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The Shortest Article Ever

Posted by on Feb 10, 2011 in Uncategorized | 1 comment

Is a video! I know what you’re thinking-how long is it? It’s 20 minutes- and worth every minute. Brene Brown talks about the following in a humorous, personal way: Connection is what gives our life meaning Those that feel connection feel worthy of love and belonging Shame is the fear of disconnection In order to have connection, we have to be vulnerable- we have to allow ourselves to be seen What makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful I hope you’ll watch. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0[/youtube]

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The Gift of the Year- The Carrot

Posted by on Dec 20, 2010 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

A friend called me the other day and said, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year,”  with a slight hint of sarcasm.  Everywhere we go, there is holiday music playing, colorful lights, and cookies. So why don’t we all feel merry and bright? Holiday Incongruence I think the answer in a nut-shell is because many of us experience the holidays as incongruent with our actual experience.  We are being bombarded with several messages during the holiday season: * Spend money to show people you care * It’s time to be with your family (even if they drive you crazy!) * Spend time with your friends celebrating * Eat a bunch of food that’s not...

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Geronimo

Posted by on Dec 20, 2010 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

I have to admit that the first time I saw Geronimo I was intimidated, and so was my horse, Hermano.  We both approached the barn, feeling what it meant to be newcomers under Geronimo’s watchful eye.  I let Hermano into the paddock, and Geronimo immediately made it clear- Hermano was going to have to earn his respect.  Over time he made it clear to me that I would have to do the same, and so would the clients I brought out to see him.  How exactly does one earn the respect of a 2,000 pound being whose might can be felt from one hundred feet away? Leadership Qualities As the leader of the herd, Geronimo demonstrated qualities that many of us have trouble emulating;...

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What Do You Need?

Posted by on Oct 24, 2010 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

3 months ago I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy.  He depends on me and my husband to get all of his needs met – food, attention, warmth, a clean diaper, love, stimulation, and comfort.  He trusts completely that his needs will be met, and we do our best to make sure they are.  On the other end of the life spectrum, my grandmother just celebrated her 90th birthday.  She too depends on others to get her needs met.  She has meals prepared for her, a cleaning service, and someone to help her bathe.  She also needs visits and phone calls from her family and friends or she feels depressed.  Both my baby and my grandmother are transparent about their needs.  Why...

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Insomnia

Posted by on Jun 1, 2010 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

Generally I am a sound sleeper. I found myself the other night, however, wide-awake, and I could not go back to sleep. I started to get frustrated- thinking of the day to come, how much I had to do, and how tired I was going to be if I didn’t fall back asleep.  This of course, was not helpful.  It was, however, an interesting time to observe my mind.  Lying in bed at 4:00am there was nothing else to do.  I was struck by how my mind’s tendency to jump to the future (the next day and how I would feel) was creating stress and anxiety in my body, which in turn was keeping me awake. The Mind and the Future When the mind creates a stressful version of the future,...

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Forgiveness

Posted by on Apr 28, 2010 in Uncategorized | 1 comment

Jane’s Story: I was recently talking to a client of mine, Jane, (not her real name) who had gone to visit her father.  They had been estranged on and off over the past 25 years, beginning when he had moved out and stopped talking to her when she was 13. “I thought I had forgiven him,” she said.  “I thought I had moved on from all the anger, grief, and feelings of abandonment.”  In reality, however, the visit had brought up all of those old feelings with a vengeance, resulting in a huge fight with her partner, and she and her father, once again, parting ways not speaking. What is forgiveness? We tend to think of forgiveness as something we...

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