We all go through periods when we need help from others. As I write this, I hear the Beatles song in my head: “I get by with a little help from my friends.” Who do you call on when you need help? I’m blessed with several good friends I can call when needed. While my friends are willing to do what they can to help,…
Do you ever shy away from tough challenges for fear that you might fail? For years my first husband, Michael, asked me to climb Mt. Yonah with him. Every time he asked, my answer was the same. “No way. It’s too tough.” It was several years after he died when I finally tackled this mountain (literally) for the first time. Covered in sweat and breathing…
This morning before rolling out of bed, I picked up my phone to scroll Facebook. The first five posts were all sharing about different people who died from COVID. Life right now is hard. As a counselor, I meet with people who are hurting on a regular basis; in addition to my clients, my family and friends are struggling. Helping others is especially challenging as…
I’ve thought about writing this post for some time, but just could never “find time” to sit down and do it. Perhaps it wasn’t not having time (for we are trying to shelter in), but more of a dread. If I write about it, it seems to feel more real — its not that I’m in denial. I know we are in a weird season….
While millions of people suffer with bipolar disorder, there are even more struggling because they want to help, but don’t know how. I wish had a simple formula, a list of do’s and don’t’s to give you, but sadly there is not an easy answer. Several years ago, I wrote When Someone You Love is Manic to offer some suggestions for people who want to help…
People who have endured traumatic experiences often complain of recurrent nightmares. The good news is that this is normal and it is the brain’s way of trying to make sense of what happened. The bad news is it can invoke painful emotions such as fear, anger, and depression and can lead to insomnia. Nightmares often unmask subconscious thoughts surrounding the traumatic event. It can be…