Sometimes you just have to blurt out the truth. That’s what happened in 2012 to Ken Barlow, chief meteorologist at KSTP-TV. He was standing before thousands of walkers gathered in support of the Minnesota chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Barlow had agreed to host this annual benefit walk, and as he …
Facing and resolving the major impediments in our life will bring us to a better lot in our life, one that surpasses having no impediments at all. Assuredly what doesn’t destroy us will only make us stronger. That’s the point of all suffering. —Anonymous Numbers of depression and anxiety are skyrocketing. If you are someone …
We feature an expert in the mental health and substance use disorder field to answer questions. This issue we talk to Dr. Derrick Stowell of University of Tennessee Gardens about horticultural therapy and it’s benefits for those with substance use disorder, mental health issues and traumatic brain injuries. Q: How would you describe the people-plant relationship? …
Oh no! The sky is falling! Oh no! The sky is falling! — Chicken Little to the Little Red Hen So what happens to Chicken Little? He and his pal, the Little Red Hen, decide to fetch their friends—Henny Penny, Cocky Locky and Goosey Loosey—and go tell the King that the sky is falling. Along …
“Whoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god.” —Francis Bacon Solitude is not the same thing as loneliness. All of us need times when we are just alone with ourselves. Perhaps we use that time to reflect on ourselves or just get away from the noise of the world. We …
Why do some people adapt easily to change while others become bogged down, overwhelmed and depressed? In the midst of difficult experiences, why do some people adopt an attitude of optimism and hope, while others become trapped in cycles of negative thinking? The adaptable folks are demonstrating resilience, or the ability to readily recover from …
I’ll never forget the day my friend Martin told me he just got diagnosed with cancer. As I sat sad and stupefied across from him over coffee I silently mused over the possibility that this charming old wise man may leave us way too soon. His erudition and idiosyncratic views of life are legendary. He …
He who falls in love with himself will have no rivals. — Benjamin Franklin Please pardon me for talking about a very grim topic—the epidemic of narcissism in our culture. I’m doing this to give hope, validation and power to the partners of self-centered people and for all of us to work on this major …
We feature an expert in the mental health and substance use disorder field to answer questions. This issue we talk to Dr. Lynsey Miron of Rogers Behavioral Health about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and how it relates to substance abuse disorders. Q: What is OCD? Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by obsessions, compulsions, or both, that …
As a woman in long-term recovery and a regular contributor to The Phoenix Spirit, I have written about my experience finding sobriety, struggling with and addressing cross-addiction, and being a part of a 12-step program. What I have not yet shared is that I am a trauma survivor, and how addressing my trauma has been …
