“I don’t know what’s wrong with me that I feel so…depressed/anxious/sad/jealous/triggered/your-favorite-neurosis-goes-here.” Have you ever felt that way? Years and years ago we lived in smaller cities, and before that, smaller towns, smaller villages, smaller communities. And for better or for worse, everyone was always up in everyone’s business. The “for better” part meant that people…
Last week, a friend who knows me well sent me a text and told me that I should watch “Dumplin” on Netflix. “It has Dolly Parton, drag queens, and Texas beauty pageants. You’ll love it!” I did!!! But aside from it’s entertainment value, I was really struck by a quote they used by Dolly Parton:…
As we get closer and closer to the holidays, our schedules fill up and pressure can build. We may have to see family that we, well, let’s just say family that we don’t normally see, feel obligated to attend parties, or, because of a recent loss or life event, not feel particularly in sync with…
There is a very good chance that at some point, a friend, a family member, or a colleague will approach you with news that you don’t want to hear. Maybe they’ve lost their job, or just received bad news from their doctor. Maybe there’s been an affair, or a family member has died. Almost always…
When both sadness and disappointment come together, we are left with strong, disorienting feelings of betrayal. It’s like getting punched in the gut. It’s shocking – and you can’t breath and the pain can hurt so bad that you’d like to pass out. Take care. Pick yourself up, and then go sit down. Find a…
Greetings from a state park in Michigan! Disappointment sucks. People disappoint, jobs don’t come through, or what we thought would happen just doesn’t. In some ways, disappointment is pretty straight forward: we set expectations, and they don’t get met. Unfortunately, what can easily happen is that instead of “just” being disappointment, it can infect of…
Sadness as a superpower? Yes indeed. Often, we close down to sadness and grief because it’s just so damn uncomfortable. Our culture also encourages this – how many times have you heard the phrase “don’t be sad!”? First of all, telling someone what they should or should not be feeling is just weird. Second, there…
“True compassion is not just an emotional response but a firm commitment founded on reason.” ~ 14th Dalai Lama Empathy burnout is a real thing. Interestingly, compassion burnout, is not. Empathy and compassion are two different things. Empathy is feeling the pain of others. Compassion is cultivating the intent to do something about it. Empathy…
Hey everyone! Here is the information on part 2 of the 30 Second Therapy episode on anxiety and supplements. First of all, full self-disclosure: I suffer from anxiety. Whether it was the childhood in Beirut, the teenage years in Tehran, family DNA…it’s hard to say, but I was that guy who would get full on…
Hey everyone! I’m having a ton of fun doing these quick 30 Second Therapy videos. This one is on the use of CBD oil for anxiety, and I go over the five components in scientific studies that I look for before recommending supplements or medication or treatment modalities: Double blind studies Large number of participants…