Parents often tell me they don't understand why their preteens react over "nothing" or why their teens are so disrespectful and "in your face." Teenage emotions run the gamut. They can range from elation to depression, from giddiness to gloom, from sullenness to intense anger, and quickly from pouting to a blowup. So how does a parent help a teen deal with their emotions effectively?

Teaching emotional intelligence to teens is a monumental task given their raging hormones, a brain still under construction, school pressures, peer influence, cultural mixed messages, and tech addiction. It's no [...]

Everyone is familiar with the 19th-century fairy tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. As you remember, in this story the queen boldly asks her mirror, "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" She is outraged when the mirror answers that her stepdaughter Snow White is the fairest, and the queen sets out to destroy Snow White.

Wouldn't it be great to have a mirror that would answer your life questions?

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Every day presents us with dozens of challenges to our inner peace and emotional well-being. At any moment, the unexpected can disrupt our lives. Some situations only tug at our hearts, while others can quickly trigger us to react in anger and upset. Whether we're faced with an irate boss, a tired and crabby spouse, or a whining child, our response determines the outcome of all communication. 

Estimated reading: 3 minutes

Why is it so difficult for people to ask for help? Is it because we associate asking for help with vulnerability, with being weak, with not being enough?

Everyone's experience is unique, but vulnerability doesn't come easy for many people.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Do you find yourself saying "yes" when you really want to say "no"? Do you end up doing more than your share at home or at work? Do your needs come last—after your husband or wife, your children, work, community service, in-laws, siblings, and friends? If you answered yes to even one of these questions, you need to strengthen your boundaries.

Empathy. Tolerance. Understanding. All these key ingredients are essential in thriving families and communities. 

It was unfamiliar terrain. I walked in the early morning sun of Tucson, Arizona. One figure captivated my attention: a magnificent cactus that was 150 years old. This Giant Saguaro Cactus was home to many birds and a multitude of insects; it was a bustling beehive of purposeful activity. Single-handedly, it supported a whole community, providing shade, food, and shelter. This environment created by a cactus organically is something that we, as humans, struggle with, regardless of [...]