Posts by Laura K. Schenck, Ph.D., LPC
Set Realistic Goals for the New Year
“The great and glorious masterpiece of man is to know how to live to purpose.” – Michel de Montaigne As you begin to live your life in 2012, ask yourself how you might be able to make successful New Year’s resolutions this year. How might your personally chosen goals for yourself have a greater chance…
Read More
Stop Denying & Start Accepting
“I care not so much what I am to others as what I am to myself. I will be rich by myself, and not by borrowing.” – Michel de Montaigne What do you really want? Take a moment to reflect on the things, people, and events in life that you want more than anything else. Allow…
Read More
How to Write a Gratitude Journal
“Reflect on your present blessings, on which every man has many, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” – Charles Dickens As humans, we are wired to hold onto and remember things that are negative rather than things that are positive. The ability to remember unpleasant information positively impacts our ability…
Read More
3 Paths to Happiness
“The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make heaven of Hell, and a hell of Heaven.” – John Milton How do we know when we are happy? We spend an enormous amount of time and energy trying to surround ourselves with people, material goods, and activities that we believe will make us feel…
Read More
Meaningful Experiences Make You Happier Than “Stuff”
“You cannot help but learn more as you take the world into your hands. Take it up reverently, for it is an old piece of clay, with millions of thumbprints on it.” – John Updike Do you remember all (or any) of the presents that you unwrapped at Christmas five years ago? How about ten…
Read More
Use Mindfulness to Cope with Holiday Stress
“Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.” – A.A. Milne The holidays are a busy and emotionally laden time of the year for many people. There is a tendency to become easily reminded of holiday memories from years long past,…
Read More
4 Essential Elements of a Successful New Year’s Resolution
“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.” – Benjamin Franklin Most of us begin to think about New Year’s resolutions as we near the end of each year. This can be an optimistic time of earnest reflection on habits that…
Read More
How to Challenge Cognitive Distortions – Part Two
“The world we have created is a product of our thinking; it cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” – Albert Einstein In my last post, “How to Challenge Cognitive Distortions – Part One,” we began to explore some common types of cognitive distortions and the accompanying challenge(s) to each. Just about all of us…
Read More
How to Challenge Cognitive Distortions – Part One
“No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.” – Voltaire Our experience itself is not responsible for how we feel… it is our thoughts that assign meaning to and interpret our experience. These meanings and interpretations – the stories we tell ourselves – result in the experience of emotion. We all have an enormous…
Read More
How to Apply Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills
“Let us never negotiate out of fear. But, let us never fear to negotiate.” – John F. Kennedy In our relationships with others, we inevitably need things from them at times just as they need things from us at other times. The exchanges that we have with others about how to get our own needs…
Read More