Being a truly well and self-satisfied individual rests on the ability to understand the information that emotions give you and to be able to skillfully utilize and respond to the information. Unfortunately, most of us are struggling with our emotions. I think this is...
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Emotions and the Binge- How I Learned to Sit With Discomfort
Note from Hannah: This is the latest installment from the New Perspectives Series. This post was contributed by Dawn Clancy (and do yourself a favor and check out her blog and radio show, Growing Up Chaotic). When I set out to write this article, I pictured myself...
Belly
Note from Hannah: This piece is a guest post by Lynn Shattuck as part of the New Perspectives Series. Say the word ‘belly’ anywhere near my 17-month-old daughter, and she immediately lifts up her shirt up like a Mardi Gras reveler. “Bay-yay!” she announces with an...
From Surviving to Thriving
Last weekend I went to a fantastic concert, right here in Portland. Enjoying the music, I realized I was not just hearing it, but feeling it as well. There were thirteen musicians on stage, so there was a lot to watch. I felt more deeply relaxed than I had in quite...
Looking Way (Way) Back: An Evolutionary Perspective for Modern Mental Health
Note from Hannah: This the first in a series of guest posts with the goal of providing new perspectives to mental health, wellness, and being a human. This piece was bravely shared by our guest writer, David. My brain is broken, I thought to myself, as I sat in a...
New Perspectives Make a Difference
Recently I heard a talk radio program where the host said (in reference to what, I cannot remember), "This is not like psychotherapy where they are trying to fix you..." I couldn't hear the rest because I was in total shock. I knew this point of view existed, but I...
Hopes for Myself as a Mother
It’s an odd place to get parenting advice, but the best story regarding mothering I ever heard was from Penn Jillette on Marc Maron’s podcast WTF. Penn talked about how his mother’s philosophy was that she loved and cherished her children for who they were, from the...
Holding Shadows: Forgiveness and Acceptance of the Past
I'm pleased to offer this piece by guest writer, James Day Leavitt. (photo credit: Siobhán Butler) I imagine my past as a long hallway, with doors along each side of the corridor. Behind some doors are my difficult experiences. Things I don’t want to see anymore. ...
Becoming Self-Assured: It’s Helpful, Not Selfish
Being self-assured yields kindness and contentment. This is contrary to what most of us were taught, and yet I’m increasingly sure that it is true. This is why, in my recent post about being self-assured, I questioned the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary about words...