Sometimes when we hear someone talk about “the arts,” the images that pop to mind might include folks in formal dress gazing snootily at something highbrow. When we think about the arts in that way, they can seem really exclusive—only for the rich, the cultured, the well-connected. But the arts are all around us all...Read More

Let’s talk support strategies. You might be familiar with mystery grab bags—especially if you are a collector of one type or another. A mystery grab bag is a collection of things related to a theme but perhaps not completely related to one another. For example, comic book shops sometimes offer grab bags of back issues....Read More

As the release of the long-awaited Top Gun: Maverick has amply demonstrated, many people have an appetite for exciting stories about the military. That’s understandable. After all, movies like Top Gun and its sequel are bursting with heroism and bravado and amazing feats of derring-do. Viewers get to imagine themselves as part of that group...Read More

We all have plenty to worry about. Day in and day out, we have stressors at home, at work, in our communities, in our country, and around the world. Problems build on problems, and solutions are slow in coming. So it is only natural that many of us feel a sense of anxiety from time...Read More

Have you heard the terms “fixed mindset” and “growth mindset”? They are in the air quite a bit these days. To be honest, both phrases sound like the worst kind of corporate jargon. “Well, boss, if we shift from our outdated fixed mindset approach to leveraging a best practice by making a growth mindset a...Read More

Imagine you are back in high school. Your English teacher has just revealed the next assignment: a five-paragraph essay on the book you most recently read in class (you read the book, right?). How do you feel about this assignment? Are you excited by the prospect of putting your thoughts down on paper? Are you...Read More

Many people who struggle with mental health disorders feel a sense of shame or embarrassment. That is a natural result of the stigma that society has often attached to mental illness. Fortunately, that stigma is slowly but surely being met with common sense, respect, and kindness as more and more people recognize that mental health...Read More

The Overwhelming Nature of Life’s Decisions Sometimes you can know something with great certainty but still be wholly uncertain of how to proceed. Consider, for example, a job search. You may be absolutely certain that you are unhappy in your current position. Your boss might be difficult, your coworkers might be lazy, or your skills...Read More

The Chaos of the School Year Is Coming to a Close During the school year, it can feel like your family is just barely hanging on. Everyone is so busy all of the time. The adults have their jobs while the adolescents have homework and activities ranging from band performances and football games to debate...Read More

Relaxation Is Important to Your Mental Health Have you ever heard someone say, “Don’t yuck my yum”? It’s a catchy bit of wordplay that has a simple meaning: Don’t tell me all the reasons you think I shouldn’t like this thing that I like. We all know people who love to yuck other people’s yum,...Read More