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Emotions or feelings, such as joy, sadness, anger and fear, play an important role in everything we do. Emotions are complex and comprised of many components. Our emotions are triggered by our perceptions of external experiences, such as a conflict with another person, and our internal stimuli, such as a memories of a past experience.

If someone you love is using intoxicants in spite of problems it’s causing at home, among friends and at work, they have a problem that requires immediate attention. They’ve reached a point where their use of drugs or alcohol has become more important to them than anything else. That’s self-destructive behavior, and it can be dangerous for others as well. If your loved one denies that there’s a problem and is unwilling to discuss the situation, it’s time to look for help.

Understanding God has been a lifelong quest. My beliefs about God and God’s role in my life has had a significant impact on my sense of psychological well-being. Ideas about God, spirituality and religion have also profoundly affected many of the individuals I have supported in my capacity, as a mental health clinician. For some understanding of and relationship to God, has brought comfort. For others distress. For me, both.

I recently had the good fortune of meeting Susan and her boyfriend, Roy, while on vacation in Costa Rica. First, I met Roy. Roy and I were partners during yoga. We provided support for each other in tree pose. “Big tree, little tree”, our teacher commented.

Self-injury is defined as intentional direct damage to one’s body without suicidal intent. There is a distinction between individuals who self-injure in order to cope with overwhelming thoughts and feelings, and those attempting to end their lives.

Recently, during a visit to the grocery store, I overheard the blood curdling, inconsolable screams of a distressed child. It brought back memories of the numerous, similar experiences I had with my son Jordan.