The pandemic within the pandemic As COVID-19 cases increased around the United States toward the end of March 2020, governmental regulations issued stay-at-home orders, school closures, and caused many individuals to be laid off, furloughed, or to work from their homes. Although stay-at-home orders were intended to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and keep our [...]
Dr. Caruso offers guidance on executive functioning stress Have you been experiencing difficulty focusing, or been having difficulty with your motivation to do things you used to do or to plan for your future? These executive functioning skills are how our brains help us to set goals, create plans, and to carry out those plans. [...]
This week is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week! Did you know that eating disorders are among the deadliest mental illnesses second only to opioid overdose? 10,200 deaths each year are the direct result of an eating disorder (1). Some common myths surrounding eating disorders are: “People who have eating disorders must be underweight”. Eating disorders [...]
The impact of holiday stress and pandemic stress on your immune system and the role of perception. We are undoubtedly living through a stressful time in history. The coronavirus has proposed new and unforeseen challenges to each and every one of us as individuals and collectively as a nation. Suddenly, our daily routine built on [...]
Recently, I read a quote that said, "You wake up to fight the same demons that left you so exhausted the day before. That's bravery!" I felt inspired by that and thought.. Jeez, I wonder how many other people believe fighting our 'demons' is brave work. Now, I'm sure we've all heard people refer to [...]
Have you gone through a difficult time recently & are still feeling stuck in it? Perhaps the loss of a job, divorce, car accident, etc? Are you struggling with accepting that your life is not the way that you want it to be? Sheryl Sandberg, author "Option B" and COO of Facebook, can identify- She [...]
"I'm sorry," we say as we offer an apology. "I'm sorry" we make our children say when they do something wrong. "I'm sorry," nations say to make amends for history. But how do you make an apology that matters? "Don't say it unless you mean it" is often the response to an offhand apology. When [...]
Experiencing trauma It is our experiences in life that shape who we are and how we see the world. Everything that we believe about ourselves, about others, and about the world in general is learned through our personal experiences. It is therefore not surprising that experiencing chronic trauma during childhood leaves deep marks. The effects [...]
Clients sometimes make comments like, “How do I empower myself? I don’t even know how to go about healing. How do I start?” Self-empowerment is a path towards setting goals and strengthening and developing oneself. It requires taking personal responsibility and having a belief in an internal locus of control where one has the power [...]
Judson Brewer, M.D., Ph.D. is the director of research at the Center for Mindfulness and associate professor in medicine and psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, an adjunct professor at Yale University, a longtime meditator and has written a book called The Craving Mind. His research has shown him what leads to people [...]