Whether you choose to celebrate during the holiday season or not, it can be a stressful time of year for various reasons. To further complicate the logistics of celebratory planning, the pandemic serves as an extra layer of angst to navigate. For some of you, this is a welcome inconvenience, especially if it allows an… Read more »
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During the month of December, bloggers everywhere are offering their gift giving suggestions for the holidays. There are ideas for the perfect gifts to buy him, her, the kids, the in-laws, the dog, the house. PsychAlive is offering some suggestions that will hopefully help you in selecting personal and meaningful gifts for the people who… Read more »
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Good cheer, happiness, family and a spirit of giving are a big part of the holiday season. But for many people, stress and loneliness are major players that upset plans to stay positive. If your tension level rises when the decor goes up, you are not alone. It is common for some people to feel… Read more »
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Research shows that expressing gratitude is good for your mental health. It increases happiness and decreases depression. It also enhances empathy and reduces aggression. It promotes social interactions and fosters new relationships. Gratitude counteracts other toxic emotions, such as envy, resentment, victimization and cynicism. It not only reduces stress, but research indicates that it may also play a major role in overcoming trauma. All good things, but… Read more »
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This time of year, our sentiments are filled with wishes of joy, happiness, love, and light. Yet, for so many people, the holiday season is not the picture of warm serenity we see printed on our greeting cards. In fact, a majority of people name winter as the most stressful season of the year. Last… Read more »
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Valentine’s Day Articles by Dr. Lisa Firestone: How to Not Feel Let Down This Valentine’s Day When I think of Valentine’s Day, I inevitably think of February 15. That’s the day that people come in to work or meet friends for coffee and talk about the events of the previous evening. Some excerpts I’ve heard… Read more »
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The holidays come sprinkled with promises of “brightness” and “cheer.” It’s a universally meaningful time for millions of people, and I would argue that this sense of connectedness is a large part of what makes the season seem sort of magical. Yet for many people, the winter months don’t always live up to their heartwarming… Read more »
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The best New Year’s resolution is to have no New Year’s resolutions. That’s what I’ve decided. Last year I wrote a column about how to keep them. Maybe it’s time, however, to rethink New Year’s resolutions altogether. Why pick one time of year to decide to turn things around and live a different kind of… Read more »
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It is practically cliché by now, but nonetheless true: the meaning of the holidays often gets lost in the glitter and bows, bawdy holiday parties and last-minute rushes to satisfy obligatory gift lists – each year’s craftily marketed Madison Avenue “must-haves.” This flurry of activity leaves the American public bleary-eyed and suffering, though we can’t… Read more »
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Candles lit on the dining room table, chatter of grown-ups talking, peals of laughter echoing through the house, the delicious scent of potato pancakes frying in the kitchen where my mother and grandmother stand over the hot stove… I remember being 7-years-old, wearing a party dress with wool tights and shiny black Mary Janes. It… Read more »
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