Also On Wellness
Posts by Dr. Alexandra Emmons
Our culture is abuzz with the benefits of mindfulness meditation and the idea of “meditation for at least 20 minutes a day” as a bare minimum upon which to start your practice. For busy people with busy lives, calming, and ideally quieting your mind for even 10, let alone 20 minutes sounds like a far cry from reality. Don’t get me wrong, I wholeheartedly support meditating for 20 minutes.But, what...
5/12/2015 7:00:00 AM
Most of us have been told at one point or another in our lives to “take a deep breath and relax.” Turns out, there is scientific evidence in the context of meditation to back up that advice. But what exactly is meditation anyway? There are different ways to meditate, and because it is such a personal practice, there are many ways to go about meditating. When I write about meditation, I am referring...
4/29/2015 7:00:00 AM
You can tell it’s October, and it’s certainly not because of fall-like temperatures in Los Angeles, or even because pumpkin-flavoring has temporarily become a daily dietary supplement. We’re used to all that. What seems more prevalent than before are omnipresent spikes in use of the color pink, particularly as a fashion accessory, and a definite uptick in non-pejorative use of the word “ta-tas” in...
10/5/2014 7:00:00 AM
In the wake of Robin Williams’ death, much has been written about suicide and depression. For a clinical psychologist deeply touched by his singularly frenetic artistry, what has emerged is a desire to show heightened compassion for ourselves and others by honoring our own personal stories, experiences, and inner feelings. I am not advocating increased indulgence of dependent and destructive behavior,...
8/13/2014 9:00:00 PM
An emotion that is universal to the human experience is envy. It is also for the most part considered shameful. People generally see this feeling as ugly, try to hide and deny it, and pretend it doesn’t exist. Envy can feel toxic, it can balloon to be all-consuming, so powerful at times that one can feel eaten alive by the intense emotional experience.I see envy as exemplified in the following thought...
6/5/2014 7:00:00 AM
We all experience emotions that we are told at some point are ugly and shameful, that society or our family tells us we “should” eradicate. Some of us are emotionally inhibited, afraid to express any emotion. Others of us are emotionally disinhibited, and feel ruled by our emotions.A common response to experiencing certain emotions is shame and frustration with oneself. Such a reaction typically fuels...
4/30/2014 7:00:00 AM
Imagine taking a bath in the forest. Smelling the fecund soil and the fresh, pine-scented air, feeling the slight breeze against your skin, hearing the birds chirping and the wind rustling through the trees, the damp soft ground beneath your feet. Your heart rate and brain waves are decreasing, your body begins to produce less cortisol, you feel less stressed, and are harnessing your body’s healing...
4/16/2014 5:13:39 AM
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