Blog for Better Living

And We Danced . . .

By: Michael Toohey, Psy.D. | May 1, 2020

Over the past few months, the COVID-19 virus has had a tremendous impact on the world. I see people overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, and afraid of intimate contact with others outside of their family or housemates. Although COVID-19 presents as a novel experience for many, gay men like me see it with a lot familiarity. We’ve […]

Anxiety, Grief, Stress, Therapy

Finding Meaning in Times of Uncertainty

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | March 31, 2020

We all know the Coronavirus is here. We are living through something that no one on the planet has ever lived through before. No protocols exist for a time like this, no wisdom upon which to rely or set a course to follow. In these strangely surreal times, we feel a myriad of emotions such […]

Anxiety, Grief, Stress, Therapy, Trauma

What is Integrated Therapy and How Might It Benefit You?

By: Other | September 6, 2019

Written by Kimberly Nenemay, Psy.D. An undeniable connection exists between the mind and body. That connection constituted an important lesson I came to understand from my work as a licensed psychologist for nearly 15 years. On my own reckoning with this concept, I quickly learned that I cannot do my best work as a psychologist […]

“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 […]

How to Raise Awareness of our Emotions

By: Other | October 5, 2018

Written by Haim Shemer, Psy.D. Are you aware of your emotions? Can you identify the emotions that give rise to your feelings of anxiety, disturbance, bad behavior, or other uneasy states of mind? To help us with meanings, Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word emotions as: the affective aspect of consciousness a state of feeling a […]

Coping with Suicide Loss

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | June 15, 2018

Co-authored by Dr. Rochelle Perper and Dr. Francine Martinez “So ask me if I am alright. ‘I’m fine; I’m always fine.’ You see this look in my eyes. ‘No, I’m fine. I am always fine.’ There is a corpse behind my smile. ‘Listen, I am fine. Always, always fine as fine can be.’ ‘Are you […]

Coping with Re-Grief

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | May 4, 2018

In our society, we are often expected to “get over” our grief and “move on.” Sadly, grief does not work this way as it is not an event but a process as unique as each individual griever. When you lose a loved one, coping with loss is something you do every day for the rest […]

Grief, Holidays

Self-Forgiveness: Letting Go of What We Cannot Change in the Past

By: Other | April 27, 2018

Written by Paul Paris, Ph.D. When we talk about forgiveness, we typically think in terms of forgiving others. When others have wronged us, we often struggle with the ability to forgive them. Maybe they haven’t yet acknowledged or apologized. Maybe they have passed away, and we can’t let go of what they did or how […]

Are You Avoiding Your Grief?

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | March 2, 2018

Understanding the difference between healthy distraction and avoidance Grief feels overwhelming and unbearable at times. It leads to physical changes such as muscle tension and fatigue. Grief can make clear thinking difficult. Making decisions and problem solving may seem impossible. In the throes of grief, even the simplest tasks feel like monumental undertakings. Grieving requires […]

Grief, Stress