I just came back from the Annual OCD Conference in Austin. Something I kept hearing over and over again was anxiety and fear tolerance over anxiety and fear reduction. As a therapist specializing in the treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and anxiety, this notion is something I know and impart often. But the conference speakers discussed...
Someone asked me recently to define my professional goal. The first thought that popped into my head was to be FEARLESS! (cue Superman theme song) But that’s not possible, really. I’m human, and fear is part of the human condition. As I tell my clients, my kids, and myself — it’s about being scared and...
Every day, I take a 20-minute nap. I call it my 22-minute nap: one minute to fall asleep, 20 to sleep, and one minute to wake up. I was talking to a friend the other day and mentioned it. She was fascinated. I think what strikes people most about this glorious habit of mine is...
Even though their mom was a therapist, my kids complained when they were little about seeing one. Looking back, I completely own that I probably didn’t present the whole thing very well. Ok I know I didn’t, because they thought they were the only ones who needed it (SO not true) and that it did...
Last week, I tried to help you figure out if you’re stuck. Acknowledging that you’re stuck is important, because we cannot fix something if we don’t know it needs fixing. So I know you’ve been waiting for the answer to the question how do I get myself unstuck? … drumroll … To best answer this,...
As part of my Behavior Therapy Training Institute Certification for Pediatric OCD, I had the amazing experience of having Dr. Marty Franklin as my faculty consultant. As we were discussing some of my cases, he said to me “He who values comfort over function shall have neither.” These words have stuck with me, because they resonate...
Recently I found myself saying yes to way too many things in way too short of time. In a single weekend, I found myself driving six hours a day (locally!), and my margin between commitments was seven minutes. Can you relate? Tell me! Given that this describes the life of most parents I know, the...
I recently wrote an article for Northeast Ohio Parent outlining 7 tips for when Kids are legitimately scared of Halloween. I’d like to expand upon that here, because a question I’m often asked is “What’s the difference between worry and anxiety — and why does it matter?” Great question, moms and dads! To answer you,...
Part Two of a Two-Part Article Last week, I talked about the importance of a realistic mindset and achieving balance when on social media. These are important, because there are some legitimately dangerous outcomes that can happen when people stop remembering that social media doesn’t necessarily represent real life and start comparing their own lives...
Part One of a Two-Part Article If you believe the headlines, social media is ruining human life as we know it. We hear words like addiction and withdrawal being used in the same sentence, and not without some support. Recent studies have, in fact, shown that social media can lead to feelings of depression and...