Musings from the Therapist's Chair

Wisdom for Difficult Times: Reflections from Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius (121 CE – 180CE) was a Roman Emperor and follower of the Stoicism, a philosophical tradition that prizes virtue and fortitude amid life’s challenges. Widely considered a...

How to Face Political Anxiety in a Time of Uncertainty

We have entered a tumultuous time.  The new US administration sends waves of uncertainty throughout the political and economic landscape.  Talk of tariffs has frayed the trade...

Reading: The Bread and Butter of Inner Life

In a recent conversation, a friend asked me the difference between reading books and scrolling on a phone: “If you lament the bus riders with their eyes locked on their screens, might you not...

The Zen of Rock and Roll: Life Lessons from Playing Guitar

I picked up the guitar at the age of 17. As a teen, I loved hard-rock music: Bryan Adams, Steven Curtis Chapman, Eric Clapton, Metallica, and many more.  The brawn and sizzle of an overdriven guitar...

New Mind for the New Year: Reclaiming Our Scattered Attention

When Bankei was preaching at Ryumon temple, a Shinshu priest, who believed in salvation through the repetition of the name of the Buddha of Love, was jealous of his large audience and wanted to debate...

The Darkest Season of the Year: Notes on Difficult Family Gatherings

 It’s the most wonderful time of the year, so goes the carol.  But is it really?  December days are dreary and dark.  Rain presses down, and the chill of winter...

Death, Sex, and the Middle Passage

A few summers ago, the plants on my rooftop patio wilted after a long heat-spell.  I was busy preparing my dissertation defence and neglected to water them consistently.  Baking in...

The Danger of Deep Listening

As a counselling therapist, I listen to people everyday. It’s a demanding skill that requires constant practice. Listening is the crux of my profession, but it also feeds my soul and nourishes...

In Praise of Mortal Coil

Shakespeare described the human form as a “mortal coil” that we shuffle off in death. For Hamlet, life is a dreary work that holds neither mirth nor meaning. To slip the mortal coil is to...