Birthing The Soul

October 18, 2018.Reading time 6 minutes.

I stuff down the cookies as if the faster I eat the more I can distance myself from the misery that has bubbled to the surface. “Write about it,” my psychologist suggests as she ushers me out of the door, our session having run past the allotted time. I told her about the weekend I […]

Re-Focusing Attention

October 7, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

The past week has been very draining on many levels. I know others have felt it, as well. The surge of emotional and psychological upset has taken its toll on my physical well-being. I spent the morning in bed, and part of the afternoon, and then, since the rain was holding off, I asked Ric […]

Set a time limit on negativity.

October 5, 2018.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Originally posted on Thriving Under Pressure:
Time is in such short supply. The sooner we appreciate its value, the better life becomes. When I was a kid my mom set the egg timer for almost everything we did; whether it was how long we spent doing our homework, weeding the garden, watching television, or complaining…

Trauma’s Shadow is Rage

September 22, 2018.Reading time 3 minutes.

“…he had always been popular and happy and things had always worked out.” (Holly LeCraw, The Swimming Pool) I close the book, feeling the rage shifting just below my sternum. It’s the second time this week […]

Finishing Foundations

September 9, 2018.Reading time 3 minutes.

I turned to God when my foundation was shaking, only to find that God was shaking my foundation. – unknown I’ve carried this quotation with me since my early thirties, a time when the bottom fell out of my life and I fell into a deep abyss of depression and mental breakdown (or breakthrough, as […]

Point of View In Dream Study

August 17, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

I’m on a field trip with several classes of middle school students. We are attending a local theatre to watch a live performance. One boy, in particular, is concerning me. He misbehaves regularly and needs constant monitoring. I rotate between the balcony and the main floor keeping an eye on students and come upon the […]

Hidden Messages

August 10, 2018.Reading time 3 minutes.

“I’m not as smart as you. I’d probably be okay if I was smarter.” “That’s not true, June. You are very smart.” “Do you really think so?” My sister and I are doing dishes after supper. June suffers from paranoid schizophrenia. “You got 96% in your nursing program,” I remind her. “Intelligence is not your […]

In Search of Peace

Path to peace is circuitous – having been modeled unrest, schooled in denial… Expectation envisions a grassy peninsula – gently rolling greens and tranquil blue waters – predictability that lulls I am accustomed to together – the perpetual state of empathic measuring – one’s values aligned to another’s emotional indicator Looking outward, I contemplate; force-feed […]

Absence

Slippers, perched at night stand, twitching impatiently, mark the absence of feet, cannot appreciate the meaning of unruffled bed covers. Abandoned, a coffee mug bemoans its curdling contents, complains of thick brown lines contaminating its porcelain shine, has not noted absence of hands. Chair, pushed back from desk, in partial rotation, sits awkwardly, commanding attention, […]

Of Flow and Fear

A river of people move motivated by preservation, hands tightly grasping hands, a prayer for union in the midst of unfathomable hardship – they sacrifice for a promise of safety, a chance to ensure a productive life, hope. Politicians stand on the banks Casting stone-words, clouding the surface of intent, distorting agendas, interpretations – ripples […]

One Woman's Quest II

Category: psychology