Have you ever been really excited to see a movie your friend told you was “the best movie ever” and been sorely disappointed? Or planned to drive somewhere expecting the traffic to be awful and then it was actually a breeze? Do you think your expectations of the event impacted your experience of it? We […]
Do you need to turn down an invitation for Thanksgiving this year? California is “sounding the alarm” on the spread of COVID, and Dr. Sara Cody (Santa Clara County Public Health Officer) has described eating around a table with people outside of our own household a “very high risk activity.” If you know you want […]
As a therapist in private practice, I am comfortable discussing a wide variety of life stressors. To be honest, right up until COVID-19 sent us all home, I felt I had more than a reasonable handle on exploring grief. What I am realizing is this particular flavor of grief is more nuanced than any other […]
Are you struggling with sleep? Insomnia is defined by having persistent problems falling and staying asleep. You might not usually have insomnia, but if you’re having difficulty sleeping right now, there are some things you can do to improve your sleep! Many (most) of us are trying to adjust to new schedules, working from […]
By Ellen Ross, PsyD I’ve been talking to many people over the past two weeks as our lives became dramatically different in a short period of time. Many people are feeling anxious. Anxiety can be unpleasant, painful, and overwhelming. While most people wouldn’t choose to feel anxiety, we’re living through a global pandemic. It’s okay […]
It’s December. We’re in the thick of it. There’s shopping to be done, there are 100 reasons to run to the store and fight the crowds. There’s planning to accomplish and commitments to be managed. The days are shorter AND it feels like it’s been raining for an eternity here in San Jose. You might […]
Let us focus our attention on a simpler time, 2006 to be exact prior to the invention of the iPhone. Back when meals with friends and family were more about being together and less about taking selfies of our food. We called our family on phones that were in the house, in some cases […]
By Ellen Ross, PsyD Last week, Shari wrote about The Most Wonderful Stressful Time of the Year. She shared some strategies like saying ‘no’ and talked about how preparation is key (if you missed it, check it out!) These months can feel overwhelming to manage, with the time change, shorter days, and busier schedules. What […]
Happy Holidays! Let’s agree that the pressure of this time of year can take away from the meaning of the season, replacing it with stress and anxiety. How I long for the good old days of my youth, where it was customary to wait until Black Friday to officially engage in holiday ciaos, um […]
