Despite many of us in the modern world enjoying a level of comfort and luxury that would be been unimaginable for most of human history, we still find it very hard to be happy. In fact, it seems that modern society is contributing to our fatigue and discontentment — with high-pressure working lives, decreased sense […]
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In my new book, Live True: A Mindfulness Guide to Authenticity, I write that it is the present moment that matters the most, and if we value the moments of our lives, we will want to make the most of each one, and not let any moment go by without having lived it as truthfully […]
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“Only this moment is life.” – Thich Nhat Hanh Many forms therapy and spiritual practice speak of mindfulness. Dispositional mindfulness (sometimes known as trait mindfulness) is a type of consciousness that has only recently been given serious research considerations. It is defined as a keen awareness and attention to our thoughts and feelings in the present […]
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The other day, I was on my computer and I needed to restart it. The restart (as we all know) was going to take about 30 seconds, but out of instinct I grabbed my phone to pass the time. Five minutes later, I realized my […]
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Are you are wondering what marriage and roller-skating have in common? Roller-skating is only for kids, right? No. And married people are adults? Most of the time, but not always. I’ve been roller-skating for decades as an adult. In my personal life and in my work as a therapist, I’ve noticed that no matter how mature […]
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For those who partake of yoga, it is often seen as a way of life. It’s not just going to a class once or twice a week, but engaging in daily practice of yoga and mindfulness. There are many different styles and types of yoga, too, each with their own practices and guidelines. Many practitioners […]
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What do these two people have in common: a young man playing the cello, and a father eating with his daughter at a local restaurant? This may sound like the beginning of a joke, but it is no joke. Read on. I recently had the remarkable experience of hearing a young man play the cello. […]
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Last week I spoke on a panel at BlogHer covering mental health and social media, a topic I talk about a lot here but one that can’t be covered enough, in my opinion. Especially with the rapid rising rate of […]
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During the first half of my life, I tried to find THE solution to my depression and anxiety — a cure that would forever eradicate my symptoms. I was a gullible consumer of dogmatic books and advice promising Nirvana: by balancing my gut bacteria, by committing to a daily meditation practice, by taking fish oil […]
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For the last 12 years, I have kept a binder full of advice from friends and mental health professionals. After every doctor’s visit or coffee date, I would scribble down notes of what they said so that I could access their words when I needed them. Similarly, I kept a self-esteem file, full of positive […]
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Of all my symptoms of depression, stuck thoughts are by far the most painful and debilitating for me. The harder I try to move the needle from the broken record in my brain, the louder the song becomes. Ruminations are like a gaggle of politicians campaigning in your head. Try as you might to detach […]
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The transition from youth to adult is a difficult one for most people, filled with unexpected events and changes that we are ill-prepared for. Many find themselves seriously lacking not only the life skills needed, but also the psychological and emotional tools that would make this huge change easier. Our guest this week explains how […]
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If you’ve been struggling with anxiety, stress, or depression then the phrase “peace of mind” might sound like something from a fairytale. But I can assure you that peace of mind really does exist. And not only that, it’s something that you can accomplish in your own life. Some people mistakenly believe that peace of mind […]
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“Find a place inside where there’s joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.” – Joseph Campbell I am certainly not unique in my experience of pain. Like physical scars — of which I have plenty — pain of any kind tends to hang around doing its dirty work until the one suffering takes appropriate […]
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At the beginning of a new year, many of us start thinking about or have already planned several new year resolutions. These resolutions can be anything from exercising more, eating healthier, working less, more social time, or more time with loved ones. How have these resolutions worked out for you? What resolutions did you make […]
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Often we pick resolutions that we think we should do. We should put ourselves on a diet and start going to the gym. We should do anything we can to lose weight. We should stop eating ______. We should get organized. We should have a capsule wardrobe. We should make more money. We should go […]
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It’s that time of year again. Your child is anxiously awaiting the arrival of the holiday break. They can’t wait to be home from school, have freedom in their schedule, and are super excited about the upcoming holidays. However, while they are so excited about it, it might be causing you a lot of stress and anxiety. […]
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This week’s LIVE WELL is pretty simple, but it’s one of those things that’s easier said than done – at least for me. As the year wraps up, do what you can to take some time off. And I mean that beyond taking a single […]
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Are life’s difficulties the result of overwhelming external circumstances? Or are unpleasant situations self-created? A viewpoint that is popular in some spiritual and New Age communities is that we are responsible for whatever happens to us. When something goes awry, we’re invited to ask, “How did I create that?” Perhaps unfortunately, we are not as […]
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Children sometimes have meltdowns when they don’t get what they want. Some adolescents can feel destitute when their wishes aren’t granted. When you feel confident about your plans and they don’t turn out the way you hoped, what is your response? As we run into bumps and storms in life, we may need to detour, […]
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