Author: OPS
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Somewhere in the Middle: Finding Balance
There is greater stillness and clarity when the mind is balanced – and mindfulness helps us find middle ground.
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Evaluating Mindfulness
Evaluating the efficacy of psychological interventions is incredibly complicated. There is no definitive blood test in commercial use for depression or anxiety – yet. Brain scans are not sophisticated or affordable enough at this time to show us whether we are afflicted or cured. Outcomes must be determined by observation of behavior or self-report and…
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Creating Creativity
That contented, peaceful feeling you get when you are working on your adult coloring book – its not all in your head. It turns out that creative pursuits are actually good for you. Research is demonstrating that creative engagement has significant positive effects on health. It is correlated with less distress, increased positive emotions, and improved wellbeing.…
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The Power of Expectations
Do you tend to go into situations with expectations about what will transpire or are you more likely to approach life with an open mind? It is human to make assumptions and try to predict what might happen next. If we are accurate in our predictions, this may be useful for our very survival. Our expectations…
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Is Competition Overrated?
US culture strongly values competition. Our country is built on a system that relies on it as a self-regulating force. We are taught that it builds character, drives innovation, encourages excellence, and motivates growth and improvement. But, it is also important to understand that serious competition requires an attitude of scarcity and limitation – the…
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The Wisdom of Questioning
When an individual or group blindly accepts a concept as truth without questioning, we might say they “drank the Kool-Aid“. This saying is based on an unfortunate incident in the past where a large group of people died following their troubled leader’s orders. Blind acceptance without reason is often a fool-hardy venture and sometimes even…
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Responder or Nuclear Reactor?
Are you or is someone you love a “nuclear reactor”? When living our lives on automatic pilot, we tend to react to emotions even before we are aware that we are experiencing them. Instead of thinking through a situation and responding wisely, the energy of our strong feelings overtakes us and we risk going “nuclear”.…
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In Search of Truth
In this era of alternative facts and fake news, it can be difficult to differentiate truth from falsehood. Truth is a highly valued concept. I often work with clients who are in great personal distress and civilization has a long history of people misguidedly harming others in their passionate efforts to uphold truth. Did you know we…
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The Power of Pet Peeves
Are you easily annoyed by people or situations? Does traffic on the commute to work make your teeth grind? Maybe the way your partner eats has you muttering under your breath. Perhaps you have a very specific collection of pet peeves – things that are likely to set you off and put you in a foul mood. Psychological irritation is a…
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The Affliction of Anger
Do you find yourself fuming at the foibles of “stupid people”? Does the current political climate launch you into a torrent of righteous indignation? If you are habitually distressed by anger or if your angry behavior often comes back to bite you, this may be the sign of a personal blind spot. Anger can be motivating,…