What to do? In my 50 years as a psychotherapist, this is the first time I remember seeing so many pervasive, glaring divides in relationships. Yup, politics has exacerbated our disagreements. The holes in families, friendships, work relationships and society remind me of Swiss cheese.... Continue
What's Up With That?
Winter inclines us toward withdrawal. Though we need each other more than ever, the desire to hide lures us. Life’s strange and wobbly, which fits with the dark time of year descending on us. Still, community also sustains us. In his new book, “In the... Continue
It was a magical night on the Sonoma square at the last farmers market. Light rainy drizzle didn’t discourage anyone. The night sky was lit up with candles on tables as winter descended on us. The music and children played. Everyone seemed so grateful to... Continue
In his song, “American Tune,” Paul Simon wrote it well: “When I think of the road we’re traveling on – I wonder what’s gone wrong.” I hear everyone guessing, none of us knows for sure; how did we get ourselves into this mess? Seriously, we’re... Continue
Getting old is weird. I still imagine dancing wildly and climbing steep mountains. Wanting the gusto out of life, I get bright pink tennis shoes to boogie in – instead of high heels. I wonder, would relocating to Italy be fun? Then my mind reminds... Continue
Among the questions echoing in most of us these days is this one: “How can we be in this place of so much hatred?” I too, wonder, so, I lay in bed remembering my decade, and Joni Mitchell singing the beautiful, haunting, honeyed song “California,”... Continue
I am feeling a lot of compassion for men lately. Reading the news doesn’t help me with that, but my therapy work does. The topic is ticklish these days, with the onslaught of throbbing, bullish boys in courtrooms, etc. Even the gift of a Jumbo... Continue
We are all collectively going through changing, sometimes churning, times. The environment seems unsure, less stable. Daily we all face the feeling of not knowing. Not knowing if stocks will flop or go sky high. Not knowing if our health will hold our healthcare. And... Continue
Everywhere I go I see scrunched faces or raised eyebrows popping up. Politics is on our minds, whether we turn away from it or not. People often say something like, "I’ve quit watching the news. It’s too stressful." If I step a little deeper into... Continue
We’re entering spring and everyone’s romping with their adopted dogs or purring with their pussy cats. The magnificent animals – the wondrous “individuals of another species” – are an important part of community. How can we make our earth safe for them? If I ran... Continue