Doing Life Together

Your best friend tells you how anxious she is. The natural response to this is to try and cheer her up. You tell her to calm down or get a grip on things. You tell her things could be worse. Your intentions are good. You want to be a good friend and cheer her on.…

In recent years. we have seen an uptick in the number of deaths by suicide. Suicide remains the leading cause of premature death.Yet, suicide is preventable. Therefore, we must think more carefully about ways to prevent it. One area of prevention involves media reporting. The World Health Organization has actually developed guidelines for media reporting…

One of the most surprising reveals these past few weeks was Kelly Clarkson’s announcement that she is divorcing. It was surprising because we heard stories of her marital happiness prior to the quarantine. Not that the public really knows what happens behind close doors, but we didn’t see this coming. The news report was that…

Enough of the video gaming! Stop asking me what I am doing all the time! Could you please help more with the kids! No I don’t want to watch another TV show!  We’re quarreling and becoming a bit on edge. All this confinement and isolation is getting to us. But are we aware of what is…

Fathers are needed to raise children. Their presence shapes a child for adulthood and sets the stage for adult relationships. Here’s why: Fathers who have good relationships with mothers spend more time with their children. They bring psychological and emotional health to their children in different ways than mothers. For example, fathers tend to push…

I was talking with one of my physician colleagues because a new article came out about COVID-19 transmission. Basically, it reinforced the fact that transmission is largely airborne. Masks are helpful in stopping the spread. Then I told her about my shopping experience. Most all the people in our relatively small town were out and…

You knew this question had to be asked. Let’s begin with the need for intimacy and closeness. After all, we are supposed to social distance at 6 feet or more. This virus spreads through contact with droplets from the nose, mouth, breath and saliva, even from people who do not have symptoms.  This means that asymptomatic…

I used to get up at 6:15 am, get ready for work, stop at the Starbucks drive though, pick up my coffee and head to work. I had a routine. It was comfortable and predictable. Now, that routine is gone. Routines are important because they provide structure and predictability. The disruption to routine is a…

These past weeks, many have witnessed community violence in their neighborhoods and cities. As a result, you may feel grief and even anger at these incidents. The reason for this is that grief involves loss. When violence is in a community you experience the loss of safety, the loss of trust in those who live…

Eating is a normal part of life, but when it becomes a focus or obsession, it can occupy your mind. When eating begins to control you, it’s time for a change. To stop emotional eating, use these 3 strategies: Identify the emotion associated with the urge to overeat. If you’ve learned to ignore your feelings, particularly…

More from Beliefnet and our partners