In 2007, I worked as a psychologist in prison. My favorite inmates were the women in solitary confinement. They were by far the most interesting people I had ever met. Even though they sat in cages with plexiglass barriers, they … Continue reading Craft Away Anxiety

The woman in this photo is Kris Carr. She’s been living with a rare, untreatable Stage IV cancer since 2003! She is also the author of the best selling book, Crazy Sexy Cancer. In 2009 when I read her book, … Continue reading Crazy Sexy Anxiety

Many clients work with me to overcome anxiety. My strategy for helping clients is quite simple. When clients contact me for their first appointment, anxiety has completely taken them over. There is no longer a separation between them and the … Continue reading Overcoming Anxiety: The Story of “Alan”

In 2017, when I first learned that cold showers could significantly improve symptoms of anxiety and depression, I immediately began suggesting it to all of my clients. Exposure to cold is known to activate the sympathetic nervous system and send … Continue reading Improve Anxiety & Depression with Cold Showers

Sometimes we get stuck thinking about a particular thought and it feels like we have no control over our mind. All of this brain chatter can be overwhelming and affect how we feel each day.  But if we really tune … Continue reading What is Mindfulness?

Nightmares can be overwhelming and distressing. They can ruin your day and leave you feeling anxious, depressed, and out of control. I never experienced debilitating nightmares until I worked as a psychologist in prison. I was absolutely stunned by how … Continue reading How to Overcome Nightmares

Distorted thinking can create a great deal of stress and anxiety. Most of us do not know when we’ve distorted reality with our thoughts. Everyone distorts reality from time to time because many cognitive distortions are socially acceptable forms of … Continue reading 9 Cognitive Distortions and How to Challenge Them

Being an effective parent with children who’ve had their lives turned upside down due to the COVID-19 crisis can be difficult. Emotions are heightened, no childcare is available, and parents are still expected to perform at high levels in full-time … Continue reading 7 Strategies for Effective Parenting

The emotion of shame can be overwhelming to say the least. Shame-inducing thoughts tend to fall into three categories: Self put downs such as “I’m stupid,” “I’m fat,” “I can’t do anything right.” Catastrophic thoughts about one’s ability to handle … Continue reading Stopping Obsessive Shaming Thoughts

When we have unrealistic expectations for the people in our lives, it sets us up for disappointment. Am I saying that we should not have expectations at all? Of course not! We should expect the best of our loved ones, … Continue reading People Aren’t Perfect