Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most widely used approaches to psychological treatment throughout the world today. It is based on the principle that, in order for behavior to change, we must first make a change in our thinking. Emotional problems are essentially created by the negative or irrational messages we give ourselves about…
Do You Notice The Niceness
It was an especially comfortable in Philadelphia this evening, so my wife and I took a moderately long walk to try out a restaurant that was new to us. We’d heard good things about it – and we weren’t disappointed. Not only was the food very good but the service was outstanding. The food came…
Are You Neglecting Yourself
Whenever I interview a prospective new psychologist or intern for our practice, I always ask some form of the question, “What do you do for self-care?” or “What do you do for fun?” Those who have to struggle to answer the question automatically disqualify themselves from further consideration. The issue of self-care is particularly important…
Start Growing Old Early
My new book will be out this summer, and I hope that you will read it regardless of your age. It’s titled, “Rejuvenaging: The Art and Science of Growing Older with Enthusiasm”. As it’s title implies, the target market is made up of those who are in the second half-century of their lives. The message…
De-emotionalize Negative Emotions By The Words You Use
All of us hear it on a regular basis from others. If we’re honest with ourselves, most of us would have to admit that we do the same thing – using an extreme term to describe an emotion when a less loaded term would actually be more accurate. I often hear people speak of how…
Our Behaviors Limit Us More Than Our Conditions.
Often times, when we fall short of meeting our objectives, we tend to blame our shortcomings on a condition. The good news is that most of the time, what we call conditions are really behaviors – AND BEHAVIORS CAN BE CHANGED! Being too emotional or too young or too afraid or too inexperienced or too…
Start The Year Right By Doing Something Small
It seems to be an unwritten rule among bloggers that the first blog of the new year should be devoted to addressing major issues and resolutions that can make you a better person and the world a better place. I’d like to offer a change of pace in that regard. It is my belief that…
Winners Never Lose
Winners never lose! That doesn’t mean that they always win. Despite how paradoxical that statement appears to be, it is true. To have the mentality of a winner in any aspect of life, one doesn’t lose sight of the goal and pursues it despite the fact that s/he inevitably experiences setbacks. In fact the major…
Using Thanksgiving To Kick-Start A Thankful Year
This is being written on the day before Thanksgiving in America. Although celebration dates differ, many countries have similar holidays. While it is appropriate to take a day off and focus on the many things for which we are grateful, particularly if we can spend the day with family and friends, I always see Thanksgiving…
How To Bring Out The Best In Others
Something happens every four years in the state of Pennsylvania, where I live, as well as many other places – and it’s mandated by law. I’m not talking about an election. I’m talking about the requirement to renew your driver’s license if you want to continue to drive. It’s the kind of event that few…
How Do You Start Your Day?
Each day is sort of a new beginning. That’s not exactly true because our days do not exist in a vacuum. We carry-over tasks from one day to another. Our relationships can last for many days and weeks and years. And the goals that we work toward are typically based on plans that we’ve made…