What Is Depression, Really? Separating Everyday Struggles from Clinical Reality.
What depression is really? Separating Everyday Struggles from Clinical Reality In recent years, the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with social and cultural unrest, have led many of us to experience a collective sense of loss: loss of routine, connection, and the activities that once brought us joy. When the things we […]
Navigating Cultural Bereavement and Finding Belonging
What is Cultural Bereavement? Cultural bereavement, also referred to as cultural loss or cultural grief, is the profound sense of mourning that arises when you are separated from your cultural roots, traditions, and communities. According to Bhugra & Becker (2005), cultural bereavement often affects immigrants, refugees, and expatriates who have left their homeland for […]
Imposter Syndrome in Your 20s: Three Ways to Overcome Self-Doubt
Practical Strategies to tackle imposter syndrome and build confidence Are you feeling like a fraud in your 20s? You’re not alone. It’s easy to look around and think everyone else has life figured out while you’re still trying to find your footing. That nagging voice in your head—the one telling you you’re not good enough, […]
Mindfulness: Stay. Come Back. Do It with Love.
Mindfulness is not about keeping your mind from wandering but coming back to presence over and over again. By now, you’ve likely heard of mindfulness and how it can be good for you. Perhaps you tried it once or twice in the form of meditation, listening to someone’s soothing voice as it guided you to […]
Guilt vs Shame
The terms guilt and shame are often used interchangeably. While they may appear to be synonymous and may often be correlated, their true nature indicates important distinctions. Brené Brown, who has spent her career researching shame and vulnerability, proffers poignantly simple definitions of guilt and shame based on her work. GUILT = I DID SOMETHING […]
ACT for anxiety
Last month’s blog introduced Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), an action-oriented psychotherapeutic approach grounded in traditional behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and Eastern traditions. ACT advocates accepting the entirety our inner landscape – the uncomfortable and challenging along with the comfortable – so that we can create our most vital and meaningful lives. It suggests […]
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): A Primer
New clients often ask me “what techniques do you use?” They want to understand more about the journey they are about to embark on. Like many clinicians, mine is an eclectic approach, drawing on a range of modalities and applying them depending on the circumstances in the room at any given moment. In a response […]
Disordered eating
How To Spot Warning Signs of an Unhealthy Relationship with Food Have you found yourself asking if your food behaviors are “normal?” Do you sometimes wonder if your once innocent sounding diet and exercise routine have evolved into something more serious? Disordered eating encompasses a wide range of unhealthy attitudes and behaviors toward food. The […]
How to create healthy boundaries in your relationship?
Approachable steps to identify and voice your needs Do you communicate your boundaries clearly? Do you feel like your partner understands what you want? All relationships have boundaries. Whether we realize it or not, our actions, words and behaviors implicitly tell people what we do and do not want or will allow. If we’re not […]
Power of Gratitude
As I write this, our country and our world are in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a pervasive sense of fear of the present and anxiety about what the future might hold. Amidst this chaos and uncertainty, I’ve been reminded to pause and slow down, to take stock of what matters, and […]
