A website visitor emails that her relative, a young woman of 19, has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She asks if it is a valid diagnostic label or just another excuse to justify bad behavior. Psychiatrists define bipolar disorder as … Continue reading
A friend told me that she wants to stop “mining for issues.” I liked her metaphor! She told me that she found herself actually looking for things to be anxious and worried about. Looking back at my clinical experience, I … Continue reading
The American Psychological Association reports that the use of social media has skyrocketed from seven percent of American adults in 2005 to 65 percent or more today. For those in the 18-29 age range, the increase is larger, from 12 … Continue reading
A website visitor writes that he and his wife recently retired here at the beach. But in spite of that, he’s not happy. It doesn’t have to do with anything specific; things are fine with his wife and his nice … Continue reading
Readers ask me if it’s possible to be a “rush-a-holic,” i.e., to be addicted to rushing or being in a hurry. I agree, but I believe that it’s not the rushing itself that holds the appeal. Some love the thrill … Continue reading
I received a kind email from a reader who enjoys my columns. (Thank you, by the way!) She remembered I wrote that how you feel is determined by how you think, and asks if that concept doesn’t open the door … Continue reading
Success is great. We all want it. But the road to success can be blocked by failure. Detouring around those roadblocks can be a challenge, but it’s not without its rewards. In her article “Inspirational Stories of Famous Failures and … Continue reading
In my over thirty-five years of professional counseling, I’ve never witnessed so many instances where friendships – even family relationships – have ended because of disagreements; in many cases, political disagreements. A reader recently emailed me about differences she has … Continue reading
My recent column about hypnosis apparently hit a nerve or two. The most interesting response was from a Delaware Wave reader who tells me about her friend who is divorced from a man who was abusive. Her friend has a … Continue reading
I get a lot of questions about hypnosis. The most common misperception is that it’s a state of unconsciousness, like sleep. Actually, many experts define hypnosis as a “special psychological state with certain physiological attributes, resembling sleep only superficially and … Continue reading
Barely a day goes by when somebody doesn’t ask me if they should blame their parents for various problems that might have arisen in childhood. No matter what the specific issue, my response is always the same: You can hold … Continue reading
Regulars here at Life’s a Beach! know that I describe myself as a cognitive therapist. Has an impressive scientific ring, don’t you think? But aside from sounding official, just what is it? People ask me, “Cognitive therapy is all well … Continue reading