Along with the holiday coping tips article in the November/December print edition, below are a handful of mood boosters you can use during the holiday season or anytime you need a little boost. MORNING Slow Breaths When you first open your eyes, slowly inhale through your nose for five seconds, then slowly exhale through your mouth for four seconds. Repeat ...

“Some things in life cannot be fixed; they can only be carried.” ― Megan Devine, author of It's Ok that You're Not Ok I’ve spent many years trying to make sense of my psychological and circumstantial struggles, ever on the lookout for “signs” that would clue me in to the reason for it all — the spiritual rationale, the big “why.”  ...

Empowered Optimism – The only kind that really works We hear a lot about the importance of keeping a positive attitude, a.k.a. being optimistic. Like gratitude, it’s an overused term that we’re told we must do if we’re going to “live our best life” and “shed the negative beliefs holding us back.” The question is, how? With numerous not-so-positive things ...

When Joel Seligman, the former president of Northern Westchester Hospital, returned from his vacation to China several years ago, he didn’t talk about the extraordinary Great Wall of China, the ancient Three Pagodas or even the numerous breathtaking mountains. What caught Seligman’s eye was something else entirely: seemingly everywhere he went, he noticed septuagenarians outside, moving, doing tai chi. It ...

Creating a “soul deep” self-care routine Sure, bubble baths are great, but real self-care is a daily routine that improves the quality of your life If you read the previous article on the what and why of “soul deep” self-care, you’re ready to move on to the actual doing. If you haven’t, please read that one first – it’s quick, ...

The term self-care gets bandied about quite a bit these days – here’s what you need to do before you can take care of yourself properly For many people “self-care” brings to mind the image of candlelit baths and aromatherapy massages. And while those are two stellar ways of caring for yourself, if you’re dealing with any kind of mental health challenge, ...

Have you ever tried to meditate? Were you successful? Or did you stop and think “I must be doing something wrong,” because your whole world didn’t magically change? Or your mind wandered? Perhaps you felt silly or uncomfortable?  There are a lot of myths surrounding meditation, so we sat down with Chappaqua resident Dan Harris, to dispel some of the ...

A chat with Alissa Gleacher, Ph.D., who treats children, adolescents and adults with anxiety, mood, behavior and school-related difficulties. By Gia Miller Illustrations by Tal Doron When we get behind the wheel of a car, it’s our anxiety that keeps us from running a stop sign. When we give a big presentation, it’s our anxiety that tells us to prepare ...

If you’re not already a meditator, you’ve likely met at least one person who recommend you give it a try. Even though it can seem a bit silly or unnatural at first, the more you do it, the more you’ll want to make it a part of your daily routine. And the more you’ll turn to it in moments of ...