Category Archives: Uncategorized

If the proverbial good life still eludes you, there is encouraging news. Psychologists have discovered yet another way to reach it. For many years psychological research suggested that there were two primary paths to the good life: the pursuit of happiness and the pursuit of satisfaction. The first path involves maximizing happiness simply by doing […]

Today we bring our awareness to the people and things in our lives that we are grateful for. We acknowledge the good no matter our current circumstances. When we’re in the midst of an emotional crisis or struggling to overcome life’s problems, it can challenging to find things to be thankful for. But that’s precisely […]

Life feels more meaningful when it reflects your values. If you value knowledge, you’re more likely to feel satisfied with life when you’re actively learning, whether it’s studying a foreign language, or exploring a country you’ve never visited before. If you value fitness, you probably feel more engaged and alive when you’re training than when […]

About to make an important decision? Before you do, take a moment to ask yourself what state of mind you’re in. In DBT, there are three states of mind. Are you acting from a place of wisdom, in your long-term interests, and in line with your values? If so, you’re in Wise Mind. Wise Mind […]

We’ve known for some time that spending time in nature is healing or the mind and body. Numerous studies show that time spent in nature can lift our mood as well as decrease stress, depression, and anxiety. But why? According to psychologists Rachel and Stephen Kaplan, nature has a “soft fascination” for the human brain. […]

There are probably hundreds of cliches to help us remember, but in the grips of an intense negative emotion, it’s easy to forget. Our emotions are temporary. It may seem like they will last forever, but they won’t. When we think our negative emotion won’t end, we’re more likely to do something impulsively to try […]

If you’re anything like me, when you look back at your quarantine/pandemic experience so far, you probably see distinct phases that you’ve transitioned through.  Each phase marked by different emotional challenges and associated coping strategies. As we enter the second year of the pandemic, it’s a good time to take stock of what coping strategies […]

Some of my favorite clients are narcissists. Yes, you read that sentence correctly. So, I’ve been a little concerned about the bad rap narcissists are taking lately in the media. As a clinical psychologist who specializes in the treatment of personality disorders, I’m here to tell you that not all individuals with narcissist personality disorder […]

Have your thoughts been on edge and unfocused since the pandemic? It’s not your imagination: your brain IS working differently. COVID brain is characterized by impaired analytical ability and heightened external sensitivity. According to neuroscientists, this is the result of the prefrontal cortex being bombarded by ambiguous stimuli during the pandemic and looking outward for […]

With so many self-improvement programs there are many stops and starts. We begin a practice to better our lives and then drift away from it. Maybe you start a running program, and after the initial enthusiasm wears off, one or 2 missed days turns into weeks without a single run. Or you start a gratitude […]