Before becoming a psychologist, I always thought narcissism was a disorder of excessive self-love. This premise was likely based on hazy recollections of high school readings of Greek mythology, where Narcissus, known for his youthful beauty, spurns nymph Echo’s love and instead becomes so enamored with his reflection that he perishes from the unrequited romance.…
The pandemic has challenged children to face many different learning options. In New Jersey, some districts offer only virtual, some hybrid (a combination of virtual and in-person), and a small percentage of schools full in-person instruction. Many parents have expressed concern about their child’s ability to concentrate given the current restrictions placed on traditional educational…
That’s not a misprint or a joke. I’m not sadistic (as far as I know), so please bear with me. To briefly set the stage: it is October of 2020, and the dizzying array of stressors associated with 2020 continues unabated. COVID-19, political unrest, racial tensions, economic insecurity, and their downstream consequences have resulted in…
Before you think there is a new diagnosis being hoisted on the public, please be rest assured that “depressive dystopia” is my term for how I view our current collective condition. COVID life has helped create a societal malaise that has pushed our emotional tolerances to a state of constantly uncomfortable surrealism. Sometimes it feels…
It is often said that parenting is not for the faint of heart. Parents face many difficult decisions and dilemmas when raising their children, only made more challenging by the instant gratification that technology brings to their world. As a parent of three girls, I often struggle with the role that technology plays in their…
One of my favorite times of day is the ride home from work. Not just because work is over, but because I get to do one of my favorite things, listen to music. Like many of us, I enjoy different types of music. What I choose is often linked to my mood or my activity…
“If there’s a heaven for me, I’m sure it has a beach attached to it.”-Jimmy Buffett Some of my fondest childhood memories are of summers at the beach. To this day, the smell of saltwater and the sand beneath my feet makes me smile. My favorite vacations are beach vacations, and if I ever win…
Life has been challenging these past few months. We have been experiencing social isolation, worries about financial stability, health, loss of loved ones, our children’s education, and cancellation of significant life events. Many of the activities that bring us joy during difficult times, like travel, sports, theater, concerts, and dining out, have also been put…
In the last ten weeks of this global pandemic, the world has changed, and loss and grief have become surprisingly ubiquitous. People have lost jobs and businesses, children have lost their typical school days, proms, graduations, team sports, shopping outings, carefree vacations, wedding celebrations…all lost. A favorite expert of mine on healing and loss, David…
As we all attempt to make sense of our world’s current state, there’s a concern for the health and well-being of adolescents. Students are missing milestones, rites of passage are being glossed over, and we hear tales of woe, particularly from high school seniors. Most adolescents are feeling disappointed with how 2020 is panning out,…