Blog for Better Living

Our Gratitude Tree 2017

By: Other | January 12, 2018

Written by Jennifer Wendt, Ph.D. This Fall, we shared a wonderful experience practicing gratitude in our office. We created a large Gratitude Tree on the wall of our Therapy Changes office in Rancho Bernardo. Everyone who entered our office was encouraged to take a moment to invite gratitude into their hearts and minds. It was […]

Mindfulness, Personal Improvement

Changing Light of a Room

By: Other | January 5, 2018

Written by Anke Reineke, Ph.D. “I always forget how important the empty days are, how important it may be sometimes not to expect to produce anything, even a few lines in a journal. A day when one has not pushed oneself to the limit seems a damaged damaging day, a sinful day. Not so! The […]

Take Care of Yourself During the Holidays

By: Other | December 22, 2017

Written by Paul Paris, Ph.D. The winter holidays are supposed to be a time of joy. For some of us, that expectation may not match our experience. Typically in our society, for those of us who celebrate the holiday season, the winter holidays are spent with friends and family, engaging in traditional activities, sharing certain […]

Family, Holidays, Stress

Giving Really is Better than Receiving

By: Jen McWaters, Psy.D. | December 15, 2017

You may hear the phrase “it’s better to give than to receive” more often around the holidays, that time of year associated with giving and receiving gifts. In our consumerist culture, we can lose sight of what we already have to focus exclusively on our needs and wants. Money cannot buy happiness despite what advertisements […]

Remaining Positive about Ourselves and Our Lives

By: Other | December 8, 2017

Written by Francine Martinez, Ph.D. “The Good Life is a Process…Not a State of Being.” –Carl Rogers Are the demands of seasonal social gatherings and family getting you down? Are financial pressures or employment piquing your positive perspective? Does it feel like chaos and worry are taking over your life? The practice of Positive Psychology […]

Goodness Gracious

By: Other | November 24, 2017

Written by Joy Francisco, Ph.D. The best time to start a gratitude journal is now. Why? Because people frequently worry about things they do not have or things that have not happened. Consequently, they rarely consider the beneficial things they do have and good things that did happen. If the simplest negative thought can promote […]

Personal Improvement, Therapy

Understanding Brain Injury

By: Other | November 17, 2017

Written by Mike Campbell, Ed.D. Publicized sports injuries have brought the issue of brain injury to public attention. Whether such injury occurs on a sports field, in our backyards, or afar, understanding brain injury is important for everyone. All brain injuries are unique. Such injuries can happen at any age and can occur from large […]

Anger, Anxiety, Depression, Testing

The Power of Gratitude

By: Other | November 10, 2017

Written by Jennifer Wendt, Ph.D. “Gratitude opens the door to the power, the wisdom, the creativity of the universe. You open the door through gratitude.” — Deepak Chopra This is the time of year we discuss the concept of gratitude and being thankful. Some of us will take it to heart and practice gratitude at […]

Selfie Syndrome

By: Other | November 3, 2017

Written by Anke Reineke, Ph.D. “Selfie” gained fame as a well-known word in our daily lives. Not only adults, but also more and more preteens and young children take endless selfies upon life’s every moments, which constantly change to display an enhanced version of themselves. They post and share these pictures on social media, chasing […]

Children, Parenting, Teens