From the mundane to the profound, problems in and with relationships can point to where we need to grow, and be excellent reasons to consider couples therapy or individual therapy.

An interesting, brief article on the personal and much broader effects of this policy, especially on ideas about adoption in the U.S. and what a family looks like.

It’s that thanksgiving/giving thanks time of year and lots of us are gearing up for a weekend with family, or perhaps for a holiday touched by loss, sadness, or other difficult emotions to hold when it seems like the rest of the world is celebrating. I was happy to be reminded of the practice of gratitude this week and its proven connection with happiness and improved mental health. You can read the whole article here: Choose to Be Grateful. I particularly liked the suggestion to practice “interior gratitude”: giving thanks privately, like silently thanking the people who surround you at work or the person who gives up their seat on the subway to someone else. But what touched my heart was the challenge to be grateful for “useless things.” Here’s a quote, including a fabulous bit of poetry:

I attended the Adoptive Parents’ Committee conference in Brooklyn yesterday, and heard several exciting presentations. It was fabulous to hear all the stories, from attendees and presenters, and get a sense of where parents are on their paths to adoption.

Today I answered a call from another professional about use of mindful breathing with anxiety. I was inspired to search around the internet and found this wonderful graphic of three directed mindfulness practices for three situations in which someone might struggle with anxiety. Yes, take 5 deep breaths is one of them. This is worth taking a look at often if anxiety is an issue for you.