Few things in life are more pivotal than a shift of mind. This profound experience catalyzes defining moments that enable you to embark on exciting new paths. The following articles are devoted to that purpose.
- All
- Self Esteem
- Anxiety
- Parenting
- Depression
- Relationships
- Communication
- Quantum Perspectives
- New Thinking
To excel or to have fun? That …
I was recently having a conversation with a young man about his passion in certain sports. As we talked further it became very evident that…...
Read Full Post
The pathologizing of a culture
A young woman in her mid-twenties recently came in for her first visit with me. Three months earlier she had experienced her first bout of…...
Read Full Post
Why new year’s resolutio…
Year after year, so many people make New Year’s resolutions that over time wither and fade into another failed attempt to transform some aspect...
Read Full Post
The Paradox of Expectations
Beginning a new year often brings forth a review of our expectations and I thought it might be a good idea to briefly examine this… Continue...
Read Full Post
Looking at greed as an addicti…
Looking at Greed as an Addictive Dysfunction The saga of the Bernard Madoff debacle, AIG bonuses and the host of other repugnant behaviors actually...
Read Full Post
Doing the best you can
Is it always a good idea to do the best you can do? Moreover, can we ever be sure that it’s really our best? These questions came up recently in a
Read Full Post
Coming into Balance
I recently broke my foot, a fracture that occurred as I missed a step on my front porch. The break occurred on the outside part of my foot- the fifth
Read Full Post
Turning Crisis into Opportunit…
Crises come into our lives, no matter how we may try to avoid them. They are troubling, unwanted experiences or events that take us out way out of
Read Full Post
Stuck in a Groove
For those of us old enough to remember vinyl records, we might recall that when there was a scratch on the album, the needle would sometimes get
Read Full Post
Breaking Free from Your Comfor…
Our Most Intimate Relationship The most intimate relationship we will have in our lives is not with our parents, our spouses, our children or
Read Full Post
What Is a Mistake?
My previous post, “The Problem with Perfection,” unraveled some of the mythology and beliefs about notions of perfection that limit and impede
Read Full Post
Coming into the Edge……
I was in the middle of a challenging stretch in a yoga class recently, when the instructor encouraged us to come into the edge. Move beyond the
Read Full Post
The 5% Rule — Breaking T…
Early in my career as a therapist, I found myself feeling frustrated in my ability to assist a couple with whom I was working. They were
Read Full Post
Mastering Your Communication S…
Mastering your Communication Skills: Breaking Through to the Other Side A Real-Time, Interactive, Online Workshop To enjoy resilient
Read Full Post
For the Sake of the Children
I’ve often heard people in conflicted and unhappy marriages claim that they are staying together for the sake of the children. Their implied
Read Full Post
Raising Resilient Children
As parents, no matter how devoted and nurturing we may be, our children often struggle with low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and a host of other
Read Full Post
Shared Meaning
We take for granted that our words convey exactly what we intend them to. This is a particularly misinformed assumption. I have observed that upon
Read Full Post
To excel or to have fun? That …
I was recently having a conversation with a young man about his passion in certain sports. As we talked further it became very evident that he would
Read Full Post
Getting Unstuck: Overcoming An…
In any given year approximately 40 million Americans will suffer from a debilitating encounter with anxiety. Over the course of your lifetime,
Read Full Post
Raising Resilient Children
As parents, no matter how devoted and nurturing we may be, our children often struggle with low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and a host of other
Read Full Post
Overcoming Anxiety: Turning Yo…
Overcoming Anxiety A LIVE Interactive Videoconference Learn to turn your thoughts into your ally! 3 Wednesday evenings — 7:15-8:30 PM
Read Full Post
Rethinking Anxiety
When a dysfunction such as anxiety – or depression, for that matter – becomes so commonplace, we must turn to our culture, which is our aggregate
Read Full Post
Low Self-Esteem: A Missed Diag…
According to the National Institute of Health, one in every two Americans will ultimately be diagnosed with some form of mental illness. What’s
Read Full Post
Creating Resilient Relationshi…
The wonder of first meeting and falling in love is in part due to the curiosity and passion of learning about each other. Regrettably, over time most
Read Full Post
What Do We Mean by “Movi…
We recently announced a new feature at A Shift of Mind called the Question of the Week. The following is my response to Louise, who wrote: "People
Read Full Post
Getting Past the Right or Wron…
In the previous post we looked at how dominant the motif of seeking to be right is in our culture. It is one of the most singular influences on our
Read Full Post
Why Is it so Important to Be R…
One of the most prevalent – and damaging – themes in our culture is the need to be right. It’s one of those essential memes that we take for
Read Full Post
The 5% Rule
Learning to remain present and not get drawn into the right or wrong argument requires a willful intention to come out of the groove of an old habit.
Read Full Post
Are We Really Speaking about t…
How often have you felt frustrated in conversations as if you were each talking about a different thing? That's because you were... To experience
Read Full Post
Be the Change You Seek in the …
Few things are as common to our relationships as our asking for, if not demanding, change from one another. These may begin as requests and over time
Read Full Post
Being Heard: Breaking Through …
In my last post, Silence: A Relationship Killer, we explored the ruinous consequences that intentional silence has on relationships. Silence is
Read Full Post
Silence: A Relationship Killer
Over the many years that I’ve been practicing therapy, I’ve found that couples that are struggling in their relationships often succumb to the
Read Full Post
A Radical Reality
To this day, quite possibly the most provocative, if not astounding, discovery of modern science remains relatively obscure to the general public.
Read Full Post
#132 Quantum Physics and Psych…
[powerpress] The Possibility Podcast with Mel Schwartz episode 132 is a bonus episode: an interview I gave Dwight Hurst on The Broken Brain
Read Full Post
Breaking Free From the Groove …
Those of us old enough to remember vinyl records-notwithstanding their recent comeback-might recall that when there was a scratch on the album, the
Read Full Post
Change a Word—Change Your Li…
Many years ago, I’d often fall into a recurring disagreement with my former wife. At bedtime I’d frequently find myself saying, “It’s hot in
Read Full Post
Breaking the Cycle of Negativi…
Too often, when we encounter challenges and conflict in our primary relationships we tend to spiral down very quickly. When we’re in this down
Read Full Post
Why We Suffer From Anxiety and…
In any given year approximately 40 million Americans will suffer from a debilitating encounter with anxiety. Over the course of your lifetime,
Read Full Post
Real Esteem
Self-worth, self-esteem. What do they really mean? Being rich, being popular, Great grades, being followed, Captain of the team Still
Read Full Post
Turning the Tide Of Negativity…
I find it troubling that our inclination toward criticizing one another, particularly in familial or committed partnerships, overwhelms our
Read Full Post
Our Words Matter
I've been struck by how often our words fly by each other without any real sincerity to them. Have you noticed how punctuated and meaningless our
Read Full Post
Becoming Your Authentic Self
What does it mean for someone to be truly authentic? And how many people do you know actually fit that description? Do you feel that you’re
Read Full Post
Rethinking Relationships
One of the primary problems we encounter in our relationships is due to how we envision them. Conventional advice regarding relationships and
Read Full Post