It’s not over yet. Layers of stress and fear have been laid down for more than a year. Regardless of the specifics (case count, vaccines, masks/no masks, etc.), few people will be able to flip the positive switch. The next year (at least) is shaping up to be a process. If nothing else, it will be a slow transition. All of this adds up to an ongoing … [Read more...]

If you’re unsure about a product, at least you can read the label before you buy it. However, there are times when certain ingredients are invisible. They play a major role but you may not even know they are present. Case in point: racial bias in healthcare. The world of medical professionals strives to give equal care — in theory. … [Read more...]

We live in an age when words like "traumatized", "anxious", and "depressed" have become common descriptors for far too many of us. And the phrase "global pandemic", on its own, aptly describes how we got here. However, the past year or so has also provided a seemingly endless succession of life-altering events. For example, the patchwork of … [Read more...]

We’ve heard plenty of talk about “unprecedented times” and a “new normal” for nearly two years. Unfortunately, this includes an increased amount of anxiety for pretty much everyone. Still, anxiety, it is important to note, can be a very positive presence in everyone’s life. Over the several months, anxious feelings probably guided you into … [Read more...]

After a day's worth of events — good, bad, and indifferent — you look forward to slowing down in the evening. It would be nice to relax. Yet, too often, it just doesn't happen. After work or school, you may notice it seems like nighttime is the time when anxiety overwhelms your lowered mental defenses. And frustratingly, a host of intrusive … [Read more...]

You could not be blamed for seeing 2020 as THE year of uncertainty. Our health, our income, and our very way of life seem to be under threat and very much in flux. What if I told you that uncertainty is our constant companion regardless of pandemics, elections, and civil unrest? Every moment is chock full of possibilities — good, bad, indifferent. … [Read more...]