Beach time & Quilting: Real World Advice on Coping with Depression & Loneliness, Part I
February 19th, 2014
Posts Tagged ‘hope’
Be You!
February 10th, 2014
Trying to be authentic in this world can be hard. We feel pressured to conform…even by such simple questions as “How are you doing today?” – which we often answer with a pasted on smile and the word “Fine”. Some of us work in jobs we hate, fearful of what it would mean, what people would think, and how we would get by, if we changed careers. People in their 40’s and 50’s realize that they have much they still want to do, contemplate making changes, but don’t make them because they’re fearful that they will be seen as going through a “mid-life crisis” – a patronizing, and simplistic concept. Others are fearful to express their sexuality whether it is a same-sex attraction or a BDSM desire. And some present themselves as a gender that they know they really aren’t. Of course, the list goes on; I’m sure you could add your own ways in which you feel coerced into “fitting in.”
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Keep Your Heart Open
December 9th, 2013
Yesterday was a cold, snowy day in DC. I, along with a small group of intrepid yogis, attended a class on inversions and folds. It was a great class – very inwardly focused yet challenging. We did a lot of heart-openers, pushing our chests and hearts out, bending our upper backs and feeling very flexible – or not so flexible – depending on our individual situations.
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The Therapist/Client Relationship
January 1st, 2012
Clients seem surprised when I ask them questions like “Are you mad at me?” or “Have I offended you?”. They often feel uncomfortable answering directly – which I completely understand. However, I do this for a reason. In fact, I do it for several reasons, which I will further explain.
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The Movie “Like Crazy” – A lesson in tolerating your emotions
November 30th, 2011
Have you seen the movie “Like Crazy” – a film about two young lovers who keep attempting to have a relationship with each other, even when it seems in vain? It’s not an unusual story. In fact, the couple’s experience is very human. As a therapist, I found some very useful lessons in it. But first: Spoiler alter! Don’t read on if you don’t want to know the storyline…
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Questions and Compassion
September 26th, 2011
Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves.
–Rainer Maria Rilke
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Hanging On
June 12th, 2011
When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. Have you heard this saying before? I’ve seen it credited to Franklin Delano Roosevelt. And I’ve been thinking about what it means to feel like you’re at the end of your rope, when you believe that you can’t take any more. When you feel like you just can’t go on.
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“When will I feel better?”
March 4th, 2011
People often come to therapists to feel better. They are tired, depressed, anxious, worried, down…you name it, as you’ve probably been there yourself. Folks will often see therapists with the hope that these feelings will go away…quickly. In fact, sometimes in the first session, clients ask me directly, “When will I feel better?”
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A Mind Like The Sky
February 2nd, 2010
I spent the weekend at a workshop exploring insights from mindfulness practices and psychotherapy. Mindfulness practices include meditation, yoga, contemplative prayer, and a host of other activities. One of the things that stuck with me was how both mindfulness practices and psychotherapy can help a person cultivate a mind like a sky. But what exactly does that mean?
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Escaping Trauma (Examples from the movie “Precious”)
November 23rd, 2009
Have you seen the movie “Precious”? I found it to be very moving, upsetting and enlightening. I thought that the main character, Precious, gave us some excellent examples of the negative effects of trauma and abuse – be it physical, sexual, or emotional.
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