Have you ever found yourself caught in a downward spiral of negative thoughts? It’s as if your mind is like a funnel with thoughts racing towards the bottom only to get stuck in the neck. The more you try to…
Posts published in “Mindfulness”
I grew up in a Quaker family where I was taught to serve others and consequently became a therapist which has brought great meaning into my life. However, until recently, I was never as good to myself as I was…
If you take a moment to reflect, you will notice that almost 99% of the things that “bother” you are either in the past or the imagined future. Virtually none of them are in the here and now. That’s because…
The summer slowdown is upon us. Right now you may feel a little unmotivated, to say the least. Unless you’re one of those lucky people who works from the beach, it can be hard to concentrate on the tasks at…
One of the most powerful means of expression involves taking pen to paper or fingers to keyboard as emotions spill forth. For those in mental health treatment, it is often a life line. Sitting with a client recently, I found…
“One way to boost our will power and focus is to manage our distractions instead of letting them manage us.” – William Goleman I know I’m not alone in being easily distracted. In fact, with the proliferation of smartphones, smart…
Spring is truly a natural time to reawaken your spirit and get a fresh start inside and out. Perhaps there is a change you have been considering for months or even years. Maybe a new and invigorating idea has swept…
Finances, family, work, and especially, rush hour traffic. These all contribute to a US population that is constantly on edge and stressed by the 24-hour cycle of life. And this is without discussing politics. American adults experience stress in many…
Many of us have an iffy relationship with time. Largely, we resent it. Because when we’d rather time slow down, it seems to, almost on purpose, sprint and slip away from us. This is why many of us find ourselves…
With all of your good-intentioned resolutions in place, you might have already reneged. If so, don’t sweat it! Chances are if you follow the mind and body tips below, you will be able to think more clearly, be more focused,…
Low self-esteem can turn our lives into a series of self-fulfilling prophecies. Lack of belief in ourselves — the feeling that we are unworthy, or destined to fail — often goes hand in hand with self-sabotage, and this link can…
Our ability to be resonant with ourselves is a key for bringing healing into our life. “Why am I so stupid?” “I am such a loser.” “Why can’t I do anything right?” These are just some of the questions that…
A simple and effective end of year ritual is to carve out a little time for yourself to meditate and journal. The holidays can be delightful, but they also come with a degree of stress. Cycles of grief and family…
Happy Saturday, Psych Central readers! This week’s Psychology Around the Net takes a look at what “self-care” actually means for many people with mental illnesses, the different types of depression and anxiety a new study has identified, which people are…
Embodied Cognition is a branch of neuroscience which explores the unconscious effects of touch (and other senses) on the mind and emotions. Soft Things Touching a “soft” article or texture has been linked to creating deeper states of kindness and…
We’ve expanded our minds. It’s no longer contained inside our heads — it now includes our devices, social media, and essentially anything digital. While the connectedness available to us today has opened a number of doors, it’s not always a…
According to our favorite holiday movies and books we should be serene, happy and peaceful throughout the holidays. This is rarely the case, however, for those who may be grieving the loss of a loved one. Holidays are hard when…
When life is busy or challenging, most people get so caught up in what goes on in their head that they forget all about the rest of their body. But problems and difficulties are best addressed with the whole of…
Consumerism and materialism can be challenging for parents as the holiday season is approaching. Many people experience pressure to buy gifts, sometimes in excess of what they might be comfortably able to afford. Kids often have high expectations for receiving…
I’ve been diagnosed, at one point or another, with depression, anxiety, PTSD and ADHD. It’s an annoying characterization of myself because my medical ‘diagnosis’ does not define me. Yet it has also been incredibly helpful to me as it explains certain…