The raging coronavirus pandemic, along with political turbulence and uncertainty, have overwhelmed many of us. From almost the start of 2020, people were faced with bleak prospects as illness, death, isolation, and job losses became unwelcome parts of our reality. Indeed, all through these times, both the dark and bright sides of human nature were evident…
New Year, Old You: How to Find Yourself in 2021
Last year, I got to go to my sister-in-law’s wedding. At the reception, as people were finishing up their dinner and cake, the DJ got the music going and everyone made their way to the dance floor. I grabbed my 5-year-old son’s hand, walked onto the floor, and started to twirl him around. We danced…
Ready to Try an Old Approach to a New Year’s Resolution?
Making and breaking New Year’s resolutions is a familiar and discouraging annual ritual for many people. Almost inevitably, in a few short weeks, maybe around now, many find they are unable to meet their goals of self-improvement, be it keeping a positive attitude, improving one’s health, or looking for the best in people. Some might even feel…
We’re All Monastics Now
My Zen teacher Susan recently told a group of her students at the end of a Zen meditation retreat, “We’re all monastics now.” In this pandemic, we’re in an era of isolation, retreat. We’re also in an era of heightened uncertainty. This can be a terrible thing and drive us to loneliness and distraction—or it can be…
We Can’t Control What Happened—Only What Happens Next
We all know people like this: When something bad happens, the first thing they do is blame someone or something else. It gets old, right? But let’s be honest: We are all that person, at least some of the time—and probably more often than we’d like to admit. I certainly count myself among those who,…
Kids Crave Experiences Over Things
Every January, in the winter wonderland of northern Michigan that we call home, ski season kicks into high gear for our family. Four to five days a week, we are at the ski hill getting exercise and fresh air. Our girls love skiing. Our twins, now 7, and our eldest daughter, now 10, have been…
‘Peer Respites’ Provide Alternative to Psychiatric Wards During Pandemic
Mia McDermott is no stranger to isolation. Abandoned as an infant in China, she lived in an orphanage until a family in California adopted her as a toddler. She spent her adolescence in boarding schools and early adult years in and out of psychiatric hospitals, where she underwent treatment for bipolar disorder, anxiety, and anorexia….
A New Year Is a Beautiful Fresh Start
At the beginning of every year, it’s like a blank slate: The year can be whatever you want it to be. This is freeing, exhilarating, magical. Take advantage of it, my friends. Of course, we always have the magic of a fresh start available to us—in any day, any hour, any moment. Every morning is…
When Empathy Hurts, Compassion Can Heal
Empathy can be painful. Or so suggests a growing body of neuroscientific research. When we witness suffering and distress in others, our natural tendency to empathize can bring us vicarious pain. Is there a better way of approaching distress in other people? A recent study, published in the journal Cerebral Cortex, suggests that we can better cope with others’ negative emotions…
Children’s Hospitals Grapple With Wave of Mental Illness
Krissy Williams, 15, had attempted suicide before, but never with pills. The teen was diagnosed with schizophrenia when she was 9. People with this chronic mental health condition perceive reality differently and often experience hallucinations and delusions. She learned to manage these symptoms with a variety of services offered at home and at school. But…
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