Transitions in life are marked by a level of difficulty or discomfort depending on the circumstances surrounding it. When we adjust to major life changes, we gradually find our footing, gain familiarity with all that feels new, and eventually life just starts to feel “normal” again after awhile. This is not normally the case with […]

First and foremost, if the symptoms of depression are making your want to end your life contact your doctor/therapist/mental health professional as soon as possible.

Many, many years ago I remember reading a study about aging white males. The study said that older white men who were single (widowers or never married) and had no friends or close family relationships had a significantly higher rate of suicide. The chance of suicide only increased in these men if they struggled with […]

Do you have many friends? A few close friends? Or maybe just one best friend? Hopefully you do not live your life feeling isolated and have friends, family or both to share in your life’s greatest joys as well as the challenges you face. If you do have a best friend or a small group […]

It’s that time of year again for the holidays! Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are just three of the biggest holidays in America. The time people spend on decorating their homes, shopping for gifts, wrapping and hiding said gifts, and of course, traveling can cause even the most easy-going person to feel the stress and anxiety […]

Growing up one of my favorite movies was “Pollyanna.” The story is about a girl who had many tragic events befall her, but she refused to give in to the negativity that would have been so easy for her to adopt. Her optimism was infectious, and she was able to help others develop the skill […]

Most of us have experienced the heightened anger and frustration that comes from heavy traffic and thoughtless drivers. I have, on more than one occasion, allowed a few choice words to spill out when being cut off in traffic. However, my “road rage” has improved considerably since moving to this large city. I hear on […]

If you are reading this, maybe you are old enough to recognize the song from which I took the title to this blog. One of my first mental health jobs after receiving my graduate degree awarded low pay paired with an incredible amount of work and specifically paperwork. We would play the song “She Works […]

“TV dinners” which became popular more than 50 years ago now were one of the first steps in us becoming an “instant culture.” Microwaves became popular not long after. Now we have instant messaging, online shopping that magically produces brown boxes at our doorsteps in days to even hours, personal shoppers and access to a […]

Whether you are 5 years old or 50 years old, going back to school can be both exciting and frightening. School, like work, becomes our first place where we develop a love/hate relationship as we either love school or hate it, love our teachers or hate them, love our classmates or can’t stand them. Some […]