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“If you cannot learn to enjoy doing the mundane things in life, you will never truly be able to enjoy what you are looking forward to doing.” – Thich Nhat Hanh I recently read an old New Yorker cartoon depicting two monks in robes with shaved heads. One monk is young, and one monk isContinue reading “Nothing Happens Next”

Alfred Adler was a remarkable visionary and played a central role in the development of modern psychology. In fact, many of the today’s popular therapeutic approaches can be traced back to his foundational ideas. Adler brought forth the central role of social context and belonging as foundational to mental wellbeing. Unlike most, he worked from a place ofContinue reading “The Wisdom of Alfred Adler”

Many of us can easily get lost thinking about the past or worrying about the future. Yet, being present minded or mindful of the “here and now” is important for reducing stress and staying healthy. Moreover, strengthening present-moment awareness helps to reduce anxiety and rumination, while allowing space for a deeper connection to our livedContinue reading “Cultivating Present-Moment Attitudes”

Archetypes were introduced by the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, who suggested that archetypes were archaic forms of innate human knowledge passed down from our ancestors. He also believed that archetypes represent universal patterns and images that are part of the collective unconscious or shared reservoir of unconscious human experience. Although this may sound abstract, considerContinue reading “Archetypes”

“The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity.” – Rollo May We are all susceptible to bias. Generally, people display bias when they gather or recall information selectively, or when they interpret it in a biased way. Confirmation bias is the tendency to look for information or interpret evidence in ways thatContinue reading “Understanding Confirmation Bias and Groupthink”

We often ask others how they are doing. Most often, people remark that they are “fine” or “doing well.” Occasionally, if we know the person a bit better or ask how they are feeling, they may admit to feeling stressed or anxious and share a few details about their challenges.    How do you typically respondContinue reading “Emotional Granularity”

Our minds see patterns and create meaning automatically as we navigate the world. We draw on a vast network of memories, images, and associations as we sift through experiences and appraise our environment to form meaningful impressions. In addition to patterns of memories and experiences, our emotional states heavily influence how our mind makes meaningContinue reading “Searching for Birds”

“To cultivate equanimity, we practice catching ourselves when we feel attraction or aversion, before it hardens into grasping or negativity.”  – Pema Chodron When I was in high school, I experienced a huge range of both positive and negative experiences and emotions. Although largely positive, I often felt like a ship being tossed around atContinue reading “Equanimity”

“He Who Has a Why to Live For Can Bear Almost Any How.” ∼Friedrich Nietzsche Values can play a major role in supporting our well-being and promoting our resilience. What comes to mind when you ask yourself about your personal values?   It is not uncommon for people to struggle when asked to identify values. However,Continue reading “Values”

When faced with a difficult or unknown situation, do you tend to focus on the worst-case scenario? Sometimes the way we view situations or challenges impacts how much anxiety or stress we experience even before the situation occurs. This is the case with catastrophizing. However, when we become more aware of our thoughts regarding perceivedContinue reading “Decatastrophizing: A Simple Cognitive Reframing Skill to Reduce Anxiety”