Live a Healthier Life: Cultivate Compassion and Kindness

Living in our fast-paced often self-involved society, one might think the adage “it’s a dog-eat-dog world” holds true. Such a belief, however, would not be confirmed by research. Charles Darwin taught us that survival belongs to the fittest, and social psychologist, Dacher Keltner, in his book, Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful … Read more

What Makes You Feel Free?

I recently returned home from a trip to the eclectic city of New Orleans. While warming in the sun watching talented street performers, listening to a mixture of musical styles, and smelling the scent of freshly-made pralines, I began to think about the lives of those around me. I wondered what it would be like … Read more

Linking Difference to Achieve Societal Health

We live in a diverse country at a time when difference is often denounced rather than celebrated. Many of us take issue with the dishonoring of diversity, and I would like to make a somewhat scientific case for celebrating diversity rather than censuring it. This case begins with studies in neurobiology that have found that … Read more

Spring Cleaning for the Psyche

Spring is a great time to take stock of your overall health and make some efforts to shift away from unhealthy habits. Here are 3 tips aimed at ditching routines and mental hang-ups that are likely to undermine your mental health, and replacing them with more adaptive habits. 1. Notice the Positive. The old saying … Read more

Can stress be a good thing?

As the school year gets underway, we all are faced with greater demands and levels of stress than just a month ago. And for many of us, the beginning of school leads to thoughts of the holidays, and all the stresses that come with the changing leaves. We are all too familiar with the negative … Read more

Pets Make Us Healthier and Happier

Most animal lovers know how incredibly fun it is to own a pet.  But did you know that pet ownership can have impressive long-term physical and mental health benefits?  Studies exploring the health benefits of the human-animal bond have found that: Pet ownership, especially dog ownership, is associated with better circulation, reduced risk of heart … Read more

10 Basic Strategies for “Changing the Channel” on Thoughts

Quite often, thoughts may go through our heads that are disturbing.  These thoughts sometimes make us angry, sometimes sad, and sometimes worried or scared.  While these feelings are perfectly okay, there are times when we all would prefer to “change the channel” on our thoughts, and to shift our focus to something more pleasant and … Read more