Violence in our culture tends to be looked at through two lenses. In the first way, violence is glorified by popular culture. It should come as no surprise that parents and politicians have been complaining for decades about the nature of violent video games, television shows, movies, and so on. Violence, in these situations, is […]
May 1, or, “Beltane,” is a Day Rooted in History and Celebration
In the northeast part of the United States, Spring, which officially began on Thurs., March 19, 2020, has felt a little muted. First, most Americans have been given shelter-in-place orders by their respective states – limiting mobility and the freedom to move around outside – and, second, the weather up until now has been overcast […]
Yoga: The Rewards and Benefits
As shelter-in-place and self-quarantines continue, some individuals may be looking for activities to do right inside of their homes. Yoga is one such thing that is healthy, costs almost nothing, and helps your body and your mind. Of course, yoga has been around for thousands of years in various forms, can range from simple to […]
Inversion Therapy: What Is It? How Does It Work? Is It Safe?
Although it has little to do with psychology and more to do with, perhaps, chiropractic or physical therapy, inversion therapy – which consists of hanging upside down for a few minutes to relieve back pain – has been around for a long, long time. That said, however, some claim that there are some psychological benefits […]
What is Wellbeing?
Wellbeing is a concept that is murky at best. Most of us have a vague idea what wellbeing is, but perhaps few of us know how to define it. Does any person truly understand the components of wellbeing? According to authors Tom Rath and Jim Harter, in their book, “Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements,” wellbeing […]
Mindfulness and Meditation
Mindfulness and meditation are sometimes confused as being the same thing. They are, in fact, different . . . but sometimes they are alike. Mindfulness, or the ability to engage in deep focus, can be practiced anywhere. Meditation, on the other hand, is often practiced in a deliberate session, although there are different types of […]
What Your Posture Says About You
It took me a long time to understand that your posture can make or break you. For a long time, I used to think that “experts” discussing body language were engaging in a type of pseudoscience; however, I’ve come around to the idea that your posture affects how you see yourself as well as how […]
Being Alone Isn’t Always Bad: Coping Through Social Distancing. Pt. 2
Of course, by now, most of us in the United States and across the world have been impacted by the effects of COVID-19, if not by becoming sick or knowing someone who is sick, then by being placed under an order not to leave your house. And judging by the response on social media, some […]
4 Things to Do while Social Distancing
As many Americans (as well as many others around the world) begin to settle in to a new rhythm of life due to the Coronavirus, it may be time to asses our mental health. “Social distancing,” as it is called, may be good to help slow or stop the spread of the virus, social isolation […]
How Viruses Spread (and a little bit about their history)
Viruses, bacteria, and other microbes having been evolving along side of humans since the dawn of humanity. (In fact, microbes predate humans by billions of years.) But disease epidemics – situations where viruses and other microbes affect large numbers of people are relatively new, dating to about 10,000 years ago. Why 10,000 years ago? Because […]