Blog

Through-out last week, as I met with parents for therapy sessions, I heard a common theme. The recent ice storms- and subsequent power outages and school closures- had many parents experiencing flashbacks to early pandemic shut-down days. Many parents described being...

I encourage you to say “no” to one ask this week. As you choose to engage in something else this week- remember the reason behind what you are doing.

Experiencing joy doesn’t erase the stress or change difficult circumstances. But tuning into joyful experiences can give us strength. Being mindful of the small, pleasurable moments that bring us joy can help us have the fortitude to weather the difficult moments.

Given the inevitable fatigue and often-demoralizing-reality in front of us, what can we do? Honestly, I don’t think it is possible to *do* anything about this reality. But I do believe our mindset about the current reality will make a significant difference. If we can simultaneously embrace the necessity of flexibility, while recognizing how hard it is to manage all that we are, we can buffer ourselves through the storms of unpredictability.

We should not have to talk to our children about gun violence. School shootings are horrific. They should not happen. Ever. And yet- our world is broken. Within this splintered world, it is our job as parents to keep our children safe- both physically and emotionally. And so we must steady ourselves and find ways to talk with our children- at a level that is developmentally appropriate- in order for them to be ok.

Radical Acceptance stems from the Buddhist tradition and the universal truth that pain in life is inevitable, but our suffering is optional. What this means is that there will inevitably be things that cause us sadness, hurt, and anger- whether that’s a broken leg, a loved one dying, or a child’s behavior regressing. What causes us suffering- increasing and extending all of our difficult feelings- is by fighting against and denying the reality of the situation.