On tackling pandemic social anxiety. — A friend recently asked me for some tips to help with her anxiety. She shared she was having a hard time preparing herself to go the store or to see friends in small gatherings. “It’s like I’ve forgotten how to act. …

Mind-altering changes and the scientific reasoning behind them. — “Kara? Kara! Hellooooo?” This is all too common an occurrence in my household. One minute my fiancé will have my complete, undivided attention and the next minute I’ve picked up my phone and fallen down the scroll-hole once again. Recently, his annoyance has become contagious; I’ve been noticing how much…

A guide in reverse — In my prior relationships, I was Queen Chameleon. I did whatever it took to cling helplessly to people, even if doing so caught me on fire. Denial was the name of the game. At best, I’d ignore my own feelings and not speak up. At worst, I’d turn a blind…

A straightforward guide to adopting a more optimistic outlook in areas where most people struggle. — “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” — Wayne Dyer Our interpretation of events — or “the story we tell ourselves”, as Brene Brown so aptly puts it — is often more important than the actual events themselves. …

Clouds rolling by in the sky. — Many of my sessions with clients struggling with anxiety start similarly: some variation of “I just want to stop feeling this way” or “How can I make my anxiety go away?” For the first few years of my career as a therapist, I focused on tips, techniques and tricks to…

And how to break free — Several years ago, I hit one of the biggest ruts of my life. After having just graduated a master’s program in social work, my hopes for a bright future were higher than the New York City skyscrapers. I’d landed a job through my internship in the healthcare system and while…

And why you deserve better — “Well, this job isn’t for everyone.” I was about 6 months into my first post-graduate salaried job at a behavioral health clinic and feeling overwhelmed. I’d come to a supervisor with a few concerns. I felt a general lack of clinical support around the complex cases I was assigned. In…

Spot the signs early on — This summer, my family and I managed to pull off our annual weekly beach trip. There were many new modifications to fit the circumstances, of course, but one tradition remained tried and true: my rookie mistake of not putting on sunscreen when it was cloudy and hazy. It’s all fun…

Set boundaries like a pro — We’ve all got one: the friend who convinces you to stay out until 3 am when you know you need 8 hours of sleep; the relative who insists you eat even when you repeatedly state you’re not hungry; the boss who asks if you can squeeze in “just one more…