We live in a culture where we are strongly encouraged to praise our children for every little thing. How realistic do you think this is? If all that comes out of our mouth is “great job” even though in your heart we might be thinking, “Really?!!!” Praising sounds like a broken record. I have noticed that it doesn’t even carry the same weight as it used to.
Practicing Presence: What We Can Learn From the Love of Dogs
My dog is in training to be a therapy dog. Marcel is a natural- he’s gentle, sweet, and at 11lbs, he was bred to be a lap dog. Though I’ve only brought him to the office with me for a few weeks now, clients immediately notice when he isn’t there and ask with notable disappointment, “Where’s Marcel?” I don’t take it personally, rather, I understand.
What are you fighting for?: Understanding Relationship Conflict and How to Address it
I lead a group for couples on how to bring intention into their relationship. This is a fascinating group and
I learn so much from sitting with these couples as we tackle the many inputs into relationships that often
trip us up. One recent topic was conflict. How do we have manage conflict in our relationship with
intention? Does it matter if the conflict is between both partners or experienced by one partner from an
outside source? As you can imagine, this was a lively discussion!
S.A.D
Having grown up in Northern California, and having spent the last couple of weeks on the West Coast, I’m finding the cold snap this week—with the dark, gray skies accompanied by the incessant bitter cold— to be particularly grim. I just asked myself this morning: ”Why did I want to live here again?” I quickly thought about how I do love so many things about New England. I am as still enchanted by the culture, the history, and authenticity of the people as I was as a new student over 10 years ago. I loved autumn then (and still do), but my first winter was a rude awakening.
Do you treat mental health as actively as physical health? Do you know if your child is at risk for psychosis?
When your child is having the first signs of a cold you know the symptoms: runny nose, low energy, cough, and headache. So you take action and start giving them extra vitamins, more time to sleep and reduce their stress. Do you treat mental health the same as physical health? Do you know the warning signs and how to get help?
To Thine Own Self Be True
I’m a social introvert. That may seem like an oxymoron, but it’s not. I love alone time, I love people time, and I need both. Introversion is not synonymous with timidity or keeping to oneself, as popular culture often views it. Rather, people who are introverted tend to turn inward and focus on internal thoughts and feelings to re-energize and come back to their center. Their extroverted counterparts, on the other hand, tend to seek out external stimulation to re-energize and engage. Case in point: the next time you are at a holiday party or work event, take note of the people who actively mingle versus the small groups of two or three people chatting in a quiet corner of the room. Extroverts and introverts, respectively!