When I first heard that schools were closing due to COVID 19—indefinitely—and that parents would have to take over much of the teaching and entertaining, I thought (only half-jokingly) I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. Add to that the social distancing regulations, which nixed all playdates and trips to the playground, and the…

“What a difference a day makes.” This statement is never more true than it is during times of great uncertainty and change.   Uncertainty and change—two phenomena most of us find exceptionally difficult to manage. As humans, we much prefer business as usual. We like to know that what and whom we count on will…

I met Amy Champeau in Los Angeles. We both came to the Antioch MFA Creative Writing Program post- 50. Amy has had a rich life that informs much of her writing. From a divorce which led to homelessness to a successful psychotherapy practice, Amy has much to share on the page, and to my great…

“Gum,” Steven said in the car, while we were at a stop sign on Wyndmoor Way in Wyndmoor Village, the 55+ community we spent this past January and February. “Gum tickles my throat and makes me cough.”   I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt—now. I had said something that may have been unclear…

Last week, I interviewed an amazing woman–Greta Holt. A deeply devoted Mennonite, Greta’s religious beliefs inform her social activism. I became interested in learning more about Greta when I met her in a MasterMind group we both were a part of. I am grateful that our introduction at the MM also introduced me to her…

This month’s interview is with an amazing woman in her 70’s–Greta Holt. I met her in a MasterMind group I was in a few years ago and have been following her blog ever since. Greta is a Mennonite, and her religious beliefs inform her social activism. She does not just stand by and talk about…

Childhood bullying can have lasting effects on our self-esteem and relationships. Bullying, however, does not always end when we graduate middle or high school. Unfortunately, bullying can persist well beyond our childhood years, well into adulthood. I find we’re of two minds as a society when it comes to bullying. On the one hand, the…

It seems to me that the world is being taken over by bullies. Just spend five minutes on twitter, and you’ll find examples of strangers trying desperately to squash other strangers with hateful language just because they have a difference of opinion.   Bully Mentality Is Toxic   Then there are our world leaders. When…

I have spent countless hours “on the couch.” Therapy has saved my life on so many levels, so many times, that I can’t even imagine what my life would look like had I not had therapists to listen, challenge, and guide me as I’ve traveled this path called life. Nicola Mendenhall, an amazing woman I…

So … I have been really swamped lately—with work for students and work for myself. I put deadlines on my writing, and I haven’t been meeting them. I am thinking it’s part of the syndrome of believing things will take less time than they actually do. This delusion is a real “thing.” It’s called “planning…