"I look forward to the holidays - and I dread them at the same time," said my friend Peg over a cup of tea. "November and December are usually a big blur. Thanksgiving comes and goes and then it's time to prepare for Christmas. Next thing I know it's the New Year. I look back and I can hardly remember what happened or how I felt." If this sounds...

The holiday season is traditionally a busy time filled with happiness and good cheer. With celebrations, family gatherings and office parties, it represents the most social time of the year. The holiday-party season and the gathering of family during the holidays can produce a tremendous amount of stress and tension - two key triggers in the onset...

I never did believe in Santa Claus. My parents rejected the materialism that is so often peddled in the name of Christmas and kept the holiday pretty low key. I've always been grateful for this lesson, and rather cynical about those wild eyed Christmas fanatics running amok in the malls. Since the thought of receiving gifts from a fat, bearded...

After meeting the more urgent physical needs (like providing food, water, shelter, and medical care), the person might be ready to talk about his or her trauma. Below we give you some examples on how to help someone deal with the psychological impact of the crisis. What might be the most important thing you can do is give the individual the...

Financial situation got you down? Get a listening ear with a confidential email mentor Lately the economy is big news. As someone who discusses personal finance I'd have to say that the discussion is good. But, if you add up all the news reports (print, radio, television, internet) you wonder whether Jane and Joe Consumer are really learning anything....

Do you ever find yourself craving some “me” time?  Ever wish that every time you walk into the bathroom there wasn’t an extra set of feet following you? Have you experienced that pounding from the other side of the door and someone yelling,  “Mom! Are you in there?” I can remember longing for the times when my kids would be watching...

My cell phone rang on Monday morning while I was working at a client’s office. “Lori, can you meet me at home? I’ve just been let go from my job.” I packed up and got in the car and started to drive, my heart pounding, my mind racing…then the tears started, and I began to pray. Just the previous Sunday afternoon, Del and I had been talking...