At its core, cognitive-behavioral therapy encourages balanced thinking. Through examining our thought patterns, and sometimes through use of thought charts, we can identify characteristic ways of thinking that then lead to uncomfortable emotions. Being able to tolerate both negative and positive emotions toward an object, or person is a hallmark of this type of therapy….
While conducting a group recently, I was struck by how tentative the members were when I asked the question, “How approachable do you think you are?” Of course, I was asking the members to tell each other. Resistance to authenticity is a natural effect of being human. We all engage in the habit of wanting…
With all of the media attention for Ann Romney’s horse Rafalca in the Olympic Games, the equestrian sport of dressage has certainly been brought to the forefront for many people who would otherwise have no idea what is meant by the oldest of all the equestrian divisions. However, I’m not so sure all the coverage…
Equine therapy is many things. Powerful. Innovative. Spiritual. However, there are also many things that equine therapy is not. Unfortunately, like any alternative treatment modality, work with horses has been subject to its share of misinterpretations. As these incorrect beliefs have surfaced, those who work in the field have had to answer many questions, in…
Perhaps best known for her role as the blonde mermaid in Ron Howard’s film, Splash, Daryl Hannah has appeared in many films throughout the 1980s including Roxanne, Blade Runner, and Wall Street. However, unlike many beautiful Hollywood actresses, Hannah not only lives a life off the grid, but also in harmony with many things, not…
There are few who wouldn’t recognize William Shatner for his portrayal of James T. Kirk, captain of USS Enterprise in the science fiction television series Star Trek, the following animated series, or the seven subsequent Star Trek films. However, Shatner’s roles expand far beyond Star Trek. He also played the veteran police sergeant T. J….
According to Shawn Alchor, the winner of over a dozen distinguished teaching awards at Harvard University, and the CEO of Good Think Inc., a Cambridge-based consulting firm which researches positive outliers, 90% of happiness can be predicted not by what surrounds a person (the environment), but rather how he/she experiences this environment. Alchor, who has…
According to Daniel Goleman, author of Primal Leadership: Learning to Lead with Emotional Intelligence (http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Leadership-Learning-Emotional-Intelligence/dp/1591391849/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341540487&sr=1-1&keywords=primal+leadership), empathy is the single most important tool in social interaction, especially leadership. Yet, for all its importance, empathy is often lacking in everyday life, and as Goleman points out, often overlooked. For this reason, a few organizations have sprung up…
So often we are told to visualize what we want, and then our chances of achieving it will be greatly increased. While this idea is easy to understand and based in the study of neuroscience, the reality of it may actually be much more difficult for some people. Especially when enveloped by self-doubt, fear, and…
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) is pretty innovative. But then again, so is equine therapy. Perhaps this is why SMWC just launched a new minor in equine therapy. According to Janet Clark, Ph.D., vice president of academic affairs, the human equine-facilitated minor, which was developed by the department of social sciences and the department of equine…
