One of the most poignant things that I learned during my graduate work earning a masters degree in early childhood development was that when children prepare to move to the next stage of development, they have periods – often intense – of regression. Our daughter, a/k/a Suddenly Seven has had a slight (ok, not so… Continue reading Children's Series: 5 to 7 Year Shift
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Hope is the Thing – Emily Dickinson
Needle Phobia
When I was in nursing school, I used to ask my fellow student to practice drawing blood on me. I know it sounds sadistic, but my intention was a two-fold Silver Lining: I wanted to confront my personal fear of needles. I figured that the more times I was stuck, the more used to it… Continue reading Needle Phobia
Winds of March
When I lived in Chicago, March was always my favorite month of the year because it symbolized spring and gave me hope that the long winter would end. Every year I was quite delusional because winter doesn’t end in Chicago until sometimes June. March is still my favorite, Silver Lined month because in Santa Barbara, flowers… Continue reading Winds of March
Sunshine – Anthony J. D'Angelo
Caregiver Fatigue
As I wrote recently, caregiving can be a demanding and stressful experience, either personally or professionally. Sometimes I don’t think that caregivers get enough credit for what they do. “Caregiver fatigue” is a serious condition characterized by a gradual lessening of compassion over time. I know it sounds rotten, but I’ve seen it happen and… Continue reading Caregiver Fatigue
Hard Work – Steve Pavlina
Savoir Faire: The Making of a Chanel Couture Gown
The fabulous fashion of the Academy Awards has motivated me to share this amazing video illustrating the making of a Chanel Couture gown. Couture literally refers to the design and production of custom made garments. Though I’ve never owned a piece of couture, a couple of years ago I had the outrageously magnificent opportunity to… Continue reading Savoir Faire: The Making of a Chanel Couture Gown
The Road to Truth – Buddha
Silver Lining Lifelines
This month finds me in a very challenging period. I am working on a project that is all-consuming and full of blood, sweat and tears…literally. What I learned from my clinical work and now from my personal experience is that grief is reactivated. This process has triggered memories of my outrageously awful experiences during treatment. As… Continue reading Silver Lining Lifelines