Diagnosing is one of the things I dislike about my job, and I'm NOT diagnosing you when you're talking unless you really are my client--and the reason why may surprise you.
Read morePokemon GO!
I decided to share my thoughts about Pokemon GO! from a psychological perspective. As with most things in life, there are positives and negatives. Today, I look at both as they come together in this game.
Read moreLess judgment, more compassion
One of the things I'm thinking about this week in particular, but all the time in working with my clients and even trying to improve myself is judgment. In my experience, it seems the when we judge ourselves or others as "bad" or "good", we invariably run into trouble.
Read moreEmbracing your desert
There is a story in the Bible that I frequently share with my clients. I originally heard the story and the following interpretation of it in a sermon given by Rabbi David Cantor a few years ago. I find that this story and the interpretation of it helps us think about our lives and the journey we take in a really helpful way.
Read moreForgiveness and Grief
In the video Brene Brown talks about forgiveness--something that is extremely hard to really define or understand because it has so many aspects to it. In her work, she found that a major component of forgiveness is actually grief. This doesn't make a bit of sense at first glance but as you think about it, as you listen to her talk about it, it begins to actually be kind of obvious. We cannot fully forgive without grieving.
Read moreOn the One Year Anniversary* of This Blog
I've learned several things from this year* of blogging. Today, I'll share what I've learned with you and set forth a new goal for the next year.
Read moreMedications
As long as drug companies aremaking money on these highly addictive substances and even more money on remedies for dealing with the side-effects of them, nothing will change dramatically. I would love to see alternative methods (whether it be some natural substance or advances in therapy) that are healthier than our current methods of dealing with pain, anxiety, depression, ADHD... today's society seems to be one where "there's a pill for that" and we never have to feel a moment of discomfort.
Read moreEmpathy
In therapy, one of my most important jobs is to "hold" your stuff. Much like a babysitter entrusted by the parents, I am expected to "take care" of your stuff, not let anything happen to it, protect it, keep it confidential and safe.
Read moreConfidentiality
As a psychologist, confidentiality is something that I take extremely seriously. It is so serious that I could even be severely reprimanded by the Board of Psychology (the licensing board for psychologists in the State of California) if I violate the trust that is placed in me by my clients. I'll simply define confidentiality as the requirement to keep your private stuff private.
Read moreLoss
Today I have so many different topics that I considered writing about: the death of David Bowie, the death of Alan Rickman, the Powerball Lottery... then I realized these have a similar theme: loss.
Read moreLack of Sleep
I want to emphasize the findings of a recent study which suggests that even ONE NIGHT of sleep deprivation can lead to an overestimation of importance that is assigned to all stimuli, not just emotionally laden ones but neutral ones as well.
Read moreSelf Care is not Selfish
As the holiday continues in full swing, its so easy to get involved in doing for others (shopping, wrapping, cooking, cleaning, baking, etc.) It is very easy to forget to take care of one's self.
Read moreDr. Barlevy's* Stress Theory
For many years now, I've shared an analogy with my clients (I love analogies!) It's what I call my "water pitcher theory of stress." At my daughter's suggestion to "write about stress", I've decided to share this theory with you.
Read moreThe Importance of Diversity
I have, in the past, written about the benefits of taking an "information vacation" and I'll advocate for that again now, but at the same time, its important not to bury our heads in the sand and ignore all these messages that the media is presenting. It is imperative that we speak up when we hear fear mongering and recognize the agenda of those that are proposing outlandish ways to decrease diversity in this country.
Read moreBuild Mastery
In keeping with the Skill of the Month, this entry is both an explanation of my absence as well as a discussion about the DBT skill of "build mastery". Basically, do hard stuff and don't stop just because it is hard.
Read moreNo Wrong Answers
Over the years, countless clients have come in to therapy looking to find direction. They find themselves at a crossroads. Do I go back to school? Do I change careers? Do I keep doing the same thing even though it is boring and I hate it?
Read moreAnxiety Revisited
Overthinking and worrying can be seen as a strenth instead of a weakness. Every thinking style can have its positive attributes as well as its negatives. When we bring these together, great things can happen.
Read moreBooks are Best
Reading before bed is one of the best ways to relax--even better than some things one would think would be very effective like taking a walk, drinking a cup of tea, or listening to music.
Read moreFriendship
If you have only one best friend or if you have several, research shows that talking to or hanging out with a true friend like that is one very effective stress reliever. Having a friend with whom you can be yourself, whether that person is a friend like Sheri, or a spouse or a sibling, is a wonderful feeling.
Read moreFeeling Stuck
The traffic this morning got me thinking about how clients (and all of us, really) feel stuck sometimes. We've been doing one thing one way forever and we THINK its the best way even though its far from ideal but to do it a different way is to take a big risk and maybe it will be even worse than the way we were originally doing it. The result is feeling stuck (and wishing someone would invent a device that would allow you to see the future already!)
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