We have feelings for a reason. They provide valuable information that can help to steer us in the right direction in life…if we learn to listen to them. Imagine if we didn’t have the emotion of fear and we ran across a grizzly bear. Without such emotions I think the human race would have been …Read More
The Right to Pursue Happiness…
May 9, 2012
After reading Dr. Brooks and Dr. Stephens posts of the theme of happiness, I also came across a recent study from the University of California, Riverside that surveyed individuals about their happiness. According to previous research, an individual’s happiness can increase after major life changes, such as starting a new romantic relationship, but over time …Read More
Gross Domestic Happiness
Apr 24, 2012
As Dr. Brooks mentioned in his last post, it would be a great idea if countries around the world would start measuring their “Gross Domestic Happiness” instead of the Gross Domestic Product. It so happens that one small Asian country, Bhutan, has already started doing this and inspired the United Nations to adopt a new …Read More
“Flourish” by Martin E. P. Seligman (Book Recommendation)
Apr 23, 2012
I recently completed the unabridged audiobook version of Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being by Dr. Martin Seligman. Dr. Seligman, a professor at The University of Pennsylvania, is widely considered to be the primary founder of positive psychology (the study of human happiness & well-being). I’ve read a number of Dr. Seligman’s books …Read More
What You Need to Know If Your Child Is Struggling In School
Apr 11, 2012
Much of my work here at the ApaCenter consists of helping students and their families cope with learning disabilities at school and at home. I conduct assessments to diagnose learning disabilities and provide a picture of a student’s strengths and weaknesses, I give recommendations for helping the student be more successful in school, and I …Read More
Remembering What Is Important
Apr 3, 2012
Often we can become very wrapped up in our obligations, such as making money to pay the bills, meeting deadlines, or making a good impression on our managers and colleagues. These things can take up so much of our time and energy that we forget what is really important in life: the meaningful relationships we …Read More
Today is World Autism Awareness Day!
Apr 3, 2012
Being that today is World Autism Day, I not only wanted to participate in the “Light it Blue” campaign by wearing blue today, but I also wanted to do some active awareness! Recently the Center for Disease Control (CDC) released information on the prevalence of autism and many other organizations are helping to bring awareness …Read More
Do Our Emotions Fit the Situation?
Apr 2, 2012
This quote from Aristotle is a mouthful…so I honestly have to look it up when I need it. It doesn’t make the cut as a “pithy” maxim, yet Aristotle points to a very profound and sublime Truth. The Truth that he points to is something that I always keep with me and try to heed. …Read More
Say Om…and Improve your Attention
Mar 30, 2012
In a previous blog, I discussed executive functioning deficits with ADHD, specifically how these affect impulsivity, working memory, attention, and organization. It is also known that stress interferes with executive function and emotional regulation. It turns out that there are many exploratory studies on the benefits of meditation and relaxation. It is a common means of …Read More
Learned Helplessness
Mar 16, 2012
In my work with children, teens, families, and schools, I often observe the phenomena of learned helplessness. Learned helplessness is when a child loses the confidence that he can solve a problem or perform a task successfully on his own and becomes overly dependent on the assistance of adults. You can recognize the signs of …Read More