Emotional cycles are the interactive elements in our relationships with family members, friends, and co-workers. Negative cycles start when we become triggered by a someone’s troubling tone of voice, facial expression, or remarks. Immediately, we will feel an emotion that often prompts us to get angry or anxious. We may feel a bodily sensation due…
Hope for Humility & The Good Life As we gear up for a season with seemingly endless opportunities to receive gifts, I contend that one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself is developing a more robust practice of gratitude. Even though we like to believe that we do things altruistically for others most…
When I was a teenager, I sat down to breakfast each morning and waited for my dad to pass me the sports page. The 20 minutes we spent talking headlines, him in his suit, me in my flannels and Timberland boots – it was the 90s – was critical to our relationship. It was just…
Have you ever been in the presence of your partner, longingly looking at them and hoping they will notice your desire for touch and connection? Have you ever heard your friends complain about how their partner never plans anything romantic for them? Why does it feel so hard to ask for what we want and…
What exactly is emotional health? It is the ability to identify, manage and communicate one’s emotions to those around you. It can take practice and even feel scary. Emotional health is important to maintain because it is a part of your overall health and wellbeing. How can you promote emotional health in your home? Here…
Talk About the Holidays Early It is probably not the best time to sort out details for a holiday the week or night before. Beginning to have early conversations about where and how holidays will be spent can take some of the pressure of these decisions later on. The earlier that you can begin to…
If you have found yourself in a therapist’s office in the past year, chances are that you have heard the phrase “self care.” It is a topic that we hold near and dear to our hearts. So much so that it has probably shown up more than any other topic in the blog you are…
Society is constantly sending us messages that we must work hard, overwork or overexert ourselves to achieve what we want in life. But I challenge you to think about how much healthier, happier and whole we could be in life if we actually took time to rest. When I refer to rest, I don’t just…
Have you ever selected a path in life and all you see in your future are your hopes for what it will be? Then the opportunity arrives and there are all these intricacies and nuanced outcomes you hadn’t even considered? Welcome to parenting! When we imagine our children as babies, we often don’t think about…
A few months ago, I noticed that I began to suffer from Zoom-Syndrome (I made up the name, but you know what I mean). Like many of you, I was spending most of my days staring at a glowing screen while missing the warmth of human proximity. I was feeling lethargic and uninspired while constantly…