I recently listened to a talk on suicide. The speaker was Jack Klott, a psychologist and “suicidologist,” author of Suicide and Psychological Pain: Prevention that Works. He was asked if children ever wanted to end their lives. He proceeded to give the example of an … Continue reading
Dear Dr. Hurd: I’m not sure I can give proper advice to my brother. He’s gay and really loves our parents, who are slightly religious but don’t practice. They’ve made anti-gay remarks in the past, and he’s afraid they won’t … Continue reading
Maria Montessori: “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.” What a beautiful and true statement! It has implications for children, for education, and so much more. I’d like to enlarge the idea by … Continue reading
We should all be careful of the way we phrase things, when talking about ourselves or others. Why? To be nice? No, that’s not the real reason. The real reason is that the way we phrase things has an impact … Continue reading
Dr. Hurd, I love your articles and columns and have learned a lot about applying reason to everyday living. One area I have always struggled with was planning and organizing my schedule and goals. Do you have any thoughts on … Continue reading
Dr. Hurd’s recent conversation with a member of the media went like this: — Many studies have shown that people who are in loving relationships are physically healthier than people who are not. What are some of the ways in … Continue reading
A reader asked: Why is it that the people who are the most UNAPPRECIATIVE are also the ones who want EVERYTHING? Great question! The answer is: The neediest are the greediest. Actually, “greed” is not always bad. Greed can mean … Continue reading
Conclusion of yesterday’s column. A lot of times, unhappy or overstressed people will think, ‘Why did this happen to me? Life isn’t fair!’ The thought can be in response to something horrendous and tragic, or to nothing more than a … Continue reading
According to a 2009 Harris Poll, when Americans are asked to ‘Please indicate for each one if you believe in it, or not,’ the following results were revealing: 82% believe in God 76% believe in miracles 71% believe in survival … Continue reading
“I’m a thinking person and I like to know the reasons why I do things.” I have mixed emotions about this statement. On the one hand, I only hear it from people who are, in fact, thinking people. That’s a … Continue reading
Psychiatrists are finishing up the DSM-V, the latest version of the psychiatric diagnostic manual utilized by psychiatrists, therapists, physicians and insurance companies for labeling people with psychological disorders. The manual relies on the medical model, which means it accepts uncritically … Continue reading
People who can’t be criticized—and who react with great hostility at any hint of criticism—are revealing something important about themselves. They reveal that they don’t hold their convictions and viewpoints about various matters through carefully reasoned out, fact-based judgments. Instead, … Continue reading