“Dear Diary…” When you think of “journaling,” you might envision a teen girl sitting on her bed and pouring her heart and soul into a notebook. You may have been this kid. But expressive writing is much more. Journaling is a powerful tool for adults, too. It’s a form of self-expression that can bring words, […]
Category: therapy
What If 2020 Is Only the Beginning?
The following is inspired by a therapy client who recently left counseling. Permission was granted to share a portion of our last session together. I hope this helps you cope with uncertainty, too. Obvious and tragic reasons aside, 2020 has been devastating. When we’re overwhelmed with uncertainty, identifying themes can help us narrow the focus and […]
12 Resources to Get You Through a Mental Health Tsunami
March 16, 2020 marks the day the world as we knew it, changed. Nearly 7 months later, not much has changed. And everything has changed. No vaccine exists for COVID-19. Racial injustices, police brutality, politicking, protesting and divisiveness pervades society. The point is not to tell you what you already know, or don’t know. We […]
Boundaries: A Guide to Making Essential Life Decisions
“If you want to live an authentic, meaningful life, you need to master the art of disappointing and upsetting others, hurting feelings, and living with the reality that some people just won’t like you.” —Cheryl Richardson Establishing boundaries is one of the best ways to preserve your emotional energy and define who […]
The Best (and Hardest) Life Lesson to Remember When You’re Struggling
Have you heard of the psychiatric phenomenon, ‘suicide by cop’? According to Wikipedia: “Suicide by cop or suicide by police is a suicide method in which a suicidal individual deliberately behaves in a threatening manner, with intent to provoke a lethal response from a public safety or law enforcement officer.” An officer-involved shooting occurred in […]
The Art of Not Panicking
What would your days look like if your mind and body were not hijacked by stress and anxiety? I’m gonna go out on a limb, and venture, great, right? What if I told you it IS possible to learn the step-by-step process to achieve calm, clarity and most of all, feelings of In Control… Would […]
How to Parent Yourself As An Adult (If Your Parents Were MIA)
While studying for my Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW) years ago, I worked for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. I vividly remember a child abuse case which came into the emergency shelter in the middle of the night. I was working the over-night shift in the Male Children’s wing. […]
Best Articles: 10 Articles That Can Improve Your Mental Health
I love anxious people. All frazzled nerves, stressed out thoughts and sleepless nights. I know, it’s not a healthy love, but a relationship I know inside and out. Like an old married couple, we’ve grown comfortable with one another’s nervous habits and predictable patterns. Best of all, we’ve got each other’s back. And I’ve got […]
When Life Doesn’t Make Sense, Remember This…
“The world is an inherently safe place, where most people possess good-will…” …Which may seem like one helluva pithy platitude on the tragic heels of the latest cold-blooded, senseless massacre. However, this psychological tenet just may save your sanity. Whether I learned this in graduate school or from my clinical mentor — that is not […]
How to Think Like A Shrink (Even If You Don’t Like Therapy)
…or therapists, for that matter 😉 . So it’s Sunday morning and I’m trying to think of a compelling psychological topic for the blog and I’m coming up empty: “Three Reasons Your Childhood Matters In Adulthood,” “Why Suicidality Is A Family Problem Which Requires A Family Solution,” “Anxious Adults Raise Anxious Children.” And then it […]