The Downside of Expectations
posted by Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D. on May 16th 2012
"So often we go through life doing things and expecting something to come from it. We may do a favor for someone expecting something in return or maybe we practice Yoga so we will look for fit or be relaxed, or maybe we're going to practice meditation in order to break some old habits. It’s important to take a moment and be mindful of our expectations. This may best be explained by a story: " More...

Is Hating Someone Because They are Different a Mental Illness?
posted by Bob Livingstone, LCSW on May 16th 2012
"The DSM-IV does not accept that the hatred of someone because they are different as a mental disorder. According to a recent ABC News article, The American Psychiatric Association (APA) does not list racism in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the bible of psychiatrists worldwide. Most psychiatrists believe that racism is a cultural and social problem, not a matter of individual pathology. Harvard University psychiatrist Alvin Poussaint thinks that's a mistake. " More...

OCD and Transitions
posted by Janet Singer on May 15th 2012
"But I am also keenly aware that change, by its very nature, comes with stress, and for Dan, the changes are already huge. He is not in school anymore, living with his three best friends. His girlfriend is not nearby. In fact, none of his friends are around now. He has to make a lot of decisions; types of decisions he has never had to make before. Dan, like other college graduates, is basically building a new life for himself, and though that can be stressful for anyone, it is often even more so for those struggling with OCD, the "doubting disease."" More...

Fast Food, Health and Depression
posted by Allan Schwartz, LCSW, Ph.D. on May 14th 2012
"How good are your eating habits? I have worked with many people for whom a meal is something they have on the way between one appointment and the next. Another variation on the theme is that, dinner is something that consists of hamburgers from McDonald's, " More...

Equal Rights for Gay Marriages
posted by Allan Schwartz, LCSW, Ph.D. on May 11th 2012
"This Wednesday, May 9, 2012, President Obama gave his support for giving gay married couples the same rights as those who are heterosexual and married. This was a courageous move because the issue is so fraught with controversy... " More...

Find What's Sacred
posted by Rick Hanson, Ph.D. on May 11th 2012
"The word, sacred, has two kinds of meanings. First, it can refer to something related to religion or spirituality. Second, more broadly, it can refer to something that one cherishes, that is precious, to which one is respectfully, even reverently, dedicated, such as honesty with one’s life partner, old growth redwoods, human rights, the light in a child’s eyes, or longings for truth and justice and peace." More...

Thich Nhat Hanh Shares Some Good News
posted by Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D. on May 11th 2012
"Life can be exhausting in itself. But the things we feed ourselves can gear our minds into states of negativity that end up taxing us even more. Habitually watching and listening to the news is a great example. It's important to know what's going on in the world, but maybe not as effective to hear it in the sensational way the networks provide it. These stations pay people a lot of money to find out how to grab our attention in the most skillful ways. The ‘eye-popping' and ‘sizzling' upbeat tempo information hits the right neural receptors that glue our..." More...

Families and Groups with Rigid Boundaries
posted by Allan Schwartz, LCSW, Ph.D. on May 10th 2012
"One of the major features of family life is that members act to maintain the status quo. In other words, with few exceptions, there is resistance to change. However, many families recognize that change is inevitable. They recognize the fact that..." More...