Posts by Laura K. Schenck, Ph.D., LPC
Alcohol Weakens Your Brain’s “Alarm” to Making Mistakes
“First you take a drink , then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you.” – Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald Have you ever seen an otherwise intelligent and comptent individual do embarrassing or stupid things while drinking? Most of us have either experienced or witnessed such an event, and it is almost not terribly…
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7 Teachings to Navigate through Major Life Changes
“All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.” – Anatole France Change can be a frightening prospect, even when it is positive change that we have invited into our lives. When life…
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Stop Self-Sabotage for Good – Part Two
“But I do nothing upon myself, and yet I am my own executioner.” – John Donne In my last post, “Stop Self-Sabotage for Good – Part One,” I explored two main types of self-sabotaging behaviors identified in the October 2011 issue of Psychology Today: dodging emotions and procrastination. We all engage in various forms of…
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Stop Self-Sabotage for Good – Part One
“Self-destruction is the effect of cowardice in the highest extreme.” – Daniel Defoe Have you had the experience of shooting yourself in the foot? How about stabbing yourself in the back? Often times, the enemy that we least expect to do us harm lies within. We have all had the experience of getting in our…
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12 Steps to Becoming Less Fearful of Emotions
“Feelings are much like waves, we can’t stop them from coming but we can choose which one to surf.” – Jonatan Mårtensson When emotions seem overwhelming or painful, it is a natural response to want to avoid these emotions as much as possible. After all, who would “want” to feel angry, sad, or anxious? The paradox…
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15 Traits of the Most Desirable Romantic Partners
“The heart has its reasons which reason knows nothing of.” – Blaise Pascal How can you tell the difference between the type of romantic partner that no one wants to let go and the one that no one is sad to see leave? In other words, what are the traits of the “keepers” in long-term…
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Mindfulness Meditation Regulates Alpha Rhythms
“Meditation brings wisdom; lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.” – Buddha The positive benefits of mindfulness meditation can be incredibly far reaching, affecting many areas of your life. Many people who regularly engage in a mindfulness practice…
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5 Steps to Full Consciousness
“He who experiences the unity of life sees his own self in all beings, and all beings in his own self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye.” – Buddha We all experience different forms of consciousness in our daily lives. Consciousness is experienced as a vast spectrum of awareness, ranging from completely unconscious…
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Self-Affirmation Breaks the Cycle of Social Insecurity
“Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. What if they are a little course, and you may get your coat soiled or torn? What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled up in the dirt once or twice. Up…
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4 Factors that Make Life Meaningful
“Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” – Hans Christian Anderson A meaningful life bestows us with a deep sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. One does not just stumble upon a meaningful life… it is created through diligent work, habits, and chosen direction. While it takes effort and…
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