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By Karen Hall,PhD When faced with a difficult problem, you might find yourself paralyzed over deciding what to do. Emotionally sensitive people often have difficulty making decisions, tend to ruminate about issues and can become increasing upset as a result of thinking about the issue over and over. Searching and searching for the right solution, […]

 By Andrew Archer, LCSW, Mindfulness-Based Approached / Contemplative Approaches  Swimming through the frenetic current of life (i.e., work, children, death, and pain) can be exhausting, and the idea of having a moment to come up for air, let alone silence, may seem outlandish. And maybe it is. Part of Pablo Neruda’s poem, Keeping Quiet, introduces this

Contributed by Tammy Fletcher MA, IMF, CFT We see a number of people in our practice who struggle with feelings of anxiety. Working with mental and emotional responses to stress is helpful for these people. We also take time to learn about where the person feels his or her anxiety in the body. Some common physical manifestations of anxiety

By Jeremy Schwartz, LCSW , Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Topic Expert Contributor Marsha Linehan’s groundbreaking introduction of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) through her 1993 treatment and skills training manuals has brought effective therapy to many people living with the symptoms of borderline personality. Linehan worked with women who had histories of suicide attempts, self-harm, frequent experiences of crisis, and difficulty

By Margarita Tartakovsky, MS  Associate Editor When you don’t finish everything on your to-do list and more tasks keep piling up, try to be patient with yourself. When you look tired and your skin feels like sandpaper and you hate the way you look in everything, try to be patient with yourself. When you get

Some habitual ways of thinking can keep us stuck in a negative loop. Cultivating awareness of these “mind traps” can help you shift your attention. By Elisha Goldstein    Marco Saracco/Adobe Stock There’s a funny print cartoon that shows a man and woman sitting on the couch staring at a TV screen, and the caption reads,

via Alex Myles Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning “sacred circle,” and they represent the universe, unity, harmony and wholeness. They symbolize infinity and the never-ending quality of life and have been widely used for centuries by Buddhists, Hindus, American Indians and others who find significant meaning in them. ~ *Dear elephant reader: if you’re single & looking for

By Renee Jain, MAPP It happens to every child in one form or another – anxiety. As parents, we would like to shield our children from life’s anxious moments, but navigating anxiety is an essential life skill that will serve them in the years to come. In the heat of the moment, try these simple phrases to help your

Have you ever tried to shed an old, troublesome habit? Ever made a New Year’s resolution you couldn’t keep? If so, welcome to the human race. And welcome to your brain. We Are Creatures of Habit A few weeks ago, I made a mixture of nuts and dried fruit and settled in for a few minutes

By Steve Flowers Family therapist Steve Flowers on how self-compassion can free us from the grip of the mental judge and jury that is running, or even ruining, our lives. You don’t need to feel trapped by your inner critic’s nagging voice. Nor do you need to suppress it, or escape it. Sometimes all you