Monthly Newsletter

Someone showing signs that they may benefit from psychiatric medication is usually struggling in ways that are persistent, impairing, and not improving with usual coping strategies. Medication is never the first or only answer, but it can be an important part of...

“To err is human,” we’re told, but we sometimes aren’t told how to move on after we’ve messed up – other than to feel lousy about it. Acts of commission or omission can haunt us and/or hold us back emotionally. First, if you struggle with this issue, it’s important...

Swimsuit season can trigger anxiety, self‑criticism, and avoidance even for people who are otherwise confident. The goal isn’t to force cheerfulness or to promise instant body love; it’s to build practical, evidence‑based habits that reduce distress, increase agency,...

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches that suffering is not caused by the mere presence of negative thoughts, but by the way we relate to those thoughts. When we fuse with them—treating them as literal truths, urgent commands, or accurate reflections of who...

Goals can be important; however, sometimes we need to slow down and consider the foundation of any goal. Otherwise, we may pursue a course of action (i.e., goal) to only belatedly figure out that we may have been – as an old saying goes – “climbing a ladder that was...

I am watching my 4-year-old daughter sleep during one of her recent naps. Suddenly, an unbidden thought comes to my mind: she may die of cancer someday. My daughter is not sick, but I used to work with such kids, and my mind is flooded with images of what losing her...

Stress and depression can ruin your holidays and hurt your health. Being realistic, planning ahead and seeking support can help ward off stress and depression. The holiday season often brings unwelcome guests - stress and depression. And it's no wonder. The holidays...

In last month's newsletter, we discussed how we can tell ourselves either contamination stories or growth stories about our past. Contamination stories suggest things are fixed. We label ourselves as being "losers", "broken" or undeserving of love. Growth stories, in...

Without a doubt, the past influences the present, but how do we prevent it from defining us? Yes; the past influences our perceptions and reactions, but it doesn’t have to be our destiny. It doesn’t have to define us.