Whether you are talking to a friend, dealing with family, or buying something in a store, feedback is important. If someone has done something nice for you, feedback is a positive reinforcement. If your expectations have been disappointed, sharing your feelings can help the other person do better in the future. Even as a psychologist, it is important to have feedback. I tell all of my new clients that if they are comfortable with me, we will set goals for therapy together. But if they are … [Read more...]
Getting Through the Winter & Holiday Blues
December 26, 2020 By
As we get closer to Christmas, with the days shorter, darker and colder, many people feel anxious or blue. With the COVID pandemic imposing a layer of isolation on top of those feelings, the experience of being down or lonely can turn into depression. While there is no cure-all for feelings of sadness and a sense of loss, there are things that you can do to hang on to some emotional balance during this difficult season. Watch what you eat. Enjoy the foods that you … [Read more...]
Video Therapy vs. In-Person Therapy
December 14, 2020 By
Many clients have asked whether video therapy or telehealth virtual therapy sessions are considered as effective as therapy that is done in person. I have expressed that I would prefer to see their entire faces on a screen than to be in-person in an office and only be able to see their eyes since mask-wearing is required. Facial expressions, especially smiling, frowning, or looking sad, are key elements of understanding what a client is feeling. Being hidden behind a mask and sitting at … [Read more...]
Coping with the “What If” of Anxious Thinking (Part 1)
December 13, 2020 By
We all play the “what if” game at some time. What if I miss the train, what if my mom forgets to pick me up, what if I fail my test, what if I don’t get asked to the prom. At different ages, different kinds of “what if” thinking are more prominent. What if I don’t get the promotion, what if something bad happens to my children, what if I don’t count my bites of food and something happens to me. But when “what if “thinking paralyzes people, it keeps them from truly living their lives. When … [Read more...]
Alone On Thanksgiving Day?
November 18, 2020 By
Whether you are alone because your family lives far away or because the COVID-19 pandemic prevents you from being together, it is important to think about how you want the Thanksgiving holiday to go. For many single individuals, who make up about a third of all households, Thanksgiving (and Christmas or Chanukah) can feel gloomy or sad if there is no one to share it with. It is hard to ignore all those family scenes in commercials, and joyous songs just don’t make up for a shared meal and hugs … [Read more...]