Baths are an ancient healing practice in almost every culture around the world, from the hothouses of Scandanavia and banyas of Russia to mud baths in Ecuador, hot springs in New Zealand, and ancient Indigenous parajes of the American Southwest. The therapeutic use of water to soothe mental and physical ailments (also known as hydrotherapy), […]
Life Coaching
11 Helpful Tips for Optimizing Postpartum Nutrition, Recovery, and Healing
The postpartum period is one of life’s most truly challenging phases. Postpartum nutrition– aka nutrition during the first 40 days after delivering a baby– plays a huge role in how well new moms heal and prepare their bodies for this next critical phase of nurturing and developing along with their baby. Thus, it’s worth paying […]
6 Science-Backed Tips for Improving Mental Age
Innovative new studies show that how old we feel mentally has a huge impact on how well we fare, physically and mentally, as we age. You can, quite literally, think yourself into better health– and feeling younger. According to the latest research, the younger you feel, the longer you’ll live– or so the theory goes. […]
12 Things That Are Better Predictors of Happiness Than Money, “Success”, or Accolades
If happiness is all that matters at the end of the day, then why obsess over money and success when everything you need to be happy is already within your control? This is the premise of what I call the “Dirty Dozen” of Happiness: 12 key attributes, circumstances, and personal qualities that are better predictors […]
How To Use Glimmers (The Opposite of Triggers) to Relieve Stress
I first heard about glimmers and the concept of a “glimmers list” when somatic coach Sarah Baldwin mentioned them both in a tutorial about how anxious people can learn to understand and regulate their nervous system. After 10 years of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and about ~3 years of Somatic Therapy, I was surprised that this […]
9 Common Themes in Scary Dreams, and What They Mean for Mental Health
Oneiromancy is the Ancient Greek art of using dreams to interpret the future– and since this early period in civilization, society has maintained a persistent and often controversial obsession with using dream interpretation for mental health. Humankind has a long history of collective fascination with dreams– from early religious ceremonies to psychological thought leaders like […]
“Self-Care” vs. “Self Comfort” (And Why You Need Both)
Here’s a novel idea: consider that self-care alone might not be enough to truly resolve your inner feelings of stress and wellbeing. This is because many wellness experts talk about “self-care” when what most people really need is the ability to “self comfort.” Self-care is all the usual stuff— diet, exercise, meditation, time with friends, […]
80-Year Harvard Study Finds Key Secret to Meaningful Living
The key to a fulfilling life is not how successful you are, how much money you have, or even how healthy, lucky, or physically capable you are. According to recent studies, the most essential part of living a meaningful life has to do with relationships and love— nothing more, nothing less. As Fast Company reports, […]
A Simple Breakdown of The 5 Love Languages
About 25 years ago a marriage counselor named Dr. Gary Chapman wrote a now-iconic book called The 5 Love Languages (which, yes, you can buy on Amazon). Over two decades later, new generations of people continue to discover his concept of “the five love languages” and apply them to their lives and relationships. What is […]
5 Ways to Stop Emotional Eating, According to Experts
Emotional eating and impulse control is an aspect of feeding ourselves that is almost solely psychological. It’s a broadly interpreted term that means many different things. Boredom eating qualifies as emotional eating, as does stress eating and eating when you’re sad or scared. “Emotional eating is basically just eating for any reason other than physical […]