In our urgency to address the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic in Oregon, many decisions have been made about what qualifies as essential for society and well-being. Over a month into the emergency, and with the 50th Earth Day, I reflect on the role of nature and the outdoors in our lives. How should we [...]
Greetings, I wanted to send a brief message out to all my clients and readers. With COVID-19, we have been plunged into an unexpected and unprecedented global crisis. I hope you’re doing as well as you can in terms of your mind, your body, and your relationships. [To follow best public health practices, I’ve moved [...]
My wife Chelsea Harper was diagnosed with Stage IV (metastatic) breast cancer in 2010. She was just 35 years old. Her diagnosis was a heavy and unexpected blow for our family. And for Chelsea, a young woman in the prime of health, with a daughter just about to turn three, in the midst of building [...]
You may have heard me speak or write about imagining your mind as "Your Psychological “Operating System" with cognitive “programs” that guide how you think about yourself, get along with others, and perform at work and at home. And, to improve our operating system, we must deal with “Overcoming Your Psychological “Code Debt” – the [...]
https://soundcloud.com/allturtlespodcast/sift-climate-change-and-mental-health The Sift News Therapy App created this helpful "Climate Change and Mental Health" podcast. It features interviews with myself, psychiatrist Dr. Lise Van Susteren, and Dr. Kyle Whyte of Michigan State University. If you are interested in climate change and coping, I recommend this podcast. [Side note: The interviews took place this summer after [...]
October 2019 – I am updating my Fall Season Wellbeing post from last year. Its lessons stand the test of time. They also remind me to practice what I preach. But, there are a few updates required. Last year, I gave advice about “handling the November [midterm] election” noting that it was a “politically fraught [...]
From: The Hunchback of Notre-Dame “He therefore turned to mankind only with regret. His cathedral was enough for him. It was peopled with marble figures of kings, saints and bishops who at least did not laugh in his face and looked at him with only tranquility and benevolence. The other statues, those of monsters and demons, [...]
What do you do when you need to quickly clarify what you are feeling, or what your emotions are? Your friend asks “How are you feeling?.” Your wife asks “How are you feeling about us?” Your counselor asks “How are you feeling about your life?” What happens when you just want to check in with [...]
I wanted to share this webinar that I presented recently at Antioch University New England on coping with climate change and other environmental issues. This was presented to conservation professionals from zoos, aquariums, universities, government organizations, and nonprofits. But, it's also applicable to everyone and shares some insights and techniques that I use when working [...]
As the damage and economic losses from climate change grow, so too do the emotional impacts of climate change. When an entire island like Puerto Rico is threatened to be uninhabitable or an entire town like Paradise, CA is burned to the ground with a loss of 86 lives, impacts of climate change become much [...]
