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Negativity is everywhere. Why is this? Is it because the world is just a negative place? Does everything really suck? Probably not. It just seems that way. I recently read an interesting article about what philosophers refer to as the uni-context, and it makes some real sense. The basic idea is that the online world has created a space where we have instant access to more people than ever before in human… Read More

What does it mean to care? Is it a feeling? On some level, sure. But that’s just a starting point. A thought? It probably involves thinking too, but we shouldn’t stop there. Action? Yes, absolutely. Action may be the most central ingredient. But there is more to it, especially with the highest forms of caring. Dedication and time? Yes and yes. A kind of formula is beginning to emerge. And as we… Read More

Confidence is a confusing word, so I should first be clear about what I mean. It seems to me that most people use the term confidence to refer to some kind of elevated feeling state. Whether it’s a little extra spark or something more grandiose, the popular use of confidence implies that we need a heightened mood in order to perform well, succeed in life, or even to just be ourselves. From… Read More

When we’re little, we start learning about our body parts. We even sing songs about them—”Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes,” “The Hokey Pokey,” and others. Very early in life, we physically locate ourselves in the world by naming what’s part of us, and our social environment reinforces this curiosity. But what about the parts of the mind?   We might get vague hints that the mind has something like parts. Many of… Read More

Problems can feel like a dark landscape, and the way we think about them is like a flashlight. Shift the beam even slightly, and what once felt overwhelming becomes navigable. As a therapist, I think a lot about how people approach problems. I’m always keeping in mind whether a change in perspective can modulate the stress response— which, in turn, opens the door to relatively calmer, clearer, and more adaptive thinking. When… Read More