TODAY AND TOMORROW Are you lonely? Loneliness comes in many forms. Isolation, social phobia, self-imposed retreat, lack of family or friends. The happiest people have a sense of community within their families, friends, neighborhoods, churches,…
JAPAN Part 2: CONVERSATIONS IN THE NOW In last week’s column, Japan Part 1: LIVING IN THE NOW, I wrote about letting go of the need to know the future. I learned that children…
JAPAN: Part 1: LIVING IN THE NOW I just returned from Nara Japan where I visited my pen pal, Yumiko (since 1978) and her family for my fourth time. They live in a valley of…
UN-CONDITONAL LOVE? People often ask me if I believe in un-conditional love. A love that has no conditons can be defined in many ways, but to me it means, “I love you no matter what.”…
DEAR DOCTOR KATHLEEN, I am 15 years old. My single Mom dates a lot and has screaming fights with her boyfriends and uses bad language. It is like she becomes another person. I love her,…
The Psychology of Animal Love Years ago, my little Gracie was a therapy dog at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Beverly Hills. Once a week, we would go to the Palliative Care floor. I would place…
The Psychology of Money Money = Freedom Money = Power Money = Control Money = Workaholic Behavior Money = Fear of Loss Money can mean all of these things. The Law of Scarcity says, “If…
KEEP A JOURNAL? WHY? When I was 11, I asked my parents for a diary, having just read “The Diary Of Anne Frank.” I had the remarkable gift of visiting her house in Amsterdam, many…
KEEPING TIME For those who think there in not enough time, this is a story to live by: “When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day is…
SPENDING FAST NO, I’m not writing about spending money quickly. I’m suggesting a spending fast: refraining from spending $$$$$$$$ for the next 30 days. OH NO!!!!!????? Does this make you nervous? Does this sound difficult?…
MANLY-MAN YOGA So why am I, a psychologist, writing about yoga? Because it works to heal anxiety and depression. Have you ever observed a baby holding his feet up in the air while lying on…
HOW TO PLAN YOUR OWN FUNERAL! “I don’t mind dying, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” Woody Allen pretty much summed up the common attitude toward death. We know it happens…
LETTER TO A PEDOPHILE Whenever I work with a victim of sexual abuse or molestation, I encourage them to write a letter to their abuser. Often their anger, guilt, shame, and sadness are overwhelming. They…
On Aging Everyday, at least one of my patients mentions aging. In their 20’s, they feel they have it all and feel sorry for people in their 30’s. In their 30’s, they talk about their…
DEAR DOCTOR KATHLEEN, I have suffered from an anxiety disorder since I was a teenager. Thankfully, I’m on the right medication and have a wonderful therapist. I haven’t had a panic attack in over a…
A NEW WAY OF BEING I can think of no better way to start 2012 than to pass on these anonymous words of wisdom. For those of you who may have missed this on…
WEEKENDS & WEDNESDAY NIGHTS Dear Doctor Kathleen, I am a divorced father of 2 little girls, ages 5 and 7. Fortunately, my ex-wife and I have an excellent relationship and work well co-parenting. The problem…
WHAT WILL YOU REMEMBER? After the presents are unwrapped, the dinners are eaten, and the songs are sung, what will you remember about this holiday season? Was all the stress and worry necessary? “What should…
“IN PRAISE OF IDLENESS” DEAR DOCTOR KATHLEEN, I have worked everyday of my life since I was 12.I was raised with a strong work ethic by hard-working parents. My brothers and I had jobs to…
HOARDING: IT’S NEVER ENOUGH Dear Doctor Kathleen, I love my husband very much but I moved out of our home 6 months ago because of his hoarding. To get from the front door to the…