Caregivers, both professional and personal, often suffer from compassion fatigue — a syndrome also known as “secondary trauma stress.” But navigating any close, personal relationship also can lead to emotional stress and burnout. As a self-described fo… Continue reading
Have you ever noticed it seems to take a life-threatening health incident, like a heart attack, before people will change their everyday eating or exercise habits? According to the two experts interviewed for this story, it’s an all-to-common phenomeno… Continue reading
Not too long ago, a dear friend’s dad suffered a major heart attack and died. At the funeral, there was little time for more than a brief exchange of words. But, given my background in grieving support and education, I wanted to offer some advice to he… Continue reading
Looking for relief from garden-variety stressors? Feeling mired in one of life’s larger challenges? Weary of sweating the small stuff? The recently published results of a five-year study show that people who learn stress-intervention skills — and then … Continue reading
(This article appeared previously in Kaiser Health News.) A common myth about aging is that older adults are burdened by illness and feel lousy much of the time. In fact, the opposite is usually true. In fact, most report feeling distinctly positive ab… Continue reading
Diana Zwinak, 53, was a teacher in a rural district outside Chicago when she developed Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disorder where antibodies chronically attack the thyroid. “Basically, my thyroid stopped functioning,” says Zwinak. Her doctor… Continue reading
A recently released Gallup Global Emotions poll suggests that as people age, they tend to experience less overall stress in their lives. The poll asked respondents from over 140 countries questions about positive and negative experiences they had yeste… Continue reading
Adhering to a well-balanced diet and incorporating exercise into your routine are two well-known ways to improve health. What about religious involvement? Can that also have a positive effect on health and well-being? There’s a growing field of study t… Continue reading
Like many working Americans, I’ve always had a full plate. When I was 30, I quit my job as an attorney to write full-time, working 50-hour weeks to get my business off of the ground. By the time I was in my early 40s, with two little kids, I was juggli… Continue reading
The struggle some people experience when they try to go off antidepressant medications has been the focus of several news stories during the past two years. People have described withdrawal symptoms including nausea, anxiety, vertigo, trouble sleeping … Continue reading