When “Never Again” Happens Again
Being Thankful in an Age of Anxiety
Source: Alfonso Cerezo / Pixabay This Thanksgiving feels different to a lot of people. They are glued to the news, concerned about the state of the world, watching or participating in demonstrations…
The Difference Between Feeling Anxious and Anxiety Disorders
What does anxiety feel like to you? Here are a few descriptions I have heard over the years: From the literal: Queasy Revved up On edge Worried To the metaphorical: Like a…
Is It Possible to Avoid Mental Health Problems?
In the “Matrix” movies, there are those who famously opt to take the “red pill” and discover that they are living inside a computer simulation of the world, while those who take…
Stop Relying on External Validation
Source: © Pasuwan | Shutterstock One of the ongoing issues I worked on with my former psychiatrist, Dr. Lev, was my constant need for external validation. Whether the feedback came from weighing…
Violent and Disturbing War Images Can Stir Deep Emotions
Created by the author using Midjourney The past few years have been filled with a seemingly endless stream of painful stories and images coming from across the globe, including the loss of…
Yes, You Can Get Instant Relief for Anxiety
Anxiety makes us feel “hot under the collar.” But evolution has provided a mechanism to help cool us down. Enter the diver’s reflex or the mammalian diving response, the body’s physiological response…
The Absence of Play |
A few evenings ago, I had the pleasure of moderating a talk by Dr. Peter Gray, a veteran researcher and professor of psychology at Boston College. His specialty is the intersectionality of…
Panic Attack First Aid |
Source: Engin Akyurt/Pexels A panic attack is a dreaded experience. Your heart races, you can’t breathe. Often, you can’t tell if you are dying. It’s no surprise that several individuals begin to…
Building Your Self-Regulation Toolboxes |
This post is part two of a series. In part one of this series, I shared the first step and tool you can employ to create a robust psychological foundation for yourself:…