Monthly Newsletter

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.

In the previous newsletter, we discussed how trauma cannot be defined objectively: it is an eye-of-the-beholder experience.  We also discussed the major symptoms of PTSD, such as re-experiencing (symptom #1), hyperarousal (symptom #2), avoidance (symptom #3), and...

Problems like depression, substance abuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common among those who have been traumatized – especially if those traumas happened to the person early and repetitively in his or her life. But first, it’s important to know what...

In the last newsletter, we discussed how to set limits or say "no" effectively.  In this newsletter, we will discuss effective ways to communicate what you need using a technique from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).  DBT uses the DEAR acronym, which stands...

Saying “yes” to everything (and everyone) has a cost. Before we talk about the fine art of saying “no”, let’s count the costs of saying “yes” indiscriminately…(1) A person with an inability to say “no” will soon find herself psychologically depleted. Saying yes...