Blog October 2011 On Anxiety We all experience anxiety. It is part of our nature to be readily alert to potential dangers. Throughout our evolution we have survived because of our ability to respond quickly to changes in our environment. All species do this, but some are more alert than others. Deer, for instance, carry a lot of background anxiety. Their main survival tactic is to detect danger quickly. Sloths, on the other hand, are wired quite differently. People vary too, and some have more background anxiety than others. I think of anxiety as a constant flow of energy through the body, keeping a person ready to respond. It is completely natural. Sometimes, however, this energy is overwhelming, self-amplifying, or blocked from discharging naturally. That's when anxiety becomes uncomfortable. The methods for dealing with anxiety are difficult to describe in a few paragraphs. They are best learned experientially. But if you suffer from uncomfortable levels of anxiety, please know that it is quite possible to achieve a greater sense of harmony with the life energy flowing through you. There is nothing wrong with you for feeling anxious. And you can learn to channel it naturally into a greater awareness and understanding of yourself. Does that help you breathe a little easier? February 2011 The subtitle of this new website (upper left corner) tries to capture the larger mission of my work in various fields. As a therapist and couples counselor, I am charged with helping people improve their relationships with themselves and the people they love. As a facilitator and mediator, I use the same skills to inspire people to genuinely empathize with each other in order to pave the way to agreement. As a writer and workshop leader, I try to make the tools I use available to as many people as possible. And as a songwriter, I try to use lyric and melody to help people settle into a deeper sense of themselves. In all these contexts the primary goal is the same. By realizing our potential both for joy and for truly understanding each other, we enhance our lives in the most direct and fulfilling way. The benefits of making compassion and understanding the focus of my life have far outweighed any of the material rewards I have sought. Still, everyday I forget this simple mission. Only through connection with others or quiet time alone am I reminded of what is really important. Each moment is a new chance to remember, and allow a fresh smile to gracefully emerge.