Blog for Better Living
How to Apologize in Three Steps
By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | April 7, 2023
Saying “I’m sorry” is an effective way to build trust in relationships and is important for emotional closeness. A good apology reduces stress, creates a new perspective, and gives us a chance to learn something new about ourselves and others. We are all susceptible to saying something unkind, lashing out in anger, or being careless […]
Read MoreThe Fawn Response
By: Michael Toohey, Psy.D. | December 9, 2022
Fight, Flight, Freeze……Fawn? Most people are familiar with the stress responses known as fight, flight, and freeze. These are natural responses to real, or perceived physical or emotional threats. These responses help us evade and manage threats and dangers we encounter to keep us safe. Have you heard of the fawn response? It’s less well […]
Read MoreWhy are holidays so hard? A Guide for Coping
By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | November 25, 2022
If the holidays don’t feel like the often quoted ‘most wonderful time of the year,’ you aren’t alone in that feeling. At an early age, we learn that the holidays are times for festivity, a time for the entire family to come together in perfect joy. Social media shows idyllic images of beautiful families together, […]
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Compassionate Self-Talk for the Stressed-Out Parent
By: Kristen Lipari, Ph.D. | November 18, 2022
The tasks of parenthood can feel overwhelming. Whether you are a stay-at-home parent or balancing a job with parenthood, these years are trying. You’re managing your own mental and physical well-being as well as that of tiny humans. There are dozens of seemingly invisible tasks that add up and it feels like there’s never enough […]
Read MoreHow to Positively Respond to Change
By: Lisa Card Strong, Ph.D. | September 2, 2022
Our society is changing in cavernous ways. I never expected a pandemic combined with such significant political and social unrest. I am shocked and profoundly saddened by the horrible rebounds and backward motion for women’s rights and LBGTQ+, Black, and minority communities. I am shaking in my boots from it all. Okay, I’m not wearing […]
Read MoreAnger, Anxiety, Depression, Personal Improvement, Racial Justice, Stress
Navigating Infertility
By: Jen McWaters, Psy.D. | August 26, 2022
What to Say to a Loved One Struggling and How to Cope Yourself Driving to work recently, I was surprised to hear an advertisement on the radio for an In vitro fertilisation (IVF) clinic. This made me reflect on how much more normative the topic of fertility or infertility has become. Given the increased […]
Read MoreAnxiety, Depression, Family, Grief, Relationships, Stress, Therapy
A Mom’s Perspective on Summer Vacation: Dream vs. Reality
By: Natalie Rice-Thorp, Ph.D. | July 15, 2022
Every year as summer approaches, I count down the days until school ends, awaiting the time when I have less on my plate. Exhausted from trying to balance my kids’ school demands, keeping the household functional, and keeping up with my own job, I look forward to not tracking almost daily COVID at-home tests, packing […]
Read MoreFinding Hope
By: Michael Toohey, Psy.D. | July 8, 2022
How do we find hope when everything around us feels overwhelming and impossible? How do we get through the day when there has been so much loss for so many? How do we find the strength to raise our heads when we feel beaten down? I’ve often thought of hope as having a future orientation: […]
Read MoreAnxiety, Depression, Personal Improvement, Racial Justice, Stress, Trauma
Self-Care Doesn’t Always Feel Good
By: Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. | June 10, 2022
Self-care has shifted in recent mainstream dialogue from a specific definition to anything that loosely relates to feeling good. Admittedly, I am guilty of using this watered-down, overly generalized definition at times. When I think about self-care, the things that pop into my head are getting a massage, going to the beach, or cuddling on […]
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