Some of life's richest moments are those that showcase the beauty of the natural world: birdsong, sunlight filtering through leaves, wildlife, flowers, fresh air, gentle breezes, and the gurgling of streams. The sights, sounds, and smells of nature have a remarkable ability to calm the mind ...
I get e-mails from President Trump. I get e-mails from Kamala Harris. I get e-mails from the RNC and the DNC. I don’t know how these organizations got my email address but the messages keep coming. Usually they ask for money. I don’t send any. These political machines already get way too much money for the purpose of spreading their propaganda. I don’t send money but the emails keep coming. I also get e-mails from U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy. Langworthy’s regular emails include an update on his work in the House of Representatives on the part of his constituents. These missives ...
Dopamine is the chemical in the brain responsible for how we sense pleasure. It’s what tells us that we feel good when, for example, we taste something sweet, or win a prize, or solve a puzzle, or get high on some drug. The problem with dopamine is that while it provides us with a sharp ...
What truly makes a difference in health and well-being? Too often, we focus only on symptoms while missing the deeper causes of stress, imbalance, and discomfort. Physical and mental health are not separate issues — they are deeply connected. When one suffers, the other often follows. ...
Last month, in this column, I wrote about the grief of the families going through the unexpected death of their children due to school shootings. This month, I’d like to explore that idea further, of what behaviors and thinking patterns happen to members of these families and all families dealing with traumatic losses. In my tenure as a C.D. Counselor, (chemical dependency), I had the privilege to work with many families. I had never dreamed of being a family counselor, helping those going through intense grief due to one thing or another. I’m going to go through a number of ...
