June 26th was International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. Since the month of June is also PTSD Awareness Month, let’s talk about PTSD and drug use.    Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a life-altering diagnosis. You probably think of veterans when you hear the term. But PTSD is more common than you think, […]

“There are 700,000 new widows a year In America – and that’s a pre pandemic number!” The W Word. The club we never ever asked to join. The loss of the future we planned. Starting over. Finding our new (widowed) self. Being a widow is absolutely devastating. That doesn’t even begin to describe it, though. […]

As a psychologist, grief expert and widow, I get a lot of questions about grief and depression – both from individuals dealing with loss, as well as friends and family members with loved ones dealing with a loss. Common questions include: “Is this more of a reaction to grief, or is this crossing over into […]

When do I donate my husband’s clothes? Is it too soon?Am I crazy for not being ready? I get these questions regularly, and they’re questions I asked myself during my journey. And here’s the not so simple but simple answer: it’s different for each one of us. So whenever it’s right for you is when it’s […]

Four years. I don’t even know what it means… It doesn’t mean it hurts any less. Quite  the opposite. I miss you even more. It doesn’t mean I understand it any better. I still reach for you before I’m fully awake. Every Single Morning. Which means that I’m sleeping,  something I didn’t do much of […]

I’ve dealt with loss in my life – all 4 of my grandparents, my childhood home, friendships. And when I lost Jim the first time – true love. But through all of those losses, the rest of my world remained unchanged. I still had my family, friends, the career I love. My future as I envisioned […]

How to see your anxiety as a gift! It took me a long time to understand my anxiety, and now it’s important to me to help others on this journey. Because anxiety is many things, including misunderstood. And minimized. And a gift! According to the National Alliance Of Mental Illness “Over 40 million adults in the US […]

We live in a world where mental illness is misunderstood and judged, and we’re on a mission to change that! Too many people suffer in silence rather than seeking the help they need and deserve. We believe that in order to break the stigmas, we must first break the silence.   Faces of Mental Illness […]

Returning to school for the 20-21 school year is in full swing and the excitement behind the usual back-to-school shopping, preparation and celebrations will be a far cry from ordinary. I’m seriously concerned for not only the physical health and safety of our kids and teachers but also their mental health. Anxiety is at an […]

Life becomes easier to handle and more fulfilling once you accept this difficult truth: Anxiety doesn’t go away! There is no cure. It is a part of the human condition.  Sure, it might lie dormant for periods of time and give the illusion that it has left forever, but the moment something exacting triggers it, […]

Mental illness has been around for decades, but it has only recently started to receive the attention and awareness it deserves. Though we are well on the way to a more aware, accepting culture, we still have a long way to go. As a licensed online therapist, I am privileged to dedicate my practice to […]

As a culture, we Americans tend to place our celebrities on high pedestals. We make it our business to know everything about our favorite celebrities’ business, and we are quick to believe the superficial judgments the media passes on those currently in the limelight. We often fail to recognize the heavy burdens that come from […]