Thinking Out Loud

Those Dreaded Words: Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression are not feelings, they are states. That may sound like mincing words, but it’s an important distinction, especially when we’re talking with children about their feelings and concerns.  Read More

Talking About Each Other

It’s what we do. We talk about each other, yet we don’t like it when we know that others are talking about us, “talking behind my back.” Sometimes we worry that what someone might be saying is something they wouldn’t say directly to us. This may well be true and that thought makes us feel bad. Read More

Absorbing Energy

Empathy is tricky business; it’s also natural and part of being social creatures. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that someone has empathy because what they see happening is very different from what you see. Empathy, however, is part of us all even though we feel it, have it, and express it (differently).  Read More

Is It Okay To Hurt Other People?

Is it okay to hurt others? No, not to deliberately be mean and to intentionally cause hurt but sometimes it is necessary to bring up a topic or issue that we know may hurt or upset the other person. And because we know that person’s feelings may get hurt, we are reluctant to begin a conversation where that is likely to occur. Read More