Holistic Psychiatry

, , ,

5 Steps to Thrive the Outcome of the Election

, , ,
5 Steps to Thrive the Outcome of the Election

As if 2020 couldn’t get any more challenging, we’re at the precipice of one of the most contentious elections in recent memory as a nation, with reports that the end (results) may not be in clear sight. Dealing with uncertainty, navigating disappointment and regulating emotions are essential life skills in ‘normal times’. This year, the stakes feel higher with reports of suppression, intimidation, threats and conflicting information from both sides. Ready or not, we’re being called to up-level our resilience. So what do you do if your candidate of choice doesn't win the election? You …

, ,

6 Steps to Support Your Child’s Mental Health as They Go Back to School During Covid 19

, ,
6 Steps to Support Your Child’s Mental Health as They Go Back to School During Covid 19

Back-to-school time can be stressful for parents and children of any age during the best of times. This year, the decision for children to go back to school has brought new stress and anxiety as schools announce options and parents decide on what’s best for their family. Supporting your child’s mental health as they return to school during Covid 19 will be easier with a plan. Share this with your partner, co-parent and friends with kids to help your children (and yourselves) to better navigate, cope and thrive through the unknown and all of the changes for back to school. It’s an odd time for everyone, so be easy on yourself - working from home and homeschooling isn’t easy - and remember, your child’s mental health is always more important than their grades.

Support your child’s mental health as they return to school during Covid 19with these 6 steps:

, , ,

Recently published in The Journal of Psychohistory

, , ,
Recently published in The Journal of Psychohistory

I'm pleased to share that my article, "Terrorism and the Psychoanalytic Origins," has been accepted for publication in The Journal of Psychohistory (JOP), a peer reviewed journal. JOP is focused on Psychohistory, the science of historical motivations, combining the insights of psychotherapy with the research methodology of the social sciences to understand the emotional origin of the social and political behavior of groups and nations, past and present.

, ,

Spirituality for Transcendence / Seven Days of Gratitude

, ,
Spirituality for Transcendence / Seven Days of Gratitude

I’m grateful for my spiritual practice, which includes regular meditation, mindfulness and other practices like contemplation and ‘daily gratitude.’ Dedicating this precious time with myself and treating it as a non-negotiable in my life helps to keep me centered, calm, grounded, kind, peaceful and self-aware – increasingly important given our global environment. Mindfulness practices, including meditation and other practices, can also be key to understanding one’s emotions in order to make different life choices and transform suffering – important in any environment. The best part? Everyone can do this and it doesn’t cost a thing.

, ,

Back to Basics, with a Smile / Seven Days of Gratitude

, ,
Back to Basics, with a Smile / Seven Days of Gratitude

Today, I'm grateful to get back-to-basics exercising. We've all been deprived of our normal routines. With all of the rain we've been getting on the east coast, I'm relegated to working out at home to maintain my emotional, mental and physical well-being. I know that if we need an excuse we'll find one, and that cardio is possible in studio apartments and bedrooms - dancing or jumping jacks anyone? When I started training for Ironmans a decade ago, I didn't have a gym membership. The streets were my gym. So I returned to my fitness roots using an approach that marries MacGyver with a can-do attitude. Got a couch?

, , ,

Coping with Coronavirus

, , ,
Coping with Coronavirus

The outbreak of Coronavirus can be stressful. Fear about an invisible enemy can cause fear, anxiety, and panic. Coping with stress makes you stronger and helps those around you to be calmer. Those with preexisting mental health conditions need to continue their medication and treatment. Be aware of new or worsening symptoms. We are all in this together, and if we look at the positive, it will bring us closer and more connected. Here are 10 tips to reduce stress and anxiety:

, ,

Promoting Greater Mental Health: Everyone’s Responsibility

, ,
Promoting Greater Mental Health: Everyone’s Responsibility

Shhh. Don’t tell anyone. We all grew up on the giving and receiving end of that plea that carried with it a great burden and fear – holders of a secret, or worse, a code of silence.

For decades, unwritten codes of silence plagued the military, police force, politics, corporate cultures and even families, causing unnecessary suffering and injustice. Staying quiet and silence ran deep in our collective consciousness.

, , ,

Four Benefits of Running

, , ,
Four Benefits of Running

As a psychiatrist, running has become an antidote for a profession that is primarily sedentary and cerebral. Running allows me to release the day’s stress. Preparation for the marathon required training five days a week during the spring and summer. It was a new sport full of challenge and excitement. Despite the anxiety in not knowing if my body could go the distance, my “long” runs eventually extended to eighteen miles. I grew more confident. Finally, it was marathon morning.

Greater mental health awaits.