elotz@westsidedbt.com

By Dr. Barbara Bachmeier Automatic Coping There are a multitude of strategies taught to help people cope with stress. With that said, simply reading or learning about them does not help. Why; because, it is the ability to apply these coping strategies easily when a person is triggered by the stress that renders the strategy effective. […]

By Traci Stein, PhD, MPH, Complementary and Alternative Medicine Humans have been making music ever since they realized that tapping two sticks together could create an engaging beat. Music can foster feelings of joy, unleash our creativity, and is often a key feature of our most enjoyable social gatherings. Ever versatile, music can set the tone for

Dr Kelly Neff, The Lucid Planet Why is that we tend to be more successful at pursuits we are genuinely passionate about? Why does time seem to drag when you are completely bored and uninterested in a task? How come you can easily lose yourself in a task that really piques your interest According to positive

Photo by pedrosimoes7  By Jonice Webb Abigail needs to tell her adult son Mark that she thinks he has a drinking problem. Simon needs to tell his wife Lisa that he’s afraid he doesn’t love her anymore. From time to time, we all find ourselves in a tough spot. Something looks wrong or feels wrong, and we need

What is the difference in responding and reacting?  While the distinction may seem to be one of semantics, the impact of each in your life can be huge because reacting is an instinctual behavior directed by the reptilian brain, and responding is a conscious choice involving input from the more evolved brain In his book, Just

By  Dr. Barbara Bachmeier Balancing the Past with NowRadical acceptance is an idea, mindset, and skill taught in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), a. It is often introduced as part of a full DBT program and along with or as part of mindfulness.I have been teaching these strategies to my own patients in groups and in individual

Dollar Photo Club  By Mark Bertin, M.D. Baseball’s all fun and games and bonding together—except when it isn’t. Following up a previous blog in which I wrote about wisdom found in the movie Bull Durham, it’s clear I’m a New Yorker recovering from a brutal winter. Spring baseball is on my mind. And with baseball and children

Author Karen Maezen Miller offers quick and practical guidelines for maintaining a mindfulness practice throughout your day.Photo © flickr.com/i eated a cookie  Practice in plain sight. Place your meditation cushion in a conspicuous place in your home, such as on your bedroom floor. As you pass by, let it invite you to practice meditation daily. Even five

Tristan Gorrindo, child and adolescent psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital, on getting teenagers to pause online.Illustration by Gavin Potenza  How many friends do you have on Facebook? For teenagers who use the social media site, the median count is about 300, according to Teens, Social Media, and Privacy, a Pew Center report released last spring. That’s

                                                © iStockPhoto.com/KevinRuss As parents, we experience stress at various times during the day—whether during a hectic morning routine, a hurried bedtime ritual, or a silent drive to school. But mindfulness can help in