Mindfulness Meditation: Using the Body Scan as a Focus Body-scan meditation focuses deliberate attention on the body without judgment or wanting anything to come from it. This isn’t a traditional relaxation method; people may feel peaceful, but they can also feel antsy, impatient, irritated, and hungry. That’s the point: You can experience these feelings, […]
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Post-traumatic Stress Injury
Responding to First Responders: PTSD and PTSI in First Responders Psychologists sometimes treat first responders to an emergency. We may see police officers, firefighters, hospital staff, paramedics, and clergy who have suffered psychological trauma after responding to a natural disaster or critical incident. First responders may come to us to help them with post-traumatic […]
Seeing How Childhood Patterns Affect Marriage
When Mark and Judy came to see me for couples therapy, Judy felt frustrated by her husband’s constant angry mood. They rarely talked anymore, and she felt that any time she brought up a stress, the conversation quickly became a quid pro quo—who had the hardest day? Mark felt low-level irritability and frustration about […]
Finding Tranquility in Meditation Despite the Inevitable Storms
Buddha Sheltered by Muchalinda: Finding Tranquility in Meditation Despite the Inevitable Storms One of the stories from the life of Buddha that is depicted in numerous sculptures from many cultures is that of Muchalinda, the serpent. The story goes that during the sixth week after Buddha attained full enlightenment, a weeklong torrential rainstorm threatened his […]
Six Ground Rules for Introducing a New Girlfriend or Boyfriend to Your Kids
When is it okay to introduce your kids to a date after divorce or separation? This is a common question for newly separated or divorced parents. Like so many things involving children after divorce, the answer is “it all depends.” But there are a few ground rules that can help in the transition to dating. […]
