Radical Acceptance, Radical Change

Here’s a copy of a video I did on my Facebook page. I invite you to find and follow me there!

How Your Communication Style Affects Others

Sometimes it is helpful to understand the impact your communication style has on other people. While every interaction is different, there are some common reactions people have to different communication styles. If you are aggressive, other people may react to you with fear or anxiety. They may be timid around you because they don’t want…

Action is Better Than Tea

After there is a mass shooting or other horrifying event, I sometimes see articles written by therapists on how to cope. They talk about self-care, reducing exposure to media and getting support. You know, drink herbal tea, eat right, do some yoga, go to therapy. Things like that. While I am very much in favor…

What Happens When A Therapist Gets Sick?

The last time I had to stay home sick it occurred to me that people might be interested in some of what happens behind the scenes from the therapist’s perspective. Here’s a play-by-play: Early Saturday morning: Wake up in the wee hours of the morning with a fever. Feel miserable. Hope that I will feel…

Seven Ways to Use Your Smartphone to Improve Your Mental Health

Nobody taught me anything about using smartphones when I was in graduate school in the late ’90s. But I’ve counseled a lot of clients since then and found a lot of ways smartphones can be used to support mental health. Here are my top seven. Give yourself supportive messages when you need them. If you…

A Tip for Reducing Anxiety

I recently wrote about how I coped with anxiety when on an airplane trip. On the flight home, I tried another coping strategy that might be helpful for you. I know that airplanes and fear are linked in my brain so when I am on a plane I get scared. There are lots of ways…

How A Therapist Deals With Anxiety

Here I am, on an airplane, dealing with anxiety. I do not like airplane travel. I get scared that the plane will crash. But since I’m on a plane anyhow, I thought this would be a good opportunity to write about how I deal with anxiety. When I feel anxious I want to avoid whatever…

On Lying and Connection in Therapy

Lots of clients and therapists feel strongly that clients should not lie to their therapists and, if they do, it makes the therapy totally ineffective. I disagree and here is why. Of course, I would prefer my clients to be honest with me. Honesty is connected; dishonesty interrupts the connection. I don’t like when people…

A Message for Survivors

A message for survivors of sexual assault, rape and abuse Dear ones, There are not a lot of things that are more triggering of trauma responses than witnessing something like the trauma you survived played out on a national scale in the media. If you are having a hard time right now, it makes sense….

Importance of Weekly Therapy

I was happy to be asked to contribute to a blog post for National Psychotherapy Day about why therapists recommend weekly therapy. While I do see clients less frequently than weekly sometimes, I prefer to meet with clients weekly when possible. Here is an excerpt from the article talking about why: Meeting weekly enables more…