November 30, 2023

November 30, 2023

Values

The season of goodwill, love, and cheer is, for many, a time of sadness, reflection, and isolation which contributes to what some describe as “the holiday blues.” Even those of us who look forward to the holidays can feel waves of diverse emotions as we attempt to handle the demands […]

November 1, 2023

November 1, 2023

Companions in Golden Years: The Heartfelt Bond Between Our Older Selves and Pets

I was talking with a friend who has had dogs her whole life. She adores them and could have never imagined being without one. Until now. She needs to “put her beloved dog down” which, for those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, means euthanasia. If you have […]

October 1, 2023

October 1, 2023

Changes that Surprise Us

As a child growing up, I attended school in a New Jersey township where there were “restricted” neighborhoods. I didn’t known what “restricted” meant. I found out that it referred to my family and me. At an early age, I developed a keen sense of what it meant to be […]

September 10, 2023

September 10, 2023

Replace “anxious” with “aware”

Lately, in my conversations, I’ve found a recurring theme: individuals waking to a sense of unease, their minds clouded with relentless thoughts: “I wake up anxious. I have so much on my mind. I feel worried. I was never like this.” It’s a departure from their more peaceful mornings. And […]

July 6, 2023

Adults watching negative news on cellphone

July 6, 2023

Protecting Our Mental Health Within the Storm of Disrespect and Agitation

Of the many things I notice about myself since the beginning of COVID, is how easily I can get swept into an agitated / sour state of mind when I see or hear news reports. Perhaps you can relate. For me it is, surprisingly, less about the natural disaster reporting […]

April 23, 2023

The Fog is Lifting

I just did a brief “nature walk talk” about the fog lifting. At that time, I snapped the photograph that accompanies this article. In it, as I hope you can see, the fog has not quite fully lifted, but it is moving to reveal what has been obscured. I waited […]

April 3, 2023

Male and female in a respectful disagreement

April 3, 2023

Few People Are Who We Would Like Them to Be

If we could all create the personalities that would mesh smoothly with our own, we might have an easier time in life’s day to day. But would we be content? Life might be more predictable, perhaps less volatile. Maybe we would have fewer conflicts. That would be good for our […]

March 11, 2023

Believing Someone Else’s Opinion of Us

When we believe someone else’s view of us that makes us feel diminished, we forget the wisdom of Eleanor Roosevelt who said: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” This does not mean that we are consciously giving our consent to feel inferior; it does mean, though, […]

February 1, 2023

Understanding Our Anger

I’ve had several conversations lately with folks about anger. All of our emotions, including anger, are part of being human. Despite the fact that anger can be a very understandable response in a given situation, we all know it can also be destructive. It’s important to know how we can […]

January 6, 2023

Our Attitude and the New Year

We have control over the attitude that we have in response to situations that arise. Sometimes the way we begin something influences its trajectory. We begin a new year. May it be meaningful and a year of growth and connection. Sometimes the new year brings us great joy, and sometimes […]

Psychology