We have so many excuses as to why we avoid the practice of meditation. We hear all the benefits and the research describing how it can positively impact your life, your mood, and your overall health, but the excuses just keep coming. Here are 6 reasons why someone will avoid practicing meditation that I have heard throughout my years as a clinician, and what to do or say to combat your avoidance and get yourself to start believing you can meditate.

One of the last, best gifts you can give your family is planning most of your own funeral services. Many people fail to understand that a lot goes into planning a memorial service, funeral, and burial. Couple that with arranging other elements like transportation, flowers, a wake, or a post-reception and you’re talking about a serious burden on your loved ones.

why is it that we strive for perfection with our bodies, our social interactions, our performance at work, and in our relationships? We set impossible standards that only lead us to critically question our self-worth and engage in internal name-calling (i.e. “did I look smart enough?” “ugh, I am so lazy.”) This never-ending pursuit of flawlessness does not yield success, instead, it places us on a fast-track to emotional dissatisfaction and a relentless state of unhappiness.

Before we go into how self-compassion can help motivate you to take positive action towards your life, let’s first learn about what self-compassion is.  What does it mean to treat ourselves with self-compassion?

Why might some friends be so quick to judge others? to judge you? It’s possible that they have developed a sort of critical reflex to process the world around them, after being conditioned to pass judgment on anything and everything that comes their way.

There are numerous schools of thought of what “holistic wellness” includes, but typically they are comprised of eight crucial parts in one’s life: physical, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, occupational, financial and environmental.

We've all been there, starting our "new year, new me" chants and captions. We start out strong and somewhere along the way we lose our fire for our New Year’s resolutions.  However, with the start of a new decade, it's time to change up our patterns and try different tactics to stand strong and continue to honor our commitments and intentions for the next 10 years.

As an introvert, it’s hard to express your emotions. Unlike extroverts, it’s not as easy to open up about your thoughts and feelings and this makes dealing with the loss of a loved one incredibly complex. Losing a significant other is especially distressing as this is the person you most likely shared your life with.

As people get older, they must take added measures to safeguard their well-being and stave off the physical and mental decline. Read on to learn about small but essential steps you can take to preserve your mind and body as you get older.

Sandra Kushnir, LMFT talks about the impact of trust on relationships with both yourself and others.

If you or a loved one has faced addiction, you’re not alone. One in seven Americans will face substance addiction in their lives, according to USA Today. However, only 10% of those people will ever receive treatment.

Borderline Personality Disorder or BPD, this diagnosis immediately rings alarms for many, typically with a high level of stigma and judgment. BPD traits are usually characterized by tumultuous interpersonal relationships, dramatic mood swings, and manipulative behaviors, including empty threats of self-harm.

As humans, one of the most common communication temptations we cave to is advice-giving. When someone we care about comes to us with a struggle, we immediately scavenge for solutions and as soon as possible, we offer ✖️unsolicited✖️ advice. 

Maybe you became a caregiver gradually, or maybe you were thrust into the position by an older family member’s sudden medical emergency, whatever the case, here are some quick tips to ease you into your new caregiving duties.

Whether you're going on a third date or trying to maintain a marriage that's lasted decades, setting healthy boundaries is essential for a successful relationship. A partnership of any length will, of course, have its ups and downs, but proper boundaries ensure that neither party feels disrespected.

There is a reciprocal relationship between poor sleep and emotional regulation, which makes relapse a frightening possibility. However, there are ways to get the sleep your body needs and the rest your mind deserves without resorting to sleeping pills and risking your sobriety.

With the holiday season quickly approaching, some of us prepare to enjoy and bask in the love and companionship of our family; while others struggle with knowing that we must “face the family” again. The difference here is the reluctance to be in our family’s presence and being able to feel good and whole.

Rejection is agonizing! It tricks us into questioning our abilities, our likeableness, our worth. It even affects us physically by slowing down our heart rate when we experience its wrath.