Five Habits to Help Kids Be Resilient
What resources do you find helpful when you’re struggling? In the wake of the pandemic, a series of federal grants brought me into Milwaukee Public Schools to support children’s well-being and resilience. In one fourth-grade bilingual classroom, students were so engaged with our playful mindful Self-compassion practices that I returned the following year as a […]
How Alcohol Impacts Male Perception of Potential Partners
Many people have heard or experienced the effects of alcohol-fueled attraction. Discussed as a safety warning in social settings and a caveat for singles searching for a mate, for some people, alcohol alters perception and attraction to others. Research explains. Attraction Through Altered States For many reasons, cocktails should be consumed with caution. Alcohol comes […]
Do You Want to Worry Less and Live More?
Racing thoughts, tension in your muscles, fear in the pit of your stomach, and the alarming sense that disaster is imminent are the trademarks of our modern-day world-weariness. Whether it’s work, relationships, a volatile economy, wars overseas, political divisiveness, climate change, technology-induced anxiety—or a combination of all—these have added to the collective worry that causes […]
Brain Fog or Just Age? Decoding Cognitive Changes
Aging has been on my mind lately. It’s probably related to turning seventy last year. However, it’s also a subject that has been fascinating to me since my early years. This might be a result of being raised in an immigrant household of three generations. I frequently heard my parents and grandparents complain about their […]
Magic in the Ordinary: Finding Glimmers and Hope in Everyday Life
“If today gets difficult, remember the smell of coffee, the way sunlight bounces off a window, the sound of your favorite person’s laugh, the feeling when a song you love comes on, the color of the sky at dusk, and that we are here to take care of each other.” ~Nanea Hoffman The beach breeze […]
The Problem Isn’t Consensual Non-Monogamy—It’s the Judgment
Co-authored with Kylie Viala, BA (hons) and Allyson Klassen, BA This is the “Week of Visibility for Non-Monogamy,” but many people in non-monogamous relationships don’t feel safe being visible. Let’s clear up common misconceptions that complicate the lives of people in CNM relationships. Monogamy is idealized, but it isn’t the only way to have successful […]
Can We Have Better Classroom Conversations in…
When Shira Hofer arrived at Harvard in 2021, she was full of hope, not just about academics or independence, but about connection. As a graduate of a pluralistic Jewish day school, she had grown up in an environment that valued both shared identity and respectful disagreement. “I was super excited, because I thought that it […]
Mental Fitness Is the New Leadership Muscle
Mental fitness is often associated with the world of sports, separating the hall-of-famers from the rest. However, mental fitness is rapidly becoming recognized as the cornerstone of elite leadership. This is the edge that separates modern, successful CEOs from those who struggle more with navigating interpersonal dynamics and leadership demands. It’s not about therapy, and […]
Paranoid Personality Traits Should Capture Our Attention
Some suspiciousness is healthy. If we get a text, for example, we may resent the intrusion and question its legitimacy. What do they want? Access to an account? Our money? Too much suspicion sends other signals. Paranoia is that unwarranted feeling that people are out to do us harm. To rise to the level of […]
ChatGPT-Induced Psychosis and the Good-Enough Therapist
AI chatbots are becoming more common as replacements for or adjuncts to psychotherapy. Are there aspects of a therapeutic relationship with a human that can’t be replaced by AI? What can we learn about the nature of therapy itself by studying our interactions with AI? AI Companion Safety Concerns Although recent research suggests that AI […]