BLOG
Don’t Panic: How to Manage Public Speaking Jitters
It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech. Mark Twain For many of us, public speaking can be a nerve-racking experience. Literally placing ourselves, front and center stage for public scrutiny, rarely tops our fun-to-do list. My…
It is Never Too Late to be What You Might Have Been
It is never too late to be what you might have been. George Eliot, novelist I recently returned from a visit to Montreal, Quebec where I feasted on delicious French Canadian cuisine and meandered through the city’s art galleries and…
Small Acts of Kindness
Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama The opportunities for simple, small acts of kindness are endless if we pay attention. For many of us, we are comfortable enough complimenting a family member, friend, or…
Dear Eva: Advice to an Artist
Ask the child within to come out and play and you will meet with your genius. Robert R. Toth, artist, sculptor As a visual artist, I have experienced my share of creative blocks and the accompanying feelings of fear, self-doubt,…
Our Deepest Fear …
While spring-cleaning my home library, I rediscovered an inspirational gem tucked in one of the books as a marker – a quote from A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson, spiritual teacher, author and lecturer. I never tire of the…
If I Waited for it to Stop Raining, I Would Never Leave the House
Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day. 17th century nursery rhyme, author unknown I hate the rain. This I know for a fact, as a British Columbia native I spent most of my school and working life in one…
Diary Drawings – Mental Illness and Me
As a long-time fan of comic art and graphic novels I am always awed by their power to entertain, heal and teach through visual storytelling. The concept of art as a therapeutic and educational tool finds poignant expression in the…
Fire in the Belly: Living Life Courageously
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage Anais Nin, novelist “Larger! Larger! Larger! Forget small! Think big! Abandon fear! Light the fire in your belly!” The fifteen of us sat there timidly, hands poised hesitantly in mid-air. Welcome…
Don’t Panic! 10 Tips for Reducing Exam Stress
For anyone who has had to write a test, it is quite common to experience some anxiety. However, for some individuals, the feeling can be so intense that it interferes with memory, concentration and creates physical symptoms of illness. Here…
Comic Art As Healer and Teacher: Mom’s Cancer
I am a self-described comic art geek. It has been a fascination of mine since childhood, and mystifies my mother to this day. Imagine her bewilderment when I had eschewed both law and medical schools for fine arts and a…
What Happened to Aging Gracefully?
It is sad to grow old, but nice to ripen. Brigitte Bardot “Can we stop aging? The answer is NO. All living organisms age, it is a natural, universal process.” No sooner had I uttered these words than a loud…
COULD WE ALL BE MENTALLY ILL?
Could we all be mentally ill? This may be the diagnosis when the American Psychiatric Association (APA) officially publishes the DSM-5 in May 2013. What is the DSM? DSM stands for “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” and is…