The idea we have for our life rarely matches up with the life we end up with. Plan A is fantasy. Plan B is reality. Growth is not a straight line, which is often a blessing in disguise, yet something we seldom realize in the thick of life. How do we move on from what... Continue Reading →
Emotional CPR: Catch Pause Repair
https://youtu.be/KVfeKg78fEY One thing that I have learned as a psychology professor and former psychologist is that “simple things on repeat” have the greatest impact on our health and happiness. This is why I want to share a sustainable model of emotional and mental health habits called CPR: Catch Pause Repair. CATCH What Triggers You? Catch... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Mental Health Daily: Wellness Speech
https://youtu.be/I08EUaQ8g9Y Mental Wellness Education This month I had the opportunity to give a speech on cultivating mental health daily to 700 people at the Greater Essex County District School Board in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Audience Members The audience was comprised of education support staff and front line workers, including Education Assistants, Child and Youth Care... Continue Reading →
What advice would you give your younger self?
Live Zoom Conference At a recent leadership conference, student leaders from St. Clair College's Student Representative Council SRC had the opportunity to ask questions live during the final portion of the virtual training event. Ask Dr. D The student leaders raised the reflection bar high during this discussion period. One Question Stood Out The Most... Continue Reading →
Resilience and Mental Health: Healthy Workplace Keynote
Healthy Workplace Awards I recently did a virtual keynote at the Healthy Workplace Awards Ceremony. Watch Video: Click Here Given all we are collectively going through, I thought the notes and video from the virtual keynote presentation would be helpful to everyone. News Release: CTV News Especially as we wrap up 2020. A year where... Continue Reading →
New Virtual Experiences During COVID-19
Staying Hopeful I wanted to share how I have been keeping hope alive in my heart and soul during COVID-19. Specifically, by expanding my reach with new virtual experiences. Beginning in the spring with my first "live" recorded internet event with Sam Piercell, a fitness entrepreneur, from Windsor, Ontario. F45 "Live" Event: Community Resilience with... Continue Reading →
IS THIS NORMAL? Temporary Emotions vs Mental Illness
The most common question people ask when they discover I'm a retired psychologist is - "Is This Normal?" This question is a significant motivator for creating this psychology blog in the first place. Because too often people suffer because of lack of understanding versus a diagnosable medical condition. differential diagnosis · the process of differentiating... Continue Reading →
Focus on what’s within your control in life & leadership.
When things go wrong, what do you focus on first? The world outside you or the world within you? The following is a video and activity overview from Part 2 of the 2020 SRC Leadership Development Workshop. Click Here for Part 1.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVEjYGl9c0k Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of... Continue Reading →
Strength Based Leadership: ReThink Challenges
On January 11, 2020, I had the opportunity to work with the student leadership team at St. Clair College in Windsor Ontario. MISSION AND VISION The goal was to strengthen the bonds between team members and harness the power of their mission for the 12,500 students on campus. We talked about the many ways challenges... Continue Reading →
Posttraumatic Growth: Can Adversity Be Good for You?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlkaArLVg28 Psychology Keynote In this video you will hear the remarkable stories of teachers, social workers, and principals who suffered greatly through illness, injuries, and difficult pregnancies. Eventually rising up with time and support to greater heights in their current lives. Personal Experience In this video I share examples of how my parents coped with dark times... Continue Reading →
Have you experienced stage fright or performance anxiety?
PUBLIC SPEAKING TIP How to Turn Fear into Excitement Neuroscience Solutions & Insights Did you know that fear and excitement share the same set of neurotransmitters, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine. Opposite emotions. Identical neurotransmitters. Same neural activity. Different Cognitive Appraisal. And the best way to shift from performance anxiety to excitement is to say... Continue Reading →
PUBLIC SPEAKING TIP Practice the Pause
Stop saying “Um,” or “Ah,” during speeches with this one simple tip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpr9HR-Ur2I&feature=youtu.be The next time you have a speech to give, try taking a pause between thoughts. In doing so, you allow your message to sink in. Giving yourself and the audience a much needed break. Allowing time for everyone to digest the information.... Continue Reading →
5 Ways to Focus Better
Why Can't I Remember Anything? One of the most frequent questions I was asked as a practicing psychologist and more recently as a psychology professor is why can't I remember anything. The problem is most likely a focusing issue — not a memory issue. An important distinction between memory and attention that I share in... Continue Reading →
How does a psychologist make a clinical diagnosis?
Psychology in Your Life The intention for this post is to introduce you to one aspect of the diagnostic process — specifically: differential diagnosis. And ultimately to help you understand that psychological assessment is a complex, worthwhile process. What’s normal 🆚 clinical? To answer that question, I would like to invite you into my clinical psychology class. ... Continue Reading →
Optimism Bootcamp: 3 Steps to Empowerment
Nathalie Begin author of the Gutsy Feeling Blog invited me to give a positive psychology workshop called Optimism Bootcamp at a Symposium for Crohn’s & Colitis Canada. The audience was filled a very special group of people. Individuals that have been battling the chronic condition of Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) their whole lives. Optimism and Health... Continue Reading →
Thriving Teams. Thriving Leaders.
LESSONS LEARNED In this post, I share the lessons learned at a thriving teams thriving leaders board retreat. It was a true team effort! With the team-building and leadership exercises equally led by the student leaders and myself. Please join in and explore the reflection questions, interactive activities, and workshop videos with the teams... Continue Reading →