Blog for Better Living

Have the Courage to Say No

By: Kamaljit "Sonya" Virdi, Ph.D. | December 20, 2019

Courage is the bravery to not allow our fears to be in the driver’s seat. Said another way, having courage is having the bravery to say “no” to the fears that would otherwise act as the driving force in our lives. Sitting with my clients each day reminds me that people sense what they need […]

Personal Improvement, Relationships

Open the Gift of Gratitude this Holiday Season

By: Jen McWaters, Psy.D. | December 13, 2019

What do the holidays mean to you? For many, they symbolize a time for family, connection, and rest. And yet we easily let the holidays drive our culture of consumption, of giving and getting gifts, or try to achieve the perfect holiday experience. No wonder the holidays make for significant stress and conflict for so […]

Holidays, Mindfulness, Stress

How to Deal with Your (difficult) Family this Holiday Season

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | November 29, 2019

This article gained popularity when I wrote it several years ago, knowing that many of us feel alone during the holidays or can relate to the sentiment. Back by popular demand is an updated version about how to cope with difficult family members this holiday season. We typically view the holidays as a time of […]

Family, Holidays, Stress

In This Moment…

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | November 22, 2019

There is bounty in every moment of our lives. But, how do we capture it? You may have heard of the “new age” practice of mindfulness or the mindfulness groups at Therapy Changes and think this new thing has no place in your busy, full life. This is simply not true. Let me dispel that […]

LGBTQ+ Holiday Survival Guide

By: Michael Toohey, Psy.D. | November 8, 2019

The holidays are times of joy and sharing, and so it should be for the LGBTQ+ community too. The holidays for that community can include times of particular stress as we return to our original families to celebrate the season. Some families show more affirming acceptance than others. The holidays present stress for many although […]

Anxiety, Family, Holidays, LGBTQ+

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]