Dear Dr. Hurd, My long-time friend from high school has been married for about ten years. I’m also good friends with the husband. Several weeks ago I saw her husband in a restaurant with another woman. It was obviously an … Continue reading
People often ask me to define cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in simple terms. A great example of CBT at work can be viewed at an unlikely source: Chef Robert Irvine’s Food Network series, Restaurant Impossible. FoodTV.com describes the show as … Continue reading
I write a lot about how reason trumps emotion, when the two conflict. One reader wrote me with the following question raised by a friend, a question he can’t answer: ‘If reason and intellectual focus are the tools to change … Continue reading
A reader from Ocean City writes that her new HOA president is just plain obnoxious. He barks orders like they’re in boot camp, talks WAY too much, and has taken to sending nasty letters for the slightest infraction (or what … Continue reading
In an article entitled, ‘The Truth About SwedenCare,’ Klaus Bernpaintner wrote the following on 7/10/13 (see mises.org): Free universal healthcare came about [in Sweden] in the 50s as part of the Social Democratic project to create the ‘People’s Home’ (Folkhemmet). … Continue reading
You have to wonder if these politicians even hear themselves. Particularly ones who say things like Barack Obama. On Friday, in response to the George Zimmerman acquittal in the death of Trayvon Martin, Obama stated if a “white male teen” … Continue reading
‘The only thing worse than being exploited by capitalism is not being exploited by capitalism.” -Joan Violet Robinson
One of the biggest mistakes people make in their relationships is taking things personally—things which are not personal. In cognitive psychotherapy, we call this error ‘personalizing.’ Personalizing is usually defined as: ‘Attribution of personal responsibility (or causal role or blame) … Continue reading
Dear Dr. Hurd: How would you recommend overcoming a fear of something? What steps should you take to combat a phobia? And should you do something as extreme as what G. Gordon Liddy said he did as a youth to … Continue reading
Dear Dr. Hurd: Your previous column [on how Obama does not own the private wealth he redistributes] reminds me of how I tried to communicate the concept of property to someone time and time again, and failed. This individual seemed … Continue reading
Deep breathing is an effective technique for relaxation. The influx of oxygen can help relieve stress, and it’s a lot less risky and expensive than medication. But, like medication, oxygen is only a temporary fix. In other words, it’s no … Continue reading
A subject that often arises in my office is the art (and science) of organizing schedules and planning goals. Many people tell me that they usually err on the side of making their schedules too inflexible. It is true that … Continue reading