When the chips are down... like this week dealing with Comcast, plumbers running around the house, hospitals, nursing homes, the water company… I had to wonder. How do I work with my mind so I enjoy life while it is still difficult? The frustrations are... Continue
What's Up With That?
This town blows my mind. Sure, I wish the rent prices would decrease and the diversity downtown would increase. Higher pay, less traffic. But I gotta’ tell you, when I am out and about and hear people’s stories and feel their hearts and hugs, it... Continue
Being single in Sonoma on Valentine’s Day, to put it bluntly, sucks. I miss conversations under my half of the electric blanket with a partner at the end of the day. I yearn to plan trips with a special someone. Still, I can’t imagine another... Continue
Still full from fattening fun or dysfunctional family functions, I’m facing the New Year bursting with hairballs (like cat’s have.) There are Valentines in the stores, there’s regret and excitement in the air, people losing or finding partners, and questions about what’s next. And then,... Continue
Money, money, money. It’s on most of our minds, particularly during gifting season. I’m trying to keep my sense of humor about it, but what’s funny about not having enough money? There’s just no “ho- ho- ho” in it – even if there’s a ‘ho’... Continue
Hope and sadness are strange bedfellows. I struggle with depression this time of year. The dark weather drags down my inner enthusiast. Autumn stirs memory and loneliness. What’s that about? Some neurotransmitter loss? Not enough fun? Too much fun? Longing for the sun to shine?... Continue
It’s charming to be witty, but being humorous about being a psychotherapist is almost impossible. Humans are funny people, but the human condition is more serious than sexy or fun. There are so many theories in psychology. Everyone from Freud to Jung, Rogers to Whitaker,... Continue
I’m angry that there’s so much violence on TV; I’m enraged that animals are still mistreated, I’m furious that cancer is epidemic and our money goes to war instead of wellness. I’m mad that we don’t learn communication skills in school, which makes relationships much... Continue
Just when I was finishing this column the earthquake hit. So, now my writing rolls a different way. Good God, what a week! The world is upside down with beheadings, hangings, rocking and rolling in the middle of the night. Everyone I talk to is... Continue
To tell you the truth I hate to write about loneliness and death again, but it seems that these are inevitable experiences in my life. I sat with Dave Robbins recently, on a balmy evening outside with friends. He was so alive, so reverberating with... Continue