Michaela didn’t receive the grade she wanted on an exam in her history class, so she decided to study harder. She made an appointment with her teacher to make sure she understood what she needed to study. After a respectful conversation with her instructor, she made herself a new study schedule and decided to do … read more

You slept well, you’re getting ready for work, and then… you find a little surprise your dog left for you on the bathroom floor, your kids start bickering, you spill something on your shirt and have to change so now you’re late, there’s a traffic pile-up that makes you wait, fuming… By the time you … read more

Halloween is coming up, and people across the country are getting ready for the delicious thrill of creepy costumes, the sugar rush of Trick or Treat candy, and the sense of freedom produced by masks that hide our true identities. For some of us, none of this is thrilling. The costumes are scary, not fun, … read more

In 1954, Roger Bannister first ran a mile in four minutes — about 15 miles an hour. Before that time, no one had ever run that fast. Now, it’s considered a standard for male distance runners. That’s right. Before 1954, it was impossible. Now, it’s normal. This is what happens when people think outside the … read more

There are two places where you’re likely to experience criticism: first, in a room with someone who is criticizing you; second, in your mind after the criticism takes place, maybe over and over for an extended period of time. “I need to talk with you,” it could begin. “Some of your coworkers have spoken to … read more

Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of England during the war years of the 20th century, is known for his encouraging statements: “I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.” “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” “Attitude is a little thing … read more

You practice your sport to make sure that your body is in top form and your skills are the best they can be. Did you know that you should also practice relaxation? It’s easy to get overstimulated, overstressed, and overwhelmed, and those feelings can affect your performance. Relaxation is the solution. But it’s not a … read more

Emergency room physician and author Dr. Louis M. Profeta wrote about some of the interactions he had experienced with parents in the ER. “When I inform you as a parent that your child has just ruptured their ACL ligament or Achilles tendon,” he said, “if the next question out of your mouth is, ‘How long … read more

Socrates famously said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Looking back on our lives can show patterns in our choices. The times we wanted to speak up but didn’t. The times we decided to do something just once more. The times we accepted someone else’s valuation of us instead of appreciating ourselves. Recoginizing these … read more

“Personal growth.” It sounds so… personal. Like you should be able to do it all by yourself with the help of a couple of inspirational quotes or a self-help book. But sometimes having an objective helper can make your own work much more effective. With a trained counselor, you can identify priorities, get past obstacles, … read more