“Life is a teacher of universal truths. To the wise, life is not a series of events to be controlled. Life is a way of walking through the world whole and holy.” I recently read this quote by Joan Chittister in the book, “How We Learn to be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith” …
In the past couple of weeks, I have been asked by several people about my health. And my response has been to say that my health is fairly stable, as I think it is the best descriptor I can come up with. The truth is that there is always something my medical team is surveilling. …
Self-compassion. It’s something that is on my mind often lately. I’m currently working on self-compassion with my Live Brave group and I define the concept as being kind to oneself, being aware of this moment, and being aware of our belonging to all of humanity. That is a tall order, isn’t it? I try often …
I have been diving in to the book, Atlas of the Heart, by Brene Brown with my Live Brave therapy group. Last week, a line about regret jumped out at me. Brene wrote, “In our work, we find that what people regret most are our failures of courage, whether it’s the courage to be kinder, …
In a conversation last week with a friend, I shared my anxiety about an upcoming skin cancer check-up. Less than a year has passed since my last surgery and the thought of a repeat had me uneasy. “Stay positive”, she responded. Her words made me reflect on the whole positivity movement and the latest buzz …
Art did not enter my life until my late thirties. Prior to that, I believed artistic ability was doled out to my mother and sisters only. Paintings, flower arranging, ceramic pottery, and creating garden design. They did them all beautifully. Then I went to Planet Bead, a little storefront in downtown Milwaukee. I discovered beads …
Through the darkness of this past winter, I have longed for the coming of spring. I imagined the warmth of the sun on my face, the chance to ride my bike, and opportunities to putter endlessly in my garden. So why am I feeling melancholy? As a cancer patient, I am keenly aware of the …
People are so interesting. And complex. And complicated. And still interesting. Being a therapist has given me a front row seat to viewing human behavior and I have found it fascinating over the past 36 years. For example, many of us have spent the last ten months restricted in one way or another. Some people …
I read an interesting article on the site, The Mighty last week and the writer’s thoughts have been whirling through my brain ever since. He spoke of the support he received during the surgery and treatment phase of his cancer and then the sudden loss of support once he had finished. It evoked memories of …
Just when I think I have arrived someplace, I find out that I haven’t arrived at all. I have simply briefly landed. This awareness was brought home in session with a client. But yesterday, it came to hit me again. So, let me take you back in time a little. I’ve been in bed with …
