In March 2015,  my dear friend Christopher Mercier MFT  had a stroke and died in August.   I was going to his papers and found something he had written that I wanted to share,   Chris  wrote, "I believe psychotherapy can help in many ways.  Initially it can reduce isolation, fear, feelings of being alone, unheard, misunderstood, overwhelmed and panicky.  Over time, I believe it can help one to discover or restore  their inherent wisdom.  As this occurs and he or she takes the indicated…

My genetics gave me some of my ability to be happy, seldom despondent or depressed.  My genetics also probably gave me Parkinson's disease.  The positive me is now needed more than ever. " The happiest person is the person who thinks the most interesting thoughts."  William Phelps

On one of my first dates with Jon, I asked him what he thought of his mother.  I figured if I'm going to get his mother projections, I should know what I'm up against.  He told me his mother was great: intelligent and caring.  When I met her, I found she was exactly that. On one visit, Olive was driving me to the airport when she said, "I think if we had met under different circumstances, you and I would've been good friends."  I was…

My niece gave me a gift.  It said this, "only an aunt can hug like a mother and share laughter like a friend." My aunts were from Scotland, born in 1895 and 1904.  They had no children and loved their nieces and nephews so much; an essential part of their clan, distance from them was not an option.  I felt special to them; their love was palpable even though they never said this word.  They paid attention to us, attended to us, seemed fascinated by…