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…...
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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…...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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#131 Do You Nurture Yourself?
[powerpress] The Possibility Podcast with Mel Schwartz episode 131 asks a simple question: How is your relationship with yourself? The most
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The Problem with Perfection
In recent years, I’ve treated increasing numbers of individuals who are driven to distraction through their pursuit of perfection. The desire
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Real Esteem
Self-worth, self-esteem. What do they really mean? Being rich, being popular, Great grades, being followed, Captain of the team Still
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“Who am I?” Is the…
Many of us ask ourselves the age-old question, "Who am I?"This question presumes there might be a plausible answer, as if our identity could- or
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Designing Your Life – Fr…
Throughout our life most of our attention is focused on matters that are pertinent to us since they impact us significantly. When we were young we
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Mastering Your Communication S…
Mastering your Communication Skills: Breaking Through to the Other Side A Real-Time, Interactive, Online Workshop To enjoy resilient
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Is Our Society Manufacturing D…
An Epidemic of Depression Our society is in the throes of a virtual epidemic of depression. The numbers are quite staggering. More than twenty
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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
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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 anxiety
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Do not measure thyself!
In my work as a psychotherapist I often see individuals who are plagued by a relentless measuring of themselves. These people carry on an internal
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Coming into Balance
A few summers ago I broke my foot, the fracture occurring as I missed a step on my front porch. The break occurred on the outside part of my foot —
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Does Familiarity Breed Contemp…
The expression "familiarity breeds contempt" is all too familiar. Yet, as the case with many common sayings, we might benefit from taking a look at
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Marriage: Work or Play?
Most marriages and primary relationships these days tend to focus more on expediency and structure than on substance and content. In a culture that
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Commitment
Why Do We Mean by Commitment? What does the word commitment suggest? It usually evokes a strong sense of intention and focus. It typically is
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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#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
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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
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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
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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
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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,
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#133 Possibility and Quantum P…
[powerpress] The Possibility Podcast with Mel Schwartz episode 133 is another bonus episode: a conversation you may not have heard between Christian
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#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
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Igniting Your Change Process
We’re all familiar with the expression, “If I could only live my life over.” We obviously cannot get a redo over what has past, but we can
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Getting Beyond “How Does…
Traditional therapy is often a blend of inquiry and validation, followed by the time-honored refrain, “How does that make you feel?” While
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Over-Simplifying Equals Dumbin…
The problem is not what we think, it’s how we think. Our thinking inclines toward gross over-simplifying. This habit leads to a mindless dulling
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