Embracing Anxiety: Is that even possible?
For adolescences the quest for a sense of belonging is both fundamental and at the core of their path during these formative years. As a psychologist working with teens, I have witnessed firsthand the profound impact that not feeling a strong sense of belonging can have on a teen's mental health. Not only their emotional well-being, but also their physical health and academic performance may be affected when teens have pervasive feelings of not belonging. Increased anxiety, depression, social isolation, and lowered self-esteem are some of the most common effects of feeling that we do not belong.
Don't be so quick to swallow that pill
I am amazed at how often my friends, family members, or just acquaintances share with me during everyday conversation that they have been prescribed some kind of medication to address their symptoms of...
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Don’t tell me to be happy
Virtually all of us have been there at some point in our life.
It went something like this-- You were feeling sad, upset, anxious, or overwhelmed and upon noticing this a well-meaning family member or friend has innocently told you some variety of: “You know, you have X, Y, and Z, just be happy!”
We know meditation is good for us: Why is it, then, that it is SO difficult to consistently do it?
Most of us have some familiarity with the potential benefits of daily meditation, or the practice of devoting a certain period of time each day to quiet our minds of the constant stream of thoughts that each of us experience almost every minute of our waking day.