17Jul

Fix It Now!

When a person first begins therapy, she is likely to say to the therapist, “I just want this feeling/problem/burden to go away. Can you fix it? Now?” Sometimes it’s said in a half-joking half-serious manner, but oftentimes it’s whispered as a desperate plea. The truth is that if there were a magic cure all, there would be […]

06Jan

A New Type of Resolution—The Personal Side

I wish I could tell you that emotional resolutions are easy. I wish I could tell you that the journey of personal growth is virtually stress-free and includes endless waves of joyous moments in which you feel enlightened and encouraged. But, alas, this is not always so. And while working on emotional resolutions will yield […]

01Jan

A New Type of Resolution—The Practical Side

I have said in past blogs that I do not believe in New Year’s resolutions. What I mean by that is that I am always trying to better myself, though I often fall short. My quest to grow personally does not just happen in the month of January each year. My journey of personal growth […]

16Dec

Operation: Love Yourself

As a therapist, one of the most common complaints I hear from clients is about low self-esteem. Being a woman who has struggled with her weight for years because of an unfortunate medical diagnosis, I know personally the struggles that many women experience when looking in the mirror. Although there are men out there who also struggle […]

11Dec

Seasons Change, Our Need for Connection Remains

Tomorrow morning if you wake up And the future is unclear I… I will be here -Steven Curtis Chapman, I Will Be Here The holiday season can be a time of connection where friends and family get together for parties, dinners and other gatherings. Everywhere one goes there are reminders of the season…

01Dec

Crafting Gratitude — The Practical Side

Thanksgiving has just passed, and now I am counting the days until Christmas. I love Christmas, because I love giving (and getting) gifts. I love lit trees, delicious treats, and family traditions that have been celebrated and passed down for thirty plus years. And, yet, as I am getting older, I have come to love Thanksgiving […]

25Nov

Speaking Different Languages

A good friend recently asked me why her daughter was “acting out (being short, non-compliant, angry).” She explained, “I’ve done everything to make her happy. I buy her whatever she wants. No matter what I do for her she is still defiant, and seems unhappy. I’ve tried sitting her down and asking what’s going on, […]

21Nov

The Death of Should

“Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.” ― Rabindranath Tagore If there’s one thing I know for sure “should” shouldn’t exist. It is a word and a concept that causes so much frustration, grief, anxiety, envy, depression, resentment and rage that I’d like to see […]

21Nov

The Death of Should

“Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.” ― Rabindranath Tagore If there’s one thing I know for sure “should” shouldn’t exist. It is a word and a concept that causes so much frustration, grief, anxiety, envy, depression, resentment and rage that I’d like to see […]

21Nov

The Death of Should

“Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.” ― Rabindranath Tagore If there’s one thing I know for sure “should” shouldn’t exist. It is a word and a concept that causes so much frustration, grief, anxiety, envy, depression, resentment and rage that I’d like to see […]