Bonsai are fabulous, aren’t they! Those twisted, dwarfed trees, trained through the process of cutting the tap root and wrapping limbs in heavy wire, seem still to capture the beauty of natural process, trees compensating for wind and soil to continue living. When I was younger, I wanted to cultivate bonsai; I think, as the… Continue Reading Ouch! Just saying “no” to pain…and the cost of doing so
Resistance: Talking to the Hand
Resistance gets a bad rap. Without air resistance, we couldn’t fly. Without water resistance, our sailing days would be over. Without muscle resistance, we’d be rolling helplessly on the floor. And without emotional resistance, we’d have no boundaries. Sitting ducks for any jerk that wanted to take advantage of us. Let’s face it, in this… Continue Reading Resistance: Talking to the Hand
Learning to love the “resistance”
I’m going to show you something. I also know that once you see this, you might wonder why you ever thought I might be a good therapist! And I feel my resistance now, as I know I will feel it right before I post this. It’s a picture of me, in all my overweight glory,… Continue Reading Learning to love the “resistance”
Dancing Stillness
If you’re a shark, ignore this. Sharks must move; for them, stillness equals death. Of course, if your experience in life involves being chased by sharks, you’re probably not familiar with stillness either. As a psychotherapist working with trauma, I find most of my clients fitting into that category. Stillness is not frozen. My clients… Continue Reading Dancing Stillness
Seeking the quality of “stillness”
If you’re a shark, ignore this. Sharks must move; for them, stillness equals death. Of course, if your experience in life involves being chased by sharks, you’re probably not familiar with stillness either. As a psychotherapist working with trauma, I find most of my clients fitting into that category. Stillness is not frozen. My clients… Continue Reading Seeking the quality of “stillness”
LifeCrafting Explained
LifeCrafting recognizes that, from birth to death, we have the potential to constantly shape our lives. As we continue to build our skills and our unique wisdom, we not only form something of beauty and emotional power for ourselves, but of usefulness, as a gift to others. In crafting our lives, we never stop this… Continue Reading LifeCrafting Explained
What’s “LifeCrafting”?
For years, I’ve loved the NPR challenge posed by the series “This I Believe,” to distill my philosophy of life down to three minutes and find one core belief around which my heart organizes itself. Yet I found myself thwarted, by my belief in so many things, and paradoxically by my aversion to any kind… Continue Reading What’s “LifeCrafting”?
Communities free from shame
I’m not fine…how are you? Imagine being able to go into work, sit down with family members, or even respond to a stranger’s query with an honest response on one of your more unhappy days. And imagine what it would be like to receive, instead of a perplexed grimace—you know what I’m talking about, the… Continue Reading Communities free from shame
Community without shame
I’m not fine…how are you? Imagine being able to go into work, sit down with family members, or even respond to a stranger’s query with an honest response on one of your more unhappy days. And imagine what it would be like to receive, instead of a perplexed grimace—you know what I’m talking about, the… Continue Reading Community without shame
Shame’s Opposite: An Exploration of Pride’s Healing Power
A child of four runs around the house, flying a towel above his naked body like a sail, shouting “I’m MEEEE!” Arms flung wide, he knows no shame…and why should he? In his home, there is the safety and love of adoring parents. What should we call what he is experiencing? Arrogance does not come… Continue Reading Shame’s Opposite: An Exploration of Pride’s Healing Power