Be Gentle With Yourself
Self esteem is often about comparing ourself to others to decide if we are succeeding or failing. Yes, it is helpful to have a more positive view of ourselves, but our opinion of ourselves is often a “fair weather friend ” We all know how slippery a slope it can be to never feeling […]
Can You Name What You Are Feeling?
We are all trying to figure out what we are feeling and how to let others know what we need. Erin Olivio,Ph.D. author of Wise Mind Living–Master Your Emotions, Transform Your Life , lists eight different families of emotions. These are: LOVE, HAPPINESS, FEAR, ANGER, SADNESS, SHAME, JEALOUSY, and DISGUST. Each are a family of […]
Find Your Refuge
We all struggle with the ever changing demands of life and need a “safe place” to retreat to- either physically or in our mind. This refuge can be seen as an escape, although it does not have to be viewed as avoiding what we need to do or achieve. It can be more like the […]
“Tis the Season” ( of Stress)
Now that we are into November, the holiday season is on our minds. Often for many of us, this time of year is filled with expectations that we place on ourselves and our beliefs that we must meet the needs of everyone else. The source of much of this stress is that we try to […]
Your Journey Beyond Breast Cancer
Some of you may know that I have retired from my private practice after 40 years. I am working with the Sentara Brock Center where I hope to put my energy and give back to the many individuals who have shared their cancer journey with me. The Center is focused on providing integrative tools of […]
Plan Be- in the present
I read an article by Amy Krause Rosenthal “You May Want to Marry My Husband” that she wrote before she died of ovarian cancer. Her Plan “Be” embraces the vital tool of living in the NOW for anyone dealing with challenging life events . All of us!! Wanting to learn more, I watched her TEDXWaterloo […]
Facing Your Fears
How do you describe Fear? You might use words like dread, nervous, uncertain, worried, uneasy, or anxious. Whatever you call it, the fact is we all feel fear. When you believe you are in danger, either physical or emotional, your body responds with the biological fight or flight or freeze response. We learned to stay […]
The Science of Happiness
POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY is the study of the emotions and strengths that help you and others thrive. We all want to live meaningful and fulfilling lives and grow what is best within ourselves to improve our love, work, and play. Basically, we all want to be happy. According to Martin Seligman, the pioneer of Positive Psychology […]
Can You Accept Yourself?
How easily do you fall into the trap of being critical of yourself? How often do you compare yourself to others and fall short? Do you believe that if you do not “hold your feet to the fire”, you will lose your edge and not be motivated to accomplish your goals? Others value being seen […]
Finding Refuge
When we struggle with the ever changing demands of life, we all need a “safe place” to retreat to- either physically or in our mind’s eye. This refuge can be seen as an escape, although it does not have to be viewed as avoiding what needs to be done. It can be more like […]