Why hold a grudge? Holding a grudge typically involves repeatedly reminding yourself how somebody wronged you and how they deserve your continued anger, disappointment, resentment, and retribution. It’s a unique self-inflicted pain requiring incessant internal reminders of being hurt by someone’s indifference, willful behavior, or obliviousness. Who would want to reignite the emotional distress of […]
Sometimes, we need a little help to unleash all the grief we can accrue on this earth. Here’s a YouTube video of American Tune sung by Paul Simon to help you on your way. Remember: You can’t heal what you don’t feel.
When it comes to the effects of childhood trauma, I have good news and bad news. Let’s do the bad news first. The bad news is that if you were traumatized as a child because you didn’t get love, safe connection, nurturing, and attention, nothing else can ever take the place of what you didn’t […]
“I don’t like to use the word acceptance, but I think we can be comfortable with what we cannot solve.” Pauline Boss, Ph.D. Psychologist and family therapist Pauline Boss talks about “ambiguous loss” and the futility of thinking about closure with deep grief. There is no closure, she argues, when you can’t really put a […]
The following is a list of symptoms associated with major depression: A persistent feeling of sadness Loss of interest Changes in appetite Decreased energy level Thoughts of suicide Anxiety Anger Apathy General discontent Guilt Hopelessness Inability to feel pleasure Mood swings Sadness Early awakening Excess sleepiness Insomnia Restless sleep Excessive hunger Fatigue Loss of appetite […]
A death, divorce, illness, sudden unemployment, or any major loss, creates chaos in your life. This emotional fracturing, as well as the practical aftershocks of dealing with estates, lawyers, housing, finances, doctors, etc., often yields intense feelings that can be overwhelming. When you think you simply can’t assimilate another thing, it’s crucial to just stop. […]