When a loved one is diagnosed with a debilitating or terminal illness, it can be gut-wrenching and stressful. However, coping with the emotional and psychological impact of such devastating news is only a piece of the experience. The challenges associated with a loved one’s diagnosis grow in both intensity and complexity when we assume the… read more
Not So Happy Holidays, ft. Regina Tosca, LICSW
There’s a scene in Charles Schulz’s iconic holiday classic, A Charlie Brown Christmas, in which Charlie laments to Linus “Christmas is coming, but I’m not happy. I don’t feel the way I’m supposed to feel.” Snowflakes fall softly around them as other Peanuts characters glide across a frozen pond dotted by perfectly shaped pine trees. The… read more
4 Ways to Cope With Memories of Loss
Coping with the loss of a loved one is never straightforward or easy, and one particular challenge is knowing how to cope with our memories of the person who has passed. Memories, mementos, and anniversaries can, at times, be lovely reminders of the person we’ve lost; but at other times, dealing with them can be… read more
Why We Need Unconditional Love and Acceptance from Our Caregivers
We’ve all heard that the best type of love comes with no strings attached. The idea that we might come to love someone (usually a significant other) so intensely that we can forgive them all of their faults is a popular one in our cultural mythos. That being said, few people would encourage you to… read more
Staying (Or Becoming) Close With Our Siblings As We Age
Studies suggest that satisfactory sibling contact later in life correlates to increased health and positive mood. Yet it’s not easy to gain or maintain closeness as adults, especially when our lives take us physically and emotionally far away from one another. Most of us are no longer able to simply walk across the living room to see a sibling—now, we might need to take a plane. Further, longstanding conflicts can prevent us from getting in touch even when we’d like to.
Wellness Wednesday: Emotional Energy & the Transition to Motherhood with Janine Donnelly
Do you ever feel like you’re surrounded by positive things—but you just can’t enjoy them? Do you feel the pressure to be joyful and fulfilled, even when you’re not? Our emotional and physical energy are not always what we want them to be. At times this is because past trauma has influenced how we interpret… read more
The Choice is Yours
Every day we are faced with a variety of choices. “Do I drive or walk to work today? Should I stop and get coffee on the way? Do I have time to play with my kids or do I need to answer these emails?” There are a multitude of routine everyday choices, but there… read more
