Working with Emotion

In the sweet little book written by Thich Nhat Hanh, A Handful of Quiet: Happiness in Four Pebbles (2012), Thich teaches a meditation in which we imagine ourselves being something such as a flower, and we imagine feeling a quality of that that thing within ourselves. (For example, in the case of the flower, he invites us to image feeling freshness.) Read more ›

For today, first, a quote: “Healing is an on-going, organic process, not a single ‘big bang’ moment“ (Pat Ogden & Janina Fisher, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Interventions for Trauma and Treatment, 2015, p. 73).

Aware that sometimes there can be overt, covert, external, internal, intentional, and/or completely unintentional and inadvertent messages that may lead one to wonder if there is something wrong with them Read more ›

“Sleep is not an optional, lifestyle luxury. Sleep is a non-negotiable biological necessity. It’s a life support system….And the decimation of sleep throughout industrialized nations is having a catastrophic impact on our health, our wellness, and the safety and the education of our children.” —Matthew Walker, Talk at Google Read more ›

(As do I, as do we.)

Here is a pivotal question: how do you respond to the multitudes within you?

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The upcoming open group sessions I am offering provide clients with the opportunity to regularly nourish the seeds of mindfulness and self-compassion they are growing via guided, structured practice in a safe, group therapy environment, as well as providing the opportunity to have some time for connection with others and for self-reflection. Read more ›

The book, The Heart and the Bottle, written and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers (2010), wisely begins, “Once there was a girl much like any other…”. The story is about someone and something common—someone and something understandable, relatable. Read more ›

Think of a being you deeply cherish, maybe it is a person, maybe it is a cherished pet. Take a moment to feel the presence of this being, to feel the warmth you feel toward this being, the joy, the delight. What do you wish for this being? What does your heart wish for this being? Connect to the feelings imbued in this wish. Read more ›

The short film, Just Breathe, features the craft from yesterday’s post along with children speaking about the experience of anger and of how breathing helps “the glitter to settle”. Read more ›

When the glitter settles, there is sparkle.

Let’s take a few moments to make a craft. You’ll need a clear jar with a tight fitting lid that won’t leak, loose glitter, water. To make the craft, fill the jar to nearly full with water and some glitter. Put the lid on tightly. Voila! You are done. Read more ›

Did you know that the human brain tends to act like teflon to positive experiences and like velcro to negative experiences? This is a wonderful metaphor Dr. Rick Hanson uses in the video below to describe the brain’s negativity bias, in essence, its tendency to absorb and remember readily negative experiences and potential threats combined with its tendency to not so readily absorb and remember positive experiences. Read more ›