Emotional Intelligence vs. Being Emotional
In recent years, “Emotional intelligence” has become a buzzword in conversations about Self-awareness, communication, and personal growth. However, despite the term’s growing popularity, a widespread misunderstanding remains: Many people equate Emotional intelligence with being emotional. While both involve emotions, they are vastly different concepts. This confusion can lead to misconceptions about what it means to […]
How I Found Emotional Freedom and 3 Unexpected Benefits
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” ~Maya Angelou What if the person you’re trying hardest to please is you? For years, I wore a mask—a professional, composed, always-on version of myself that I thought everyone expected. My need to please […]
The Growth That Happens When You’re in Between Chapters
“The most powerful thing you can do right now is be patient while things are unfolding for you.” ~Idil Ahmed When one door closes, another one opens, or so the saying goes. From experience, I know that the new door doesn’t always open right away. Often you spend some time in the hallway, the state […]
Eight Tips For Talking With Your Kids About Death
Parents have many tough conversations with their kids. We explain to stubborn toddlers why it’s important to share their toys and talk with disappointed elementary schoolers about their feelings after losing a game. Some conversations are more challenging than others, such as discussing why Mommy and Daddy don’t live in the same house anymore. Among […]
An Unconventional Path to Relieving Stress and Anxiety
What if you could reduce your stress and anxiety when dealing with difficult life situations by changing the way you think about the issue that is causing those negative feelings? Challenges are sometimes inescapable, but there is a set of questions drawn from the psychological discipline known as cognitive reframing, that has been shown to […]
How to Live a Joy-Filled Life with Chronic Illness
“Living with chronic illness isn’t a life half-lived; it’s an opportunity to redefine what it means to be truly alive, resilient, and whole.” ~Christopher Reynolds I have spent the past eleven years of my life in chronic pain. While this journey has been long, excruciatingly difficult, and deeply lonely, I am beginning to come to peace […]
Eldest Children Suffer Under Coercive Control Domestic Violence
Co-authored with Julie Nee All children suffer in families where one partner abuses and controls the other (Stark, 2023). In our work, we have seen that first-born child often suffer the most. In coercive control, one person dominates their partner through tactics including intimidation, isolation, and emotional, physical, sexual, and financial abuse (Fontes, 2015). Coercive […]
Levels of Care in a County Mental-Health System
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 diagnostic […]
Break the Cycle of Family Mental Illness
It is hard to understand why some people develop serious Mental health conditions while others do not. Research conducted across many decades has revealed that there is a genetic link to mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Additionally, one in five children has a parent with a serious mental illness. This does […]
4 Reasons to Appreciate Hard Times and How to Cultivate Gratitude
“Thank you for all the challenges that built my character. Thank you for all the hard times that made me appreciate the good times.” ~Unknown Gratitude is often associated with joy, blessings, and moments that bring us happiness. But what about the times when life feels hard? Can we still find gratitude in the pain […]