Tag Archives: alcoholism

I Need Things to Change So I Can Get Better!

This is a common catch-cry among clients I counsel; in fact we all say it to some extent. Clients often want a variety of things to change: their husbands to give them more attention, wives to be more understanding, children to be more appreciative, people to get well, finances to improve, even people to die! But the truth is we can’t change other people, we can really only change ourselves and our attitude to others or the situation we are in. And this is where a lot of people in therapy get stuck. They want other people to change. Sure, … Continue reading →

Preparing for Worse Times Ahead 2

Leading experts tell us that the economy will continue to get worse before it can recover. Are you prepared? Check out the first article in this series and then read below for some ways to prepare for worse times ahead. To get that emergency fund going, sock away any extra money you have, whether it is one dollar or a hundred. Any unexpected income should go straight to savings. Skip eating out and put that money straight into an account before you spend it elsewhere. Reduce your driving to one day a week if you can and put the gas … Continue reading →

Frugal Gifts for Teens

Teenagers can be hard to purchase gifts for. They generally know more than you do about what is currently in, and most of the general gifts for teens fall into the electronics category which can get quite expensive. If you have a teen or two on your list, you might appreciate some good tips for getting them nice gifts while still staying on a budget. Here are some ideas. Snack Basket Teenagers are always hungry. Fill a basket or a box with yummy treats that they will be sure to appreciate. You can buy snacks in bulk and distribute them … Continue reading →

Inspirational Quotes from Inspirational People

Inspirational people are no different from you and me. They have come across obstacles in life, often greater than those we might encounter, and they have turned them into something positive. As we feel our way through troubles times – both personal and worldly – let’s have a look at the thoughts of some of the successful people from the past. By standing on their shoulders and using their experience, we may enrich our own life experience. Great things are not done by impulse but by a series of small things brought together. Vincent van Gogh Plant the seeds of … Continue reading →

Cast Off Day!

We woke to much anticipation and excitement in our house this morning. After eight weeks, today Murph was set to get his cast off. I woke up early so I could get him to the surgeon’s office a little after 7:30 a.m. But before we left, I lay on the floor with him and petted his belly. “I need you to be a brave boy for me one more time, okay? Today I have to drop you off at the vet’s because they have to give you the sleepy medicine again to get your cast off. I know you don’t … Continue reading →

The Stigma of Being a Mental Health Patient

As if it isn’t bad enough to be besieged by depression, bipolar disorder or any number of conditions that may land you in a medical facility for a period of time, there is the added stigma you as a patient may receive from family members, neighbors, acquaintances, even your work colleagues. While the majority of hospital beds are occupied by people suffering from mental and emotional complaints, the topic is still generally not talked about and many people are reluctant to admit to suffering from a mental disorder of some description. However, when the relevant condition deteriorates such that the … Continue reading →

The Power of the Mind: “Expensive” Isn’t Always Better

If you ever had any doubts about the way your beliefs shape your experience of life, well, doubt no more! The following study undertaken by the Californian Institute of Technology gives us an insight into just how powerful our beliefs really are. So powerful that they will contravene common sense, and cause us to act and feel in ways that do not reflect reality. Researchers presented subjects with five identical red wines and told them that the wines varied in price from a cheap $5 a bottle to a more expensive $90 a bottle. In reality, the wine was $35 … Continue reading →

Teens Banned from Trick-or-Treating

Parents in Belleville, Illinois will have to find some other way to entertain their teens tomorrow night now that the mayor has banned high school students from trick-or-treating. Belleville Mayor Mark Eckert signed an ordinance Tuesday prohibiting any child who has completed the 8th grade from trick-or-treating on Halloween. The mayor says the move comes after his office received dozens of complaints from residents, who were sick of having teenagers ring their doorbells late on Halloween night. “We were hearing more and more about bigger kids knocking on doors after 9 at night, and the people who lived in the … Continue reading →

Study Finds Link Between Depression and Premature Babies

A new study, about premature babies that shows a link between symptoms of depression in pregnant mothers and premature babies, was published yesterday in the medical journal, Human Reproduction. The study from Kaiser Permanente surveyed hundreds of pregnant patients during their early weeks of pregnancy, using a questionnaire that measured depressive symptoms. Almost half of the women showed severe or significant symptoms of depression. Depression in women who are expecting is more common than you might think. It is a treatable condition, and women should be aware that ignoring the symptoms may very well lead to to premature delivery, according … Continue reading →

Black Clouds

Have you ever seen a cartoon or a comic strip featuring some poor soul who has a black cloud overhead following him (or her) wherever he (or she) goes? They can’t get a break. Everywhere they turn, everything they do, doom awaits. I’ve had days where I’ve felt like that. Days where no matter what I try, I can’t shake the black cloud. I know Wayne has too. Usually we don’t experience it at the same time, though, so whoever’s got the sun on their side tries to stand as close as possible to the other. That way we can … Continue reading →