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Losing Both Parents by Age 27: How I Began to Heal
March 5, 2013 .
127 Comments
I woke up to my dad staring blankly at the wall the morning of October 14, 2004. It was the day before my 23rd birthday. I knew this day was coming, but nothing would prepare me to wake ... Read More
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Negative Self-Beliefs: Are You a ‘Beaten Dog’? February 27, 2013 . 9 Comments
Are you a “beaten dog”? Rest assured, I’m not calling anyone names here. But have you been kicked around, treated like nothing, and hurt? Do you not feel loved unless you are treated ... Read More
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Grief Mythology: Mourning Can Create Alternate Realities February 5, 2013 . 7 Comments
It is not unusual for someone who experiences a loss to romanticize the person, identity, or object they are grieving. This can occur even when what is lost was not just imperfect, but ... Read More
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Good Grief: Why the DSM-V Is Wrong About Bereavement and Depression February 4, 2013 . 16 Comments
Imagine losing someone very close to you; perhaps your partner dies. How might you feel and behave in the weeks following this death? You might feel a sense of sadness and emptiness so ... Read More
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6 Buddhist Teachings Can Help Soothe the Pain of Divorce January 16, 2013 . 16 Comments
Anyone who has been through a divorce knows very well that it can invoke the worst parts of the self. Divorce is consistently associated with contention, negativity, bad behavior, and a ... Read More
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Best of 2012: GoodTherapy.org’s Top 10 Websites for Grief and Loss January 4, 2013 . 7 Comments
Grief has many causes and can manifest in many ways. Whether it’s triggered by divorce or separation, illness, trauma, or death, grief is a normal part of human experience. However, coping ... Read More
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Loved Ones with Cancer: Celebrating Their Last Holiday Season December 17, 2012 . 5 Comments
Nicole is 16, and Ethan is 14. Their father, Jack, has battled brain cancer for the past two years. Jack was told recently that further treatment had a less than 10% chance of being successful. ... Read More
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Understanding the Controversy Behind the Changes in the DSM-5 December 6, 2012 . 10 Comments
The American Psychiatric Association has approved changes to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, commonly referred to as the DSM. The fifth edition of the flagship ... Read More
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From Goodbye to Hello: How Confronting Death Gives Us Life November 29, 2012 . 17 Comments
“Owning up to the ‘good-bye’ that is built into our finite human existing makes possible the saying of an authentic ‘Hello!’ ” —Robert D. Stolorow For most people, death is ... Read More
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Our Time Is Up: Ending the Therapeutic Relationship November 28, 2012 . 27 Comments
You entered therapy feeling broken, lonely, anxious, dissatisfied with your relationships and your career. Now you feel whole and healthy; your relationships have improved, and you’ve ... Read More
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Grief, Mourning, and Loss: Unhealthy Ways of Coping November 8, 2012 . 13 Comments
I’ve been thinking about grief, mourning, and loss a lot lately. It shows up as a theme in my work as a psychotherapist all the time. I’ve also been studying the literature on methods ... Read More
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Why Divorce Hurts September 14, 2012 . 156 Comments
The pain of divorce is often unbearable. The experience can be so awful that you wonder whether it would have been easier to stay married or even to be dealing with some other horrific ... Read More
