You do yoga, drink green tea, and read every self-improvement book that comes out. You know that it is important to use "I" statements when giving feedback about how you are feeling. You have it together, you are evolved, and you've got the whole emotional intelligence thing under control.

And...

"I don't believe in medication; I have faith and just need to be more connected to God."

I hear this a lot. Faith and spirituality can be powerful sources of strength, happiness and meaning. I know this to be true from reading scientific studies, listening to clients' stories and...

As a psychologist I'm often asked about what I think of social media. I've discussed the harm that can be done by the lack of accountability that can come from relative anonymity. I've spoken various times on TV about the "retrosexual" syndrome which is basically the idea of being stuck...

Hi, my name is Paula and I like American Idol. I am ready to admit this which I guess is the first step in my recovery. (Though I don't think I have a problem because I can stop DVR'ing it anytime I want.)

Like many Americans, one of...

Wisdom comes to us in many different ways. Sometimes a friend will ask you for advice and you find yourself saying what you yourself most need to hear. Other times you go to a faith community and feel the sermon is totally directed at you and your current dilemma. Bumper...

"You're right, I'm the worst mom ever. This will give you another thing to tell your future therapist," you say to your daughter. While kidding -- at least halfway -- the modern parent is beginning to see therapy in their child's future as inevitable, a necessary part of being a...

Colombia is a country with frequent kidnappings, often with tragic results.

Such was the case of a father who reported his 11-month-old son kidnapped, then joined in the frantic search for his missing child. The outcome was terrible: the child was found to have been killed by his own father.

A woman I'll call "Sasha" was referred to me by her primary care physician after her 12-year-old daughter died suddenly of unknown causes. This doctor believed Sasha needed therapy because of what happened. While therapy can be a powerful tool, most of life's solutions are not found on the couch....

As I write this my father is in the ICU. He is very sick with a multitude of issues and struggling to breathe. I feel so sad and powerless and am resisting the urge to do something to get rid of these very healthy, normal feelings. These feelings are so...

There is a natural tendency in all of us to want to be validated. Feeling connected to others is a key to physical and emotional well being. We all want to feel heard.

Have you had the experience of someone telling you how bad his or her life is? You...

If you had a broken leg how would you tell someone? Would it be "I am broken leg" or "I have a broken leg"? Unless you are a caveman it would likely be the latter. We recognize that a broken leg is not a representation of who we are. It...