As a psychotherapist, I offer guidance on emotional distress, relationships, and life changes. People often accept my advice, but not always. For example, if you come to me with intense anxiety, I may suggest some grounding tools and cognitive behavioral skills. What if I recommend that you hum, hug yourself, rock back and forth, and […]
Sadly, Nick Reiner killed his celebrity parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, last week, Sunday, Dec. 14. Nick’s history with addiction is well documented. In 2015, he co-wrote the film “Being Charlie”, based on Nick’s real-life experiences with heroin addiction, his resistance to rehab programs, and his strained relationship with his parents during that […]
I read a BBC article, Life Being Stressful Is Not an Illness. (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2pvxdn9v4o). It illustrated a belief by UK medical doctors (general practitioners) that their society tends to over-medicalize and pathologize normal life stresses. They make the point that not all suffering is sickness, and people should summon their resiliency skills to cope with normal […]
“Out of control” Christmas shopping often refers to spending that exceeds a planned budget or results in debt. I’ve read that average holiday spending in the US is higher than you might expect. If you include holiday gifts, food, decorations, and other seasonal items, consumers are expected to spend an average of around $890 to […]
If you’ve ever felt a combination of anger, bitterness, disappointment, and hard feelings to the point of disgust, you know the experience of resentment. It’s an emotion driven by reliving a perceived wrong or insult. The word resentment comes from Latin, meaning to feel a negative emotion again and again—re-experiencing the initial offense. Unlike a […]
Even though the government shutdown is over, these are still tough times for many Americans who are impacted by government funding cuts. The Farm Bill is set to kick people off SNAP. Analysts estimate these changes could lead to millions of people losing some or all their SNAP benefits. Laid-off federal employees experience financial stress. […]
If one were to create a series of dance steps that illustrate food distribution, it would look like the following: step back, step forward, step back, three steps forward, step back, and a long step back. Mid-Oct 2025 (Step Back) The USDA states that November SNAP benefits won’t be funded if the government shutdown continues. […]
Please make a donation to help your neighbors who face a shortage of food. Because SNAP payments are delayed this month, and future months are tenuous, I am asking you to donate to your local food bank. The current federal government shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, led to a near-cutoff of SNAP (Supplemental […]
Based on his public statements and actions over several years, it is clear that Donald Trump holds deep and sustained resentment toward James Comey. Trump has used his social media platform to repeatedly and publicly demand that the Justice Department prosecute Comey. To be fair, I don’t know enough about their dispute to claim it […]
Dating isn’t easy, but here is an essential truth: It is always better to be alone than in a destructive relationship. Dating is a process of getting to know someone. You aren’t psychic; you can’t know in advance if someone is bad for you. In fact, you may not know until you are already emotionally […]