It might seem like the easiest thing in the world to accept hugs, kindness and caring from another person but in fact many of us have the hardest time doing that and we may shun people who are loving to us. Most of us actually need warmth and compassion from others especially when it is …
We feature an expert in the mental health and substance use disorder field to answer questions. This issue we talk to Dr. Jody Friesen Grande of HopeAllianze about thriving and coping with holiday stress. Q: Could you please share a little bit about your background and what led you to working as a holistic therapist/counselor, …
This might sound like a strange question to raise for consideration in a newspaper dedicated to recovery issues. It is a question, however, that I hear being asked by people as we speak about issues like the impact of COVID-19 and what lies ahead, the many unsettled and turbulent situations around the world, and concerns …
Most of us don’t think much about what type of person we are. We have a hard enough time attending to the practical details of daily living—staying virus-free, caring for children, paying the bills, having enough food in the house, and knowing what our next project is at home. Few of us would choose having …
Too many of us today have almost no idea who we really are. Nor do we even know that we have no idea. We simply exist without a clue and hope for the best. If we ran into some sharp corner of ourselves we wouldn’t know how to round if off. Nor would we even …
How are you doing? It’s an important question for just about everyone these days. I think it’s an especially important question for those in the recovery community. Way back in May — which seems like 100 years ago — National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Dr. Nora Volkow spoke about the need for social support. …
Since I wrote my last Letter from the Editor, the world has changed in so many ways. Yet, in others it has not. If we cut out all the noise and chaos of the outside world for a moment, we are faced with the stark reality of ourselves. For many, confronted with this unscheduled time …
Even if you did not fully listen to the pre-flight safety presentation the last time you were on an airplane, I am willing to bet you can recall the flight attendant’s advice to put your mask on before helping others. The reason is simple: You cannot help anyone else if you are in danger of …
A house divided against itself cannot stand. —Abraham Lincoln We live in the most divisive of times. Political parties hardly talk to each other. Sports teams are divided between the winners and losers. People can lose entire careers for an incorrect political opinion. Too many of us are alienated from each other: Rich and poor, …
“If I had to live my life again, I’d make all the same mistakes—only sooner.” — Tallulah Bankhead (1902-1968) One of the most hidden and powerful aspects of human identity is how many of us have shame and harsh judgments towards ourselves. Some of us are barely aware of our self-contempt; others are drowning in …
