Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Pregnancy: The Silent Struggle
“What’s my size now?” Source: Dedraw Studio/Shutterstock Pregnancy is often celebrated as a transformative and joyful journey, but for individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), it can be a deeply challenging experience. The combination of physical changes, societal expectations, and personal guilt creates struggles that are frequently misunderstood or overlooked. These challenges often leave individuals […]
Healing the Invisible Wounds of War
By Robert Koffman M.D., M.P.H. In the more than two decades of continuous combat since 9/11, more than 7,000 American service members have been killed in action. Yet death by suicide has claimed far more of America’s warriors: A staggering four times more lives have been lost to suicide than to military action. The statistics […]
It’s Okay to Disappoint People When You’re Honoring Yourself
“Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.” ~Brené Brown On a recent day trip to the Yuba River with my daughter and two friends, unexpected tensions arose, offering me a chance to reflect on a lifelong pattern that has often complicated my relationships. It […]
How the Sea Is Good for Your Mind and Body
Have you ever gazed out at the sea and felt the world become smaller? Perhaps you have swum in its waters and felt that time stood still, that the noise and chatter of the world faded away to a distant whisper, or you have marvelled as the sun slid gently beneath its horizon. In these […]
The Song That Changed My Life
Recently I was asked, “Is there a song that has changed you? A song that speaks to you on another level?” Well…as a music therapist in a hospital setting, I work a lot with songs. Songs, and music in general, are a great modality to help people manage the emotional distress of devastating illness, especially […]
Five Ways to Be More Vulnerable and Authentic
Imagine Sarah has just been offered a big promotion: a chance to lead a new department and manage a team of 15 people, which could be a major step forward in her career. However, Sarah has never managed anyone before. While excited, she’s also filled with self-doubt. What if her team doesn’t respect her? What […]
A Guide to Manage the Holidays with Self-Care and Balance
The holiday season can be a time of joy, connection, and celebration. But for some people, it can also bring stress, loneliness, and emotional overwhelm. Whether it’s the pressure to meet expectations, reminders of personal loss, or the weight of difficult relationships, managing emotions during the holidays can be challenging. If you’re feeling anxious about […]
The Continuing Challenges of a Mental Health Disability
Source: asinclair/Pixabay My intention in writing these posts is to share the experiences that I went through with my son, starting with the first manifestation of his illness and our journey through numerous subsequent episodes. It’s also to provide commentary as a parent and psychiatrist on issues that these experiences bring up, such as how […]
The Virtue of Humility in Relationships
I cannot understand how there could be humility without love or love without humility. Teresa of Avila (1583/2017 CE), Chap. 16, no. 2, p. 94 As Teresa of Avila’s (1515-1582) epigraph implies, humility is considered a critical element in any relationship. But what is it and how can we harness this virtue to improve ourselves […]
Those Who Bully Use Kindness to Manipulate
Bullying—going against our innate nature—may use kindness to manipulate. Kindness is called “nature’s medicine” by researchers because it produces the hormone oxytocin which is now recognized to have significant healing and health properties. In contrast, bullying takes the medicine of kindness and makes it toxic. As documented in The Bullied Brain, bullying generates the stress […]