Developing a Mindfulness Practice
Meditation is an active training of the mind to increase focus, awareness and insight. In meditation, you will watch the functioning of your mind in a calm, non-judgmental and detached manner so you can gain insight into your thoughts, emotions and behavior.
Toledo Blade Article on Yawning
Sharing an article that quoted me on the psychological implications of yawning, of all things! We yawn for many reasons, not all of them known, but many people don't know that it can be in response to the anxiety of others and as a signal to try to get them to feel...
7 Ways Parents Create Childhood Emotional Neglect
I often recommend Dr. Jonice Webb’s books and blogs, because she writes about the important topic of Childhood Emotional Neglect and its impact on emotional development. I thought I’d highlight and expand on the subject of a recent video blog she posted on “4 Subtle...
How Narcissistic Siblings are Created and How they Harm Their Siblings
How the interactions within a family, especially between siblings, can create or exacerbate shame intolerance patterns. How parents discipline or fail to discipline children and how they protect or fail to protect abused siblings impacts all of the children in the family and may lead children to develop shame intolerance patterns that can affect them throughout their lives.
I'm sharing an email from Kristen Neff, PhD, developer of Mindful Self-Compassion and author of books on self-compassion, including Fierce Self-Compassion. This article on balancing compassion in relationships highlights the importance of both warmth for oneself, so...
How to Spot a Narcissist Early in a Relationship
Many people ask me how to spot a narcissist or what I call an “Other-Blamer” early on in relationships. Watching for the following “verbal tells” is one way to do it. We often think of lack of accountability as the inability to admit fault and apologize. However, we...
“Why Am I So Indecisive?”
Some life decisions are life changing — think: getting married, having children, choosing a career, buying a house, etc. They should, rightfully, cause us to pause and consider deeply before jumping in. But some people are so indecisive they don’t just pause, they can...
Separation Anxiety and Sleep Issues May Be Signs of Permissive Parenting
Gina was a typical 8-year-old girl - active, creative, and confident at her soccer games. But when it came to bedtime, she cried, demanded that her parents stay in her bedroom, and repeatedly expressed fears about the dark and burglars. Jamal was a five-year-old boy...
DISPELLING THE MYTHS: REAL FACTS ON MENTAL HEALTH & PSYCHIATRIC DRUGS
Facts dispelling the myths about mental health. Anti-psychiatry, anti-DSM, anti-medical model of mental health. How DSM diagnostic labels harm rather than help. How psychiatry promotes ineffective and harmful psychiatric medicines over psychotherapy. How antidepressants, antipsychotics and ADHD meds work and harm the brain. How to talk to your doctor about psychiatric medications and get informed consent.
A Democrat Sequestered with a Room Full of GOP Extremists: My Experience as a Poll Worker
I have worked as an “election inspector” at local polling places a number of times in the past decades. In 2020 I worked in the absentee precinct at my local city hall, where we count all the absentee ballots on election day. Unlike at other precincts, we are...