Last night five dear friends came over for dinner. We laughed; we told stories. We talked politics and kids in alternating breaths. We ran through summer plans, college drop-offs and future adventures and before we knew it, midnight struck. It was an evening filled with joy created by the strength of connection and community. Dorothea […]

While doom and gloom dominate much of the mental health and mental illness landscape, there is a crop of next-generation young adults demonstrating a brighter future. It is true that we have a broken mental health system in the US and in many countries, and dying by suicide is a tragic outcome for too many […]

For all the teachers out there, take note. Today is Guru Purnima in India, Nepal and other countries where Buddhism and Jainism are infused in the fabric of society. It is a day devoted to celebrating and honoring our teachers, our mentors, our gurus. Observed on the day of the full moon (Purnima) in the […]

My son saw Incredibles 2 when it opened a few weeks ago. An instant box office hit, he declared it one of Pixar’s best on our family chat on his way home. His praise opened the floodgates to a flurry of texts ranking personal favorites and trading impassioned reviews. At an ever-accelerating pace, Pixar mania ensued. […]

Today is Friday the Thirteenth. Synonymous with bad luck, superstitions about the number thirteen are everywhere. Thirteen is so unlucky that in many hotels and apartment buildings, there is no room with the number 13 and no 13th floor. How did that happen? How is it that we, as humans, have this idea of good luck and bad […]

Wednesday was July 4th. Nowadays, it is a day for barbeques and fireworks. But its origins are rooted in celebrating the independence of Colonial America. The date is practically synonymous with liberty. But today – from traditional print to electronic tweets – we are bombarded with news of trade wars, rising sea levels, refugees languishing […]

This was a big week for the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). Not only did the Court rule on Trump v. Hawaii, also known as the “travel ban” case, but Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement effective July 31st. US Supreme Court Justices serve as the guardians and interpreters of the […]

The WHO has just released to the world the new International Classification of Diseases, the ICD-11. WHO has the unique mandate of working with 194 Member States around the world to achieve better health for everyone, everywhere, and the first essential step towards doing so is a classification system that can be used by all […]

“Huh…what?” I have heard from many of you over the past few weeks with questions regarding my posts on men, male athletes, mental illness and suicide.  Your questions bear repeating and warrant replies. Sometimes the data are difficult to believe, and sometimes they are difficult to describe. So, here’s some more detail. “Wait a minute, […]

This is the refrain of the day. Yes, the two high profile suicides this week are tragic. Just a few blocks from my home, the iconic handbag designer Kate Spade took her life at age 55. This morning, media headlines are filled with references to the death of superstar chef and storyteller Anthony Bourdain who […]