Archive for October, 2011
Cause – When Survival is the Reason for Violent Behavior
The psychiatric hospital was my least favorite place to work. Maybe it was the locks on the doors or the kids pacing in hallways without access to fresh air or perhaps the young teenage girls with cuts on their arms. No, I think for sure the most difficult part of working in the hospital was [...]
Parenting – Monsters in the Dark
When I was a young girl I remember feeling my heart pounding in my chest as I lay in my bed, wide-eyed in the dark, waiting for the monster hiding in my closet to jump out and devour me. I held my breath thinking that if I were very still the monster wouldn’t know I [...]
Parenting – Finding a Life Line
I imagine that many people experience moments in their lives that become polarized in their memories. Perhaps it was a conversation that you had with a complete stranger, a sunset or a glance from someone across the room. I experienced one such polarizing moment in a small examination room at Stony Brook Hospital. “The result [...]
Education – Thinking On My Feet
My two boys are of the very active, slightly rambunctious and incredibly inquisitive variety. They have short attention spans, unless they are really hooked. It is scary when it comes time to turn off the TV. What is the hook going to be? The scariness is compounded now that they are at the age where [...]
Nutrition – Scary Soup
Sarah and I sat across from each other at the dining room table, each with a white ceramic bowl, a glass of water and a perfect place setting in front of us. We were having mushroom barley soup. Sarah was entering a new phase of treatment for her eating disorder. She knew that her ability [...]
Psychology – Acknowledging Fear
As we gain mastery over our lives, we are often faced with the challenge of overcoming debilitating fears. A good portion of my work involves helping others face their fears, but often my clients have something to teach me too. 8-year-old Mandy came to therapy because she was afraid of everything–of being alone, of the [...]
Compass – Separating From Fear
Fear is an innate human condition that can either protect us or hinder our personal growth and limit our possibilities to prosper. So you might be thinking, “how in the world do I know whether fear is helping or hindering me and my family?” This month’s compass will help you answer this question and teach [...]
