to prioritize your mental health during this hectic season: 1. Accept Your Feelings The holidays can bring up a range of emotions for people. Sometimes you can even experience seemingly contradictory emotions all…
Generalstrategies for self-care
To many, Buddhism seems esoteric, a hard to grasp concept of inner life. The practice of non-attachment to things and people (elimination of desire), understanding and connecting with universal pain (dukkha), and compassion for self and others as flawed beings, often seems antithetical to what we were initially taught. We can’t eliminate desire. Some of…
Generalstrategies for self-care
It’s happening again. It’s that time of year where we gather around a table, be it among family or friends, to reconnect, catch up, and have terse conversations about politics. As a lover of psychology in all its forms, I personally have a complex relationship with the holidays. I’m also aware of all the unique…
General
This morning, one of my dear friends, Maryam Shirojan, who is Iranian, came to my home with a gift of some of the most delicious baked pumpkin I have ever had. I felt her nurturance and love, which is itself the essence of celebration. Like many truly kind people, she has been through much, often…
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Combined with psychoeducational testing, it helps provide comprehensive information and recommendations to help children and teens six and up.
