When it comes to powerful emotions--like anger, frustration, and guilt--we may not always know what we're really dealing with. We may act out in anger, but really, we're afraid. We may sink low into guilt, but really we're in pain. We may lose it in...
It’s that time of year again—time for “getting it all done,” time for planning and parties and presents and…peace? Are you feeling peaceful this season? Are you feeling joyful? For many, the answer is, “no.” In a season when the reason for the holidays is supposed...
Simplify. Don’t you love that word? That concept? I sure do. I love the idea of a simpler life. Simpler doesn’t mean simple or boring. No. For most of us, life will always be anything but that. To me, simplifying means to move from a “busy,...
Family life can definitely be stressful. Whether it's the daily stress of activities, learning, problem-solving, emotional support, and the exhaustion of it all, or the bigger stressors, like illness, death, divorce, job loss, and financial concerns, all families need a little healing from time to...
Some time back in graduate school I realized that if I don’t ask for help when I need it, it might never come. Like so many women, I’d spent the first several years of my marriage expecting my husband, OJ (no, not Simpson), to just...
Powerful emotions can be scary. Grief, anger, sadness, pain, fear, can feel intense, overwhelming, and out of control. We fear feeling powerful emotions because we believe they will overtake us; we fear that once they are free, we may never be free of them again. So,...
I remember when the earthquake hit Haiti in January 2010. A postpartum mom still in the midst of my own life’s traumas, I got my kids off to school, then spent the day nursing my baby, watching the news, and crying. I spent the next...
"Slow down and See": How to Appreciate the Richness of Life I’ve had mixed emotions this past week, as I’m sure many of you have. From holiday celebration to national tragedy, my heart and mind have been churning. It’s easy to let the turmoil of the world weigh...