Self Development

Experts at Home: Dr. Gia Marson on Eating Disorders

  In this Experts at Home conversation, Dr. Gia Marson joins Dr. Lisa Firestone to discuss the struggles many people face around food and body image as well as how current challenges are impacting eating disorders. Watch Now: Subscribe to PsychAlive (it’s free!) to see more Experts at Home.  

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The Second Wave: The Emotional Impact of the Prolonged Pandemic

Everyone is struggling to cope during these unprecedented times. The second spike that was predicted for winter has already begun. We have no idea if and when a vaccine will be developed and then distributed. We are basically in the same alarming situation we were in when Covid first appeared in March and our future… Read more »

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“Control What You Can:” Breaking Down This Not-so-easy Action Into 5 Manageable Steps

Terrified, exhausted, super scared, fearful, bracing, holding, preparing, anxious, fatigued, dreading, panicked, hopeful, fierce, steady. These are the words that people have used to describe their visceral feelings in this moment. ‘Control what you can’ is a prescriptive offered by many helping professionals to take the focus away from what is outside of our power and… Read more »

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How to Cope with Missing People

One of the hardest things about living through a pandemic is being separated from people we love and the activities we used to share. Between social distancing, travel restrictions, and in some cases the need to quarantine, we are all grappling with new levels of isolation. I’ve written a lot about coping with loneliness during… Read more »

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Creating a Life of Meaning and Compassion: Part 2

My last blog addressed the challenge of maintaining enthusiasm for life at a time when our lives are being altered and restricted by a pandemic. Admittedly, during these months of uncertainty, it is difficult to be inspired to take an interest in ourselves.  The fear and challenges of today throw us into survival mode and… Read more »

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Experts at Home: Dr. Daniel Zamir on Tools for Living in Anxious Times

In this Experts at Home conversation, Dr. Lisa Firestone talks with Dr. Daniel Zamir about helpful tools for living during anxious times. Watch Now: Subscribe to PsychAlive (it’s free!) to see more Experts at Home.  

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I see you. I hear you. It is so: The powerful tool of acknowledgment in achieving self actualization

Have you ever worked hard to complete a task, and your efforts seemed to go unnoticed? Have you ever been the one who was guilty of not being cognizant? As the receiver, it can feel incredibly frustrating and dehumanizing not to enjoy the privilege of receiving acknowledgment. According to Abraham Maslow (1943), our psychological health… Read more »

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The Paradox of Life During Coronavirus

In the time of COVID-19, life has changed. Many of us feel simultaneously overwhelmed and bored. I commonly hear how tired folks are when in fact, their lives are being lived in a smaller footprint. Time drags on and melts away as days all blend together, going fast and slow at the same time. It… Read more »

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Creating a Life of Meaning and Compassion: Part I

The beginning of this month marks a half year of being quarantined in my home. I really can’t complain; I am living with my husband and some family members in a comfortable house in a lovely setting. But it’s getting long and it’s hard to see an end to my situation in the near future…. Read more »

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Dealing With Today’s Trauma

Two weeks ago, I was talking to a friend who has been depressed. Because of COVID-19 and her age, she is quarantined and has been unable to visit with many of her friends. As she described the details of her life and her loneliness, she broke down crying, “I don’t recognize my life! I don’t… Read more »

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