A different Easter
Today we celebrate Greek Orthodox Easter; it feels as a different Easter, but I’d say just as beautiful and fulfilling. It all depends on how one sees the glass: half full or half empty? The streets are empty, yes, but the houses are full. There are no “halves” in this equation because in essence everyone […]
Rationalization
Defense Mechanisms Defense mechanisms were introduced by Sigmund Freud as automatic unconscious mechanisms or behaviors which help alleviate anxiety from unpleasant events or behaviors that a person cannot handle at the time. Defense mechanisms are part of our normal development as they help us cope with difficult and/or unpleasant situations in life. Since they are […]
The Role of Relationships in Healing
Even though contemporary medical literature has largely overlooked the curative aspects in the relationship between a patient and a physician, the same is not true in the relationship between the patient and the psychologist. Putting the “techniques” each health care provider is trained to use aside, there is a lot to be said about the […]
Reactivity vs. Checked Perception
If your spouse is withdrawn, your children refuse to eat the healthy meal you prepared, your boss has a derogatory tone when he speaks to you, you are stuck in traffic and you are late in catching a plane, or simply the weather sucks, these are all external factors which are outside of your control […]
The Trap of Trying to Prove
The Trap of Trying to Prove Our society is rooted in the construct of what is right and wrong. I remember that the times my parents were arguing, it was a battle over who said what and who was right and who was wrong. None of them was actively listening and in mundane battle […]
Motivation vs. Action
Motivation for action? Motivation is a concept that I have been really interested in lately, as I have quite a few clients who tell me that they know what they need to do to change things in their lives so that they can be happier, but somehow they cannot bring themselves to doing them. They […]
Learned Helplessness
The concept of learned helplessness intrigued me when I first read about it. Imagine a beautiful bird that without being its own fault is locked in a cage for many years. One day the cage door stays open. Now, the bird can fly, it can be free! But even though it still has wings and […]
Mind the Gap!
Feelings and thoughts can create and bridge the gap between what we expect and what really happens, and how fast or slow we adapt to this gap. We can choose to wallow in misery and depression because this gap is big and life is unfair, and/or we believe there is nothing we can do to […]
The Power of Reflection
I find that reflection is quite powerful in each and every way one could look at it. There are many definitions of reflection, i.e., reflection as: An image of something in a mirror or on any reflective surface, then it is easy to understand; The return of light, heat, sound, or energy from a surface, […]
Self Care for Better Health
In the previous blog I talked about how regular swimming training was one way to practice self-care and how taking action and dealing with my challenges a day at a time helped me stay sane. Other ways I have been practicing self-care is using coMra therapy and eating healthier. coMra therapy is part of my […]