There is a misconception in our culture concerning the reason why intimate relationships deteriorate and end. The typical relationship cycle is depicted as follows: Two people meet. They fall in love. They enjoy a certain portion of exhilarating time together. Then, reality sets in. The spark fades. Routine takes over. Fights begin. And love ends…. Read more »
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I scanned the sea of black-robed 20-somethings for my sister’s familiar face. As I glanced over each aisle, I noted the beaming expressions of the satisfied graduate students about to receive their Masters degrees in Journalism. When I finally caught a glimpse of my sister, I was glad to see that in spite of the… Read more »
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How to use Everyday Life as a Gateway to Your Healing There is so much talk about Mindfulness these days. It has become trendy–this ancient, over 2000 year old practice of attuning to the present moment. Trends don’t last but real wisdom can seep into our everyday lives and become, as Jon Kabat-Zinn says, “A… Read more »
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With everything in the world from our language to our LinkedIn networks growing bigger, more complex and moving faster, it’s easy to feel like we are no longer in control. Our career path, our relationships and our futures are all victims of circumstance. Whether we are bowing to the will of a boss, a paycheck,… Read more »
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The age-old expression “Good things come to those who wait,” seems to hold true even in scientific research. However, “good things” may not merely be a present to those who are virtuously patient, as the expression posits, but may in fact be a result of an individual’s personality and behavioral traits correlated with patience. According… Read more »
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In the age of social media, one can hardly finish a conversation with another individual without the other or oneself indiscreetly checking their smartphone. This scenario has become commonplace in everyday interactions, even in older generations, and begs the question “Is checking your Facebook mid-conversation keeping you socially connected or disconnecting you from relationships?” While… Read more »
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Searching for ways to manage pain without the side-effects of pain medications? Hoping to quell the anxiety associated with chronic pain? Fadel Zeidan, a neuroscientist at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center has found that ”just a little over an hour of training in meditation can dramatically reduce both the experience of pain and pain-related brain… Read more »
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Too often, the subject of violence is addressed in our society from a platform of sensationalism, disgust, and trepidation. The reporting of violent events incites two reactions from viewers: horrified fascination or a repelled reflex to turn away. Neither reaction inclines us to seek a better understanding of why violence occurs, nor to ask the… Read more »
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In the past few days, PsychAlive.org, started getting unusual visits from outside the United States. Typically only attracting an audience of nations that hold English as their first language, we were surprised to find that the place these visits were coming from was Japan. The disaster in Japan has sent a ripple of grief, shock and… Read more »
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The term depression tends to be slung about carelessly these days. We wake up in a funk, things didn’t go well at work today or we missed the most recent episode of Mad Men and we’re “depressed.” Technically, we’re not depressed. If we want to be nit-picky, we would clarify that we feel disappointed or… Read more »
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