A lot has been written recently about “mindfulness”. It’s a hot topic, for sure. But even though it contains the word “mind”, there is a direct connection to our hearts as well, which is rarely talked about. “Mindfulness”, for the purposes of this article, means increasing our awareness. In this sense, we can mindfully listen …
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A few months ago I was on my way to an early-morning hike on a cloudy Saturday morning. The night before some fierce storms had passed through the area; I remember hearing the loud claps of thunder and feeling my house shake as I tried to sleep. As I drove slowly down this windy, mountain …
Talking about the past is often hard, especially when one’s past is littered with pain and unpleasant memories. People often ask: “what good is it to sit around and dwell on the past when there’s nothing I can do to change it? Shouldn’t I just move on with my life?” It’s a legitimate question, and …
American popular culture is abuzz with talk about happiness: what it is, where it comes from, and most of all, how to achieve it. Anyone even remotely connected to social media will find the topic difficult to avoid. You’ve seen the articles on Huffington Post and Facebook and even Psychology Today: “10 Keys to Happier Living”; …
It’s that time of year again – the time many of us dread – when we set our clocks back an hour, when the nights seem longer, and the days seem shorter. Not only do we “lose” an hour of daylight, but we are subjected to colder temperatures, making us less likely to get outside …
In this series of blog posts, I’ve discussed why relationships can be so complicated, examined some common relationship patterns in which we often engage, and identified some ways to help raise our awareness of these issues so we can begin to establish healthier, more fulfilling relationships in the future. So aside from continuing to hone …
By Pam Katchuk I am a mother grieving a lost child. What’s the hardest day of the year for a grieving mother? Their birthday? No. Their angel day? No. It’s Mother’s Day. Every day is sorrowful, but this special day when moms all around the world are celebrating their special day is especially difficult for …
By Marie Langlois, LPC This is the precious time of year for grievers; daylight savings’ time seems like a gift after the darkness of winter. Light translates into hope, and hope is what some grievers need to keep moving along the journey. grief is a journey not a destination; the destination is being able to …
This weekend I spent the majority of my free time in my garden. I find gardening to be incredibly grounding and meditative, even though not all gardening tasks seem particularly enjoyable. I’m talking about weeding, of course. After spending multiple hours pulling weeds, I began to realize that weeding is an awful lot like therapy. …
As mentioned in the previous blog, taking a pause from dating can provide some necessary space for introspection and self-examination, which is necessary for looking at our relationship patterns honestly. Being in a relationship clouds our objectivity and makes it more difficult to see those patterns. Meditation Another helpful practice in creating this space is …
