As I’m stepping out of my office into the reception area to get my next patient, Michael, I can see that he is distressed.

“What’s going on?” I ask as we take our seats.

This is a question we get asked a lot at our OCD clinic: “How do I know if this thought is my OCD or if it is a ‘normal’ thought?”

Trichotillomania (TTM or Trich – pronounced as “trick”) is a disorder where a person repeatedly pulls hair, which results in hair loss.

Last weekend I was at my friend Emily’s barbeque party. After we had our full share of sausages, kebabs, and salads, and settled down at the table with the drinks, Emily said she was facing a serious dilemma and needed advice.

"Adversity presents itself in many forms and if a man does not master his circumstances then he is bound to be mastered by them."

A few days ago, I was talking a friend over the phone and he noticed that I sounded tired. I did feel a little depleted after a few emotionally difficult therapy sessions.

As we are preparing for our yearly vacation, and I am excitedly telling friends and acquaintances about our plans to see the beautiful Portugal, many react with comments and questions such as...

Why may it be unhealthy to ask Why all the time?

School is out for the year and children everywhere have taken a collective sigh of relief.  Admittedly, even teachers and principals.

When the sun is shining, and everything is starting to bloom, we naturally feel more energy. This is a great time to do something wonderful for our children and ourselves. This is the best time to start gardening.

When experiencing a negative emotion, we often try to ignore it, pretend it's not there, or distract ourselves.

When we feel threatened, our attention is focused on the perceived threat. 

In the previous article, (Anxiety Part 3), we talked about three components of anxiety: Thoughts, Physical Sensations, and Behaviors

Remember The Wonderful Wizard of Oz book by Frank Baum? If you do, you must recall how everybody was scared of Wizard of Oz the terrible. 

Well, maybe not really the best friend. But definitely, something that we better learn to at least tolerate or, preferably, embrace.

In this part of the series of articles we discover together and walk through several helpful strategies on how to conquer worry.

I remember having a tough time with change growing up. This really stood out when I transitioned from grade school to high school.