Articles
Lessons from the Desert
The Arizona desert seemed like an odd vacation destination in the beginning of August. My family was sure they would melt in the heat, and I had to cajole them with promises of daily ice cream outings and a hotel room next to the pool. But in the midst of the stark,...
The Child Inside
As my son enters his junior year of high school, I am regularly reminded that he will soon be launching from our everyday lives into a more independent, autonomous incarnation. This summer has been chock full of milestones: he got his drivers license, his first...
Expecting the Best
A healer and energy therapist, Carol Tuttle challenges us to assume the BEST. Of ourselves, our circumstances, the motivations of others. That simple shift opens us to possibilities that anxiety, fear and negativity can never provide. When I invite a calm, productive...
“For Life and Death Are One” — Khalil Gibran
I attended two memorial services over the weekend. Jim, a friend from church, died after a long illness, and my high school friend's mother, Marilyn, passed unexpectedly. Both of these beloved people were past 80, although their lengthy lives don't alter the grief of...
The Many Faces of PTSD — Part III
SEEKING HELP FOR PTSD Treatment for PTSD can help symptoms from getting worse, especially if help is sought soon after the event. But regardless of how long ago the traumatic event occurred, the following therapy options can help sufferers move forward, away from the...
The Many Faces of PTSD – Part II
Clients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) experience symptoms in a myriad of individualized ways. But some similarities in their symptoms are shared by all survivors. SYMPTOMS OF PTSD After the traumatic event, survivors report the following...
The Many Faces of PTSD – Part I
"PTSD is a whole body tragedy, an integral human event of enormous proportions with massive repercussions." Susan Pease Banitt June is National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month. Most people are familiar with PTSD as a syndrome often experienced by...
The Four Pillars of Emotional Fitness
Movement is essential to keep our bodies in good working order. We walk on the treadmill, lift weights or practice yoga to improve our physical health and increase our lifespan. The characteristics that determine peak physical health can also be applied to our...
The Stories of Our Lives
"Despite the habitual turning away, the 'now' is always better than the story about it...Because there is no way to engage with, move on from or handle the to-ing and fro-ing of a story." -- Geneen Roth I got stuck on this passage in Roth's Women, Food and God. So...
Let’s Talk About Sex
When I first started working as a therapist, I expected to hear about people's proudest moments, their deepest shame, promises that had been broken, dreams and relationships that had turned sour or died an agonizing death. I was (semi-)prepared to hear about profound...