Reflections on Spring
On this auspicious full moon weekend, we reflect on the promise of spring, of peace in our world, of spiritual connection with the Divine, and of rebirth and renewal.
Harnessing the Power of Habits
As the end of 2015 approaches, many set goals for 2016. New Year’s resolutions are a common practice yet are met with varying degrees of success. Some find resolutions to be a powerful step toward positive change. Others put energy into setting them but do not achieve them. And still others do not even bother with the process, as time has shown their past resolutions to be unsuccessful.
Take Two Laps Around the Block and Call Me in the Morning
Years ago, as a budding mental health professional, I took a job at a residential treatment center for emotionally and behaviorally challenged youths. I lived and worked alongside teens at a rural camp, where we slept in cabins.
Why Neuroscience?
A few days ago I had an experience that has become quite familiar to me. I was reading Brené Brown’s “The Gifts of Imperfection” and she made the following statement: “Shame is universal and one of the most primitive human emotions.” While she quickly moved on to talk more in depth about shame, I was stuck on her initial declaration and immediately wondered “Why?"
Letting Go
“If you love something, set it free. If it comes back to you, it’s yours. If it doesn’t, it never was.” This quote, widely attributed to Richard Bach of “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” fame, conveys the meaning of a proverb that appears in many cultures and languages.
The Thinking Mind
“Mind, body, and breath complete the circle of life.” This is what my yoga instructor stated last week as we were moving into Savasana, or the meditation portion of the class. This observation gave me pause for a moment and then quickly resonated as true. I was immediately aware of how much more time my mind spends actively thinking compared to the miniscule amount of time that I spend just “being” in my body and with my breath.
Book review: The Mindful Way Through Anxiety: Break Free from Chronic Worry and Reclaim Your Life
We live in a stressful world. Anxiety is a part of the human condition. Many people complain of feelings of anxiousness, ranging from occasional mild worrying to full-blown anxiety disorders such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder, Social Phobia, or a specific Phobia.
Book Review: “Taking Antidepressants: Your Comprehensive Guide to Starting, Staying On, and Safely Quitting”
I am pleased to have found a book that I can recommend to clients, family, and friends who are dealing with depression and wanting to better understand their treatment options. While the title of the book indicates the subject matter is that of antidepressants, Dr. Banov does a thorough job of discussing various alternatives to traditional medication therapy, including psychotherapy, supplements, exercise, healthy eating, light exposure, yoga, meditation, and more. The fact that the discussion is not limited only to antidepressant medication makes this book much more worthwhile, in my opinion.
Procrastination
If the topic of this article has caught your attention, I’d go ahead and read it now if I were you. For most people who identify themselves as procrastinators, deciding to come back to it later is a likely set-up for never getting around to it.