Posts by Alyssa Levine Mass
A Beginner’s Guide to Mindfulness (with flow chart!)
A blank stare, a furrowed brow and a “huh?” is the most accurate description of my introduction to mindfulness. At that time it was still mostly relegated to the hippy-dippy set and the Boston hospital where Jon Kabat-Zinn was scientifically testing its efficacy. Typically defined as paying attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging…
The Skeptic’s Guide to Therapy
Whatever side of the therapy couch you’re on, let’s face it, you probably know someone who thinks it’s a whole lot of mumbo jumbo. The path to becoming a therapist isn’t a fast or easy one, and years of graduate training plus years in low or unpaying jobs plus state exams equals a lot of…
Earthquake
Sometimes the best laid plans get ruined. We’re thrilled when they unfold the way we had hoped, and we’re disappointed when they don’t.
What’s In A Name?
Bestowed upon us at birth, our names are the first label we present to the world, our very first, first impression… We are our names and we are more than our names. Choices are simple, complex, and sometimes hypocritical. Traditional, modern, post-modern.
Life Transitions, a.k.a., Life
The other day I was killing some time at a trendy coffee shop, enjoying my once-a-day caffeine romance, and I found myself inadvertently eavesdropping on two college freshmen bonding over the unexpected difficulties they were encountering in their new phase of life. Navigating a vast pool of possible topics, one of the women ever so…
The Seven Deadly Sins and Shame: A Foundational Approach
Gangsters, single moms, single dads, actors, recent immigrants, college students, high school dropouts, elementary school kids, families. For me, the best part of working at a sliding scale community agency was the diversity of the clientele. Each hour was different than the one before it, and I reveled in getting to know my clients, establishing…