“Life is not a problem to be solved, it is a mystery to be experienced.” - Rainer Maria Rilke What is the real goal of therapy? People often seek a therapist during moments of sadness, emptiness, fear, confusion and/or frustration. There may be a desperation to “fix” the uncomfortable thoughts, feelings [...]
I know it is a cliché to talk about gratitude during Thanksgiving but I am going to do it anyway. Thanksgiving is a great reminder to take a moment to acknowledge all that we have – all that is well and good. These may be simple every day things that [...]
Daniel Siegel, M.D. often writes about the importance of navigating the “river of well-being” in order to achieve mental and emotional health. He uses the metaphor of a river, which symbolizes well-being, with two banks – one representing rigidity (imposing control) and the other chaos (out of control). Ideally, we [...]
With anxiety and depression on the rise, I have been thinking more and more about what might be contributing to the decline of our mental and emotional health. As with any phenomenon there are multiple causes, but I would like to focus here on the difference between having meaning in [...]
If I only had a few words to summarize how I view my role as a therapist, I would say I am a facilitator of authenticity and intimacy. Authenticity is our ability to be our true selves, to connect to our own feelings, beliefs, values and desires. A young child [...]
“Sometimes I go about in pity for myself, and all the while, a great wind carries me across the sky.” – Ojibwe Saying I first came across this saying while watching an episode of The Sopranos, a captivating HBO series about a mob boss who has a panic attack and subsequently [...]
A couple of weeks ago I attended the California Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (CAMFT) Conference specifically to see Dr. Gabor Maté. This was my second time seeing him in person, although I have followed many of Maté’s interviews and podcasts in addition to reading his books. I find [...]
Several years ago, I led a codependency recovery group for women who had been in abusive relationships. Instead of the usual beginning group check-in, I decided to have the participants say only their name and how they felt in that very moment. As each individual struggled to find [...]
Every Chinese New Year my teacher assigns Clearing Your Clutter with Feng Shui, by Karen Kingston, to bring our attention to those parts of our lives that may be disorganized, stagnant or neglected. Even though the book is feng shui-themed, one does not need to follow feng shui in order [...]
“Probably there is nothing in human nature more resonant with charges than the flow of energy between two biologically alike bodies, one of which has lain in amniotic bliss inside the other, one of which has labored to give birth to the other. The materials are here for the [...]