The Yogi Therapist

  Welcome and welcome back! I could say that year long break was because I was busy with work, school, the holidays, COVID, and the daily grind of life - which is true! The deeper truth is, I just haven't been making time for the things that I truly like to do. I've been checking off my "Have to" list and doing some self-care along the way, but haven't really been good about making the time for myself to do the things that really make me...well, me. I suspect that most of you haven't either which is why it's time for a real conversation about hobbies. The Concept Webster defines hobby as...blah blah blah. Okay, for real though. We all have a basic grasp on what a hobby is , but I honestly don't think we realize the importance of what a hobby does for us and our relationships. At this time, I'd like to refer you back to my blog posts on boundaries (https://theyogitherapist.blogspot.com/2020/08/boundaries-defining-and-protecting-me.html) and stress m...

       Welcome and welcome back! The title might sound a little counter-intuitive. It might even go against your beliefs about relationships and how they work. Conflict is a bad thing, right? That means we're arguing and angry. Conflict means our relationship isn't going well. Have no fear! Over the next couple of minutes, we're going on a roller coaster ride through false information about relationships and on to destination peace and harmony.  The Concept      Everything I talk about here is going to be directed at adult romantic relationships; however, the same principles can be applied with only slight modification to friendships, coworker relationships, family relationships, and so forth even down to your grocery store cashier. At its core, 'relationship' is just a word that means there is some type of connection between two things. According to Robert Sternberg, adult romantic relationships ideally consist of three things: passion (sex), com...

Hey, everyone! I know it's been awhile, but I'm excited to be back! I've spent the last year researching mindfulness, meditation, psychology (brains, behaviors, thoughts, emotions - the whole shabang), adult romantic relationships, and a bunch of other stuff! Believe it or not, I actually wrote a book about mindfulness. It's called Mindfulness and Me: A Practical Guide for Living. It's in publication now, but no release date yet - stay tuned for details! I know when people hear mindfulness there's usually one of two mental images - soccer moms doing yoga or Buddhist monks in orange robes sitting silently for hours. Speaking as a yoga/meditation teacher, mental health therapist, and psychologist, believe me when I tell you that mindfulness isn't just a fad. Let's take a closer look at why mindfulness is becoming so popular.  The Concept     Mindfulness is actually one translation of an ancient Indian word that is also sometimes translated as 'being in...