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Are You in the Zone? For some people, a change of plans, scenery, or life-style is exciting, and welcome. However, for many of us, change comes with some resistance or fear. Stepping out of our comfort zone requires delving into the unknown, risking failure, and being embarrassed. Change Can Be Bad for Your Health In the late 60’s, psychiatrists Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe examined t... [More]

Those Catchy Emotions: It is Friday, and we are excited for the weekend. That is, until we run across that one person who can always find the dark cloud on a sunny day. No matter how determined we are to try to avoid them, it seems that something about them just zaps our excitement, and makes us feel grumpy or sad. How is it that our moods seem to be contagious, and we take on the emotions of t... [More]

It’s 11pm. Now 12am. Now 1am. Now 2am. Now 3am. And you still haven’t fallen asleep. During those sleepless hours, you might feel like the whole world is asleep – except you. But you are not alone. In 2010, it was reported that the demand for sleeping pill prescriptions boosted by 60% in the United States.[1] Moreover, one in three Americans has difficulties falling asleep, and... [More]

A couple of months ago, our neighbor knocked on the door of apartment 24. She had never done so before, so she had no idea who would answer it. That person happened to be me. She quietly sighed with relief – probably thankful that I was not a grumpy scrooge in a shabby robe that had just been awoken by a total stranger on a Saturday morning. Then she sheepishly asked, “Do you happen to... [More]

Raising kids can be challenging for any parent at times, but being a single parent brings some unique challenges to the equation. In addition to the stress and heartache that a separation of any kind can cause, single parents are limited to a single income potential, and have less time to spend with their kids, as well as all the same responsibilities that come with a 2 parent household. Add t... [More]

You walked the stage on the day of your high school graduation. But will you do it this time around? Though many bright-eyed university students walk onto campus filled with hopes dreams, not all of them leave with a degree. The university dropout rate is 16% in Canada.[1] In the United States, the situation is even worse: a mere 53% of American students actually walk the stage.[2] There are m... [More]

Social Creatures We humans are social animals. Our minds and bodies are wired to socialize for good reason. As a species, we use our socialization to solve problems, find safety, and survive. Every now and then, of course, we need a break from the social pack, and to retreat to a more quiet state of solitude, but what happens when that solitude becomes isolation? Sometimes we feel alone, even ... [More]

Would you call it “progress” if our society outlawed homeschooling under the threat of having licensed social workers and police raid your home and forcibly take your children away? This is not only possible in some countries in Europe, but has just actually happened. We were disturbed to read of a recent event in Germany where a home was raided with a battering ram, a team of armed ... [More]

Back to School Series: Technology and the internet have changed how we communicate, how we learn, and how we take care of business. It has given us new ways to create, and experience the world around us. Unfortunately, some of the ways we have used technology to evolve are very negative. In the 2008/2009 school year, 20% of students experienced bullying by electronic means, and 28% experience... [More]

Back to School Series: Bullying and being bullied is not a part of growing up. Bullying is not “kids being kids.” Being bullied is not a rite of passage. Over time, psychologists have come to understand just how damaging bullying behaviors can be to children, and into adulthood. Kids who are bullied are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, sadness, loneliness, changes i... [More]