Before you think there is a new diagnosis being hoisted on the public, please be rest assured that “depressive dystopia” is my term for how I view our current collective condition. COVID life has helped create a societal malaise that has pushed our emotional tolerances to a state of constantly uncomfortable surrealism. Sometimes it feels…
Passing judgment on those around us is human nature. We are continually making our own choices and observing the choices of others. We like to think we’re making the right decisions, and we often use ourselves as a benchmark for others. How can we feel good and “right” in our choices without passing judgment on…
It is often said that parenting is not for the faint of heart. Parents face many difficult decisions and dilemmas when raising their children, only made more challenging by the instant gratification that technology brings to their world. As a parent of three girls, I often struggle with the role that technology plays in their…
One of my favorite times of day is the ride home from work. Not just because work is over, but because I get to do one of my favorite things, listen to music. Like many of us, I enjoy different types of music. What I choose is often linked to my mood or my activity…
“If there’s a heaven for me, I’m sure it has a beach attached to it.”-Jimmy Buffett Some of my fondest childhood memories are of summers at the beach. To this day, the smell of saltwater and the sand beneath my feet makes me smile. My favorite vacations are beach vacations, and if I ever win…
Life has been challenging these past few months. We have been experiencing social isolation, worries about financial stability, health, loss of loved ones, our children’s education, and cancellation of significant life events. Many of the activities that bring us joy during difficult times, like travel, sports, theater, concerts, and dining out, have also been put…
In the last ten weeks of this global pandemic, the world has changed, and loss and grief have become surprisingly ubiquitous. People have lost jobs and businesses, children have lost their typical school days, proms, graduations, team sports, shopping outings, carefree vacations, wedding celebrations…all lost. A favorite expert of mine on healing and loss, David…
As we all attempt to make sense of our world’s current state, there’s a concern for the health and well-being of adolescents. Students are missing milestones, rites of passage are being glossed over, and we hear tales of woe, particularly from high school seniors. Most adolescents are feeling disappointed with how 2020 is panning out,…
As a psychologist and hypnotist for over 35 years, one would think that I have seen it all. I wasn’t prepared for the profound changes that COVID-19 had thrust upon my practice. Throughout my career, I’d typically seen patients face to face, rarely doing sessions remotely. That all changed during the week of March 23rd,…
Have you been engaging in cleaning rituals that would make Monica Geller proud? Between the shortage of Lysol products and states mandating masks in grocery stores, keeping your personal space clean might be one of the few things that make you feel a sense of control. While it may seem like the entire world has…