by jmalouff | Feb 5, 2023 | Bereavement and Grief, Coping, Emotions, Psychotherapy
I am reading the autobiography of Billy Connolly. As a boy Billy was sexually abused for years by his father. Decades later, as his father lay dying from a stoke, Billy finally told his wife about the abuse. He broke down in tears and did not go in the hospital to see...
by jmalouff | Aug 1, 2021 | Bereavement and Grief, Emotions, Human Thinking and Behavior
I recently listened to a new song: Roger Ebert. I learned about the song from a Facebook post by the son of a man with a recently diagnosed deadly disease. The song is about the last words of Roger Ebert, famous movie critic, who died in 2013. Just before...
by jmalouff | Mar 15, 2021 | Emotions, Human Thinking and Behavior
The scientist in me wants to understand what other people are talking about. Let’s say I am curious. Once in a while I hear the expression “jumping the shark.” What the heck does that mean? With an Internet search engine ready to do my bidding, I quickly found the...
by jmalouff | Jan 21, 2021 | Emotions, Human Thinking and Behavior, Positive psychology
I recently read an article about a Spanish cross-country runner who did something unusual. An African runner who was well ahead of everyone else misinterpreted the location of the finish line and stopped too soon. The Spanish runner caught up to him and told him to...
by jmalouff | Jan 20, 2021 | Emotions, Human Thinking and Behavior, Positive psychology, Well-Being
Last night I thanked my immune system for doing so well. I have had very few infectious illnesses in my adult life. I also thanked my eyes for keeping my sight going. I have glaucoma, yet I see. Then I thanked my heart for beating zillions of times. I am a grateful...
by jmalouff | Jun 9, 2020 | Emotions, Mental health problems, pandemic
COVID-19 and government responses to it have created a high level of uncertainty. Will I get the virus? Will I lose my job (or my business)? Will my retirement savings ever go back up? We like uncertainty when we are reading a novel or playing a board game....