Confession: I like country music. I’ve always said they were kind of like books on tape. (Remember books on tape?) Tim McGraw sings a song that is especially poignant, which tells the story of a man who’s been told he is dying. He says that as a result he “loved deeper, spoke sweeter, and gave […]
Post-Traumatic Growth
There has been a lot of attention given to post-traumatic stress, and rightly so. It can have devastating effects on individuals and families, and treatment can provide relief that is so desperately needed. But fewer people are aware of the phenomenon known as post-traumatic growth, which is the positive change that can occur after adversity. […]
When happy holidays aren’t
Thanksgiving has passed and the December holidays are upon us – a time for peace, joy and family harmony. Wait – that’s not what your holidays look like? Most don’t. So what are some ways to manage your emotions when the holidays aren’t necessarily happy? Manage expectations So much of pain is a result of […]
Triggered by current events
So much tragedy has been in the news recently, from mass shootings to natural disasters to mounting racial and political tensions. Even Facebook, which was once just a place to view cat videos and see what your friends are eating, has become filled with divisive and disturbing posts. What’s a person to do to keep […]
Why you shouldn’t “ghost” your therapist
(Spoiler alert: it actually has nothing to do with what he or she needs) Endings are hard. Breaking up is hard. Saying “You’re not the right one for me” can seem impossible. Talking about what’s not working in a relationship is really uncomfortable, so it’s easier to not say anything and just disappear. If […]
Why your therapist hates to charge for late cancellations …..and does it anyway
If you’ve gone to therapy for any length of time, you’ve probably been in the unhappy position of being charged a fee for missing an appointment. This has a tendency to bring up many thoughts and feelings, often along the lines of “that money-hungry jerk just wants my money and doesn’t care about me or […]
Choosing the right therapist for you
Deciding that you want to seek therapy can be hard. Sometimes choosing the right therapist is even harder – like trying to put a puzzle together without knowing what it’s supposed to look like. How can you know you’re going to end up with the person that you can trust with your most personal thoughts and […]
Valentine’s Day – Hype or Heart’s Desire?
It usually seems to me that the Christmas decorations have barely made it to the clearance shelves when the Valentine’s candy and gift displays are out in full force. I hear people grumbling (OK, I hear my husband grumbling) “Didn’t we just do this whole gift thing?” I always wonder this time of year if […]
Benefit of the Doubt
A long time ago, my husband attempted to get himself out of a jam by telling me “If I say something and you can take it two ways but one way makes you mad, I meant it the other way.” This was a tongue in cheek way of reminding me to push pause on the […]
Why I never make my bed
By now many of you have seen the University of Texas commencement address by Navy Admiral McRaven, who extols the virtues of making your bed every morning. He encourages the graduates by saying, “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.” I am hesitant to publicly contradict a decorated Navy […]