Blog for Better Living

The Prescription for Grief is to Grieve

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | October 27, 2017

“Grief demands to be seen and felt – and when we see it and feel it, grief will break our hearts open into sweeping expansion.” -Joanne Cacciatore The grieving process acts as a long winding road through a myriad of painful and unexpected emotions. Such emotions range from shock and anger to disbelief, guilt, anger, fear, and […]

Grief

Avoidance to Acceptance

By: Other | October 20, 2017

Written by Paul Paris, Ph.D. Do you procrastinate? Do you push off the stuff you don’t want to do to some indeterminate future? Avoiding things in day to day life is fairly common, especially when associated with something unpleasant or something we just do not want to do but feel we must. I remember as […]

Getting to Goals in Therapy

By: Jen McWaters, Psy.D. | August 11, 2017

You have made the difficult decision to meet with a therapist. But, what will you work on in therapy? What will be the goals of your treatment? Deciding to meet with a therapist for the first time takes strength and courage, especially while experiencing emotional pain and life difficulties. You should know that most therapists […]

Taking the First Step: Seeking Therapy Following a Loss

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | July 14, 2017

Reaching out to a therapist is not always easy. It takes tremendous courage to ask for and receive help. If you have suffered the loss of a loved one, taking the first step can be even more challenging. When you lose a loved one, whether a parent, spouse, child, a close friend, or even a […]

Grief, Therapy

Loss of a Role Model

By: Other | February 10, 2017

Written by Eli Aguilera, Intern Emotions are what drive humans through their everyday lives. They come together as the art on the canvas of what we feel. They collect as the mosaic of instincts our minds produce following the circumstances of situations we face. When a positive event occurs, happiness is the default reaction of […]

Reflections on Loss and Moving Forward

By: Other | August 5, 2016

Written by Francine Martinez, Ph.D. The blogs for Therapy Changes tend to be of a more informative nature. Yet today as I prepare my August blog I am drawn to something a bit more personal, and at the same time universal to us all. In May of this year I lost my husband to cancer. […]

Family, Grief, Relationships

Cognitive Behavior Therapy 101

By: Other | May 31, 2016

Written by Asal Azizi, Psy.D. As a therapist who provides Cognitive Behavior Therapy, I often meet with new clients who have heard a thing or two about CBT work, but have never experienced it. As a new client, you may be intimidated by the idea of undergoing CBT or believe it is the answer to […]

Dr. Perper Contributes to the Cover Story in the San Diego Reader!

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | May 20, 2016

The cover story of the San Diego Reader, titled We Shared this Bond discusses the importance of group support for children who have lost a mother. The article features a San Diego-based program, Chula’s Mission. Chula’s Mission was founded in 2010 by Lyndsey Ruiz after the loss of her mother to cancer. Upon realizing the […]

Worden’s Four Tasks of Grieving

By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | May 26, 2015

Over the years I have had both the privilege and pleasure of working with many clients and their families who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Many of my client’s will ask, “Will this pain ever go away?” Recognizing the grieving is a unique and challenging process, there is no easy answer to […]

Grief