Blog for Better Living

LOL!

By: Natalie Rice-Thorp, Ph.D. | November 1, 2019

Laughing out loud. When was the last time you did that….I mean really laughed out loud, not just responded with a smile to an emoji? And, did you know that humor is an all-purpose super power waiting to be unlocked every day? Psychologically speaking, I can announce that it is so! Embrace your humor superpower […]

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Personal Improvement, Relationships, Stress

Putting It on Pause…

By: Other | October 25, 2019

Written by Haim Shemer, Psy.D. Like a CD that repeatedly plays the same recognizable tunes, our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors can habitually repeat within us, especially since such activities are interconnected and influence each other. We form our habits by gathering experience from the situations we encounter as we go through life. Our perceptions of […]

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Mindfulness, Personal Improvement, Sleep/Relaxation, Therapy

How I Practice What I Preach: A Therapist’s Journey

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | October 11, 2019

A common misconception is that professional Psychologists “have it all figured out.” As a professional Psychologist, I can say as our little known secret is that we don’t have it all figured out. At least, not always. I may have the training and education, but I am also human. I learned partly from my professional […]

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Anger, Anxiety, Depression, Personal Improvement, Trauma

Better Living Through Chemistry?

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | September 27, 2019

Exploring the Role of Medication for Mental Health Disorders The slogan, “Better Living Through Chemistry” was originally coined by DuPont, an American chemical company, in the 1930s. The slogan is also the title of a 2014 movie featuring Jane Fonda and Ray Liotta! For our purposes, the expression brings attention to the important role that […]

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Anxiety, Depression, Personal Improvement, Substance Abuse, Therapy, Trauma

What’s Love Got To Do With It?

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | August 16, 2019

“What’s Love Got to Do With It” by Tina Turner (1984) was, and still is, one of the most iconic female ballads. What’s surprising about the catchy, upbeat tune is that it’s actually an anti-love song about a woman who feels no emotional attachments to her lover. She wants him to know that love has […]

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Personal Improvement, Relationships, Therapy

There’s an App for That!

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | July 25, 2019

How mindfulness apps can help and which ones to try How many of you have heard of the benefits of meditation and mindfulness? How many of you have heard of the benefits but don’t know what to do or where to start? Good news – there’s an app for that! “App,” an abbreviation for “application,” […]

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Mindfulness, Personal Improvement, Sleep/Relaxation, Stress

Therapy Changes Welcomes Dr. Kamaljit “Sonya” Virdi

By: Kamaljit "Sonya" Virdi, Ph.D. | July 12, 2019

I am so excited to join Therapy Changes and to have the opportunity to work with the clients we serve. I love being a psychologist, helping others, and feel so privileged to journey with clients as they navigate the most difficult chapters in their lives. As a South Asian American woman, I grew up in […]

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Anxiety, Depression, Introduction, Personal Improvement, Therapy

“Failing” to Succeed

By: Other | July 1, 2019

Written by John Mark Krejci, Ph.D. Experts say it takes about 10 years to master a skill. Given that, I have gained relative expertise in the field of psychology, but in the sport of kiteboarding, it took ten years for me to be a total beginner! If you don’t know this sport by name, you […]

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Anxiety, Grief, Personal Improvement, Relationships, Substance Abuse

The 10 Myths of Sleep

By: Other | May 3, 2019

Written by Haim Shemer, Psy.D. Are you sleepless in San Diego? Does the mystery of falling fast to sleep keep you up at night? That sleep plays a critical role in our daily functioning is an undisputed fact. Giving sleep the attention it deserves constitutes a major contribution to overall mental and physical health. Many […]

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Personal Improvement, Sleep/Relaxation, Therapy