As a Marriage and Family Therapist for many years, I have had the unique opportunity to collaborate with countless people from all walks of life. This experience has been an honor and also an education. While we share much more than most of us realize, our greatest similarity is the collective struggle with our sense of self. According to the NIH, self-esteem is beneficial to all aspects of our lives. Yet, the concept of self-esteem doesn’t accurately reflect the depth of our worth. Whether or not we acknowledge the inherent value within has everything to do with what happens on the outside ..read more

There are moments when sometimes the most hurtful sentiment is one within yourself. I have had a lot of cruel words and actions towards me and at times I responded with a great deal of sadness. But then I realized that sometimes I was the worst bully to my own self. Sometimes words and actions have been especially hurtful to me because, somewhere within myself, I agreed with them. I agreed that I was not inherently lovable, that I did not measure up, that I was incapable of doing so many things remotely right, that I was just someone who was destined to be a doormat. I agreed with my bullies ..read more

by Sara A. Gagné   Last summer I took advantage of my break from teaching by enjoying long, daily walks around my neighborhood. I indulged my mind and body in the blueness, stillness, and leafiness that is North Carolina in June and July. It’s truly astounding how many leaves a willow oak can cram into one tiny piece of sky. On my walks, the yard of one house stuck out. It was unlike any yard I’ve seen around my city or in any of the other cities in the United States, Canada, and Australia where I’ve lived. It is a forest yard. Nearly a dozen large trees are interspersed amid a dens ..read more

By Martha A. Lavallie Did you know that the average life expectancy in the United States has risen to 78.7 years? While genetics play a role in longevity, our daily habits and lifestyle choices have a significant impact on how well we age. By adopting these ten proven strategies, you can enhance your physical, mental, and emotional well-being, ultimately promoting graceful aging and potentially extending your lifespan. Get ready to unlock the secrets to a longer, healthier, and more fulfilling life! 1. Embrace Regular Exercise as Your Fountain of Youth Physical activity is a key component of ..read more

In this series of posts, I’m putting two ideas together—the idea that smart, creative, sensitive individuals are confronted by special challenges and the idea that journaling is a valuable self-help tool—and turning them into a set of journaling prompts designed to lead you on a personal journey of discovery. I hope that you enjoy these prompts. Here are five more challenges, and four journal prompts to go with each challenge. Engaging with any one of them may well serve you. I hope you find these valuable! And I hope you’ll take a look at Why Smart People Hurt and at my latest journal, Affir ..read more

  We’re all human and we have all closed eyes to a lot of things we really shouldn’t have. When it comes to dating and relationships, we tend to focus on the green flags because they provide us with temporary happiness and endorphin rushes. But forget to sit and assess the red flags and how they could be detrimental to us if we continue to stick it out. A lot of people who have been in difficult relationships will tell you that they saw this coming because of x, y, and z. Where did these people go wrong? They chose to look away at the red flags and now it’s come to bite them in the backs ..read more

  By Marlena Williams, Sentient Media The climate movement has long shied away from acknowledging the role meat and dairy play in fueling climate change. For years, the discussion largely centered around fossil fuels, and how transportation and the energy sector drive global warming, while the massive impact of the livestock industry was largely pushed to the margins of the conversation. Now, a report from the Animal Law & Policy Program at Harvard Law School includes a stark warning: the planet needs to make rapid and significant reductions in livestock-related emissions in the next ..read more

I’m pretty sure I’m not alone … “Some people are so busy learning the tricks of the trade that they never learn the trade.” — Vernon Law Tough decisions suck. They can hurt like hell, and this one has certainly been painful. But ultimately, when you know it’s the right thing to do, and that it’s going to help you continue to move forward on your path instead of knocking you off course, a tough decision is worth whatever pain it might cause in the meantime. Besides, if you stay on a path that isn’t right for you, it’ll eventually cause you way more pain than if you’d got off it when you first ..read more

  “Men pursue, and women play hard to get,” is as old as time. It is the energy that keeps us moving forward as a species, and on a smaller scale, it is reproduced in marriages worldwide. And, as long as we are OK with this dynamic, our intimate life hums along gracefully. But what happens to our sex life when he stops pursuing and instead wants to be pursued? Often, this leads to frustration, feelings of rejection, or worse, as, so often, a woman won’t feel compelled to pursue intimacy despite enjoying sex with her husband. Many women are capable of being aroused but don’t experience sp ..read more

  Are you a teenager struggling with anxiety? You’re not alone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 31.9% of adolescents aged 13-18 have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. While some level of anxiety is expected during the teenage years, it’s important to recognize when your anxiety may be crossing the line into something more severe. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the signs that it’s time to seek professional help for your anxiety and provide some helpful tips on how to cope with and manage your symptoms. Whether you’re a teenager dealing with anxiety yourself ..read more