Anxiety

Odontophobia or Dentophobia You know if you have it…a fear of going to the dentist. It’s the smell of the office. It’s the sound of the drill. It’s the fear that it’s going to hurt. If you’ve put off having dental work done, it’s the embarrassment of having to admit you’ve let your teeth go for however long…and […]

Imagine you’re given two choices about getting something done: Choice #1: Do it or else bad things are going to happen to you.       OR Choice #2: Do it and I’ll give you the reasons why it would be a good idea for you to do it. Which choice appeals to you the most? You Can’t

Do you feel stuck?  Nothing’s moving?  Can’t get going? Like when you’ve gotten your car or truck stuck in soft sand. And the harder you try to get out, the deeper you dig yourself in. No matter where you are on your journey through life, there are going to be times when you feel like your luck has

It is not necessary to change.  Survival is not mandatory. ~W. Edwards Deming This is a time of year when people often are readying themselves for change.  The start of a new year is only days away. You might be thinking about making some New Year’s Resolutions…to finally get around to changing in a significant way. For some

Finding the balance is what we are all trying to do… whether we are talking about the balance between work and play, taking care of others and taking care of ourselves, or between caring too little or caring too much. Finding the Sweet Spot Athletes and anyone else who has to “perform” are always looking for that sweet

An interesting study just released this week showed that all other factors being equal, people who believed that stress was having an adverse effect on their health had double the risk of heart attack compared to people who did not believe that stress was having an adverse effect on their health. The Self-fulfilling Prophecy So if you think that the stress

Vacation Poor America Of all developed countries in the world, Americans are the worst at taking time off from work. Compared to the good people in England, France, Germany, Spain, Brazil, Norway, Denmark, Italy, and Sweden (I can go on), the good people in the United States take less than the 14 days they have earned; on average they

Ho, Ho, Ho? It is January 21st today and my Christmas tree is still up. A hectic holiday season that included 2 bouts of the flu, preparing to teach Abnormal Psychology, and other commitments have taken their toll on seasonal order. All my other Christmas decorations are down and put away, except for my Christmas tree, which still

Filtering Difficult Experiences I’m a big fan of the emotional equivalent of “emptying the trash.” By writing in a journal people get in touch with their feelings and express them without censorship. It’s a research-tested treatment for those suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress. And if you journal right before bedtime, it often leads to better sleep. I Don’t Have