Film Review: “Inside Out 2” – Understanding Anxiety’s Effect on Teens (and Adults too!)

This past June, a very important film for understanding emotions was released called “Inside Out 2.” The original movie, “Inside Out, “released in 2015, put its viewers into the shoes of Riley, a typical pre-teen girl and introduced the viewer to the five major emotions that controlled her life, Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear, and Sadness, very typical emotions for a girl that age.  As Riley nears puberty and her teenage years, her emotional system takes a sharp turn, and this is where “ Inside Out … [Read more...]

Are You in A Relationship with A Narcissist?

Do you ever wonder why your husband only cares about his interests and activities?  Does he do as much for you as you do for him?  Does your good friend consistently ignore what you care about yet go on  and on about his own needs?  Do you feel unheard even when you take the time to tell your boyfriend what is important to you and how you feel? You might be in a relationship with a narcissist.  Narcissism, a term that is often bandied about casually, is actually a psychiatric diagnosis … [Read more...]

Mindful Eating

You have gotten thru the holidays and have determined that you will not get on the scale. You know that your jeans are tight and that is enough to cause you to beat yourself up! This happens every year at the end of December and you also know that making a New Year’s resolution to go on a diet is the wrong thing to do, because it is just one more factor that pressures you to lose weight and eat healthily. And it will not work! The other day, I was going through my emails and didn’t even … [Read more...]

Sleep & Our Immune System

Because of the COVID pandemic, there is a lot of conversation about how strong people’s immune systems are, and who may be “immune-compromised.” While that is important, what a lot of people ignore even during more normal times is the relationship between sleep and immunity. One of the key elements in helping your immune system function well is sleep. Sleep is not just a way that we rest and heal emotionally from our day. It is also the time that our bodies produce white blood cells (T-cells) … [Read more...]

2021: What Kind of Year Will You Create for Yourself?

Traditionally, at the end of the year, we talk about making resolutions. What are the things we want to do to change our lives? We make a list and start out with good intentions, but within 30 days that list has usually gone into the garbage pail. It’s not that we don’t have a desire to change, it is that the list is too long, not prioritized, and we haven’t figured out the “why,” the real reason we want to do those things.    But after a year like 2020, a year of a presidential … [Read more...]