Ideas on Mental Health & Meaning
How to Discover Meaning
"Man is a being in search of Meaning." - Viktor Frankl So how do we find meaning in our lives? The simple "How To Guide": We can discover this meaning in life in three different ways: (1) by creating a work or doing a deed; (2) by experiencing something or...
But I Just Want to be Happy!
"But I just want to be happy - why can't that just be easier?" That was the statement from my teenage daughter during one of "those" discussions about life, the future, responsibility, success, etc. I feel for her. It can't be easy - it wasn't easy when I was her...
Next Level Self-Care
In our stressed-out, 80-hour work week, 5-hours of sleep per night, skip meals, work smarter not harder, hyper-connected, teched out world, we've recently started to hear more about "self-care" - the idea of taking time for yourself. As a clinician, I remember quite...
The Ailment of Our Times
Anxiety, Depression, Bi-polar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Eating Disorders, Attention Deficit Disorder, Autism, Dementia, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. All very different mental illnesses with one thing in common: they have defined...
“I cannot”
"I cannot" - that's readily said, so quickly and so easily, it hardly requires a thought, only a motion of the tongue. And a possibility is dead. How would it have been, if it had stayed alive? Would it have made the unexpected expected, the unbelievable...
The Year of Do the Next Right Thing
We are almost a week into the new year - a time where many of us are still pushing hard to move forward with those big resolutions, or maybe reviewing where we may need to adjust our goals. Everyday life isn't always about "The Big Goal", it's about making the next...
What are Your Goals for 2020?
With only a few days left in 2019, many of us begin to look at goals for the new year, we talk of "resolutions". Any day is a good day to set a new goal, to look to achieve something, to grow beyond what we once were. But the beginning of a new year seems to add...
A Logotherapist’s Wish
My hope for you this week is that you enjoy a meaningful, blessed, and possibly even happy, holiday. This week marks the culmination of several weeks of "preparation" for my faiths and religions. It has been a time to remember the difficulties and struggles of life,...
Want v. Ought
"The ought is the ethical directive, how our personal conscience tells us to act in response to the meaning of the moment, to make us aware that what we feel deep within us is most meaningful. If the "want" is the result of our will to meaning, it is in accord with...
Darkness of the Holidays
Many traditions speak of a time of "darkness" leading up to the holidays. This time of year can often be dark for many people. The change in the seasons can have a significant effect on mental, emotional, and even physical health. If you've suffered loss of a loved...
A Meaning Manifesto
Life is much more than the everyday busyness of making a living or striving for personal success. Life is much more than a constant struggle of coping with harsh reality by fighting or escaping. Life can be lived at a deeper level and on a higher plane by adopting a...
From Grumbling to Gratitude
Gratitude - the practice of reminding ourselves what we have, what we experience, to be grateful for, is a key component to psychological health and mental well being. This is the perfect time of year to practice Gratitude. Not only as we celebrate Thanksgiving, but...