Teresa Buchanan Counseling

06/01/2022

😂

Communication is key! 😂💕

03/24/2022

I have an app (We Croak) on my phone/watch that prompts me about 5 times a day, “remember you’re going to die”…it’s my hope that it will prod me to live more intentionally, more bravely and more lovingly than I might otherwise. Love this writing by Parker Palmer and the beautiful poem by Marie Howe ❤️

“Daily keep your death before your eyes.” That’s a recommended practice in many spiritual traditions. Some may find it morbid, but I’m not one of them. From age 20 onward, that daily reminder has enhanced my love of life, my gratitude for it, and my desire to live it well.

I can’t imagine living a life that depends on trying to ignore death—especially in an era framed by a pandemic, Putin’s murderous attack on Ukraine, mass shootings and hate crimes here at home, and famine and forced migration abroad. I understand the temptation to look away, but to live in denial of death is not to live at all.

Nor can I imagine failing to ask, “What can we learn about living from those who are gone?” Surely they will tell us to remember that the gift of life is ours for only a while, and encourage us to use it well, in service of more life.

Marie Howe has asked a very personal version of this question, and listened as her dead friends answer. “Do whatever leads to joy,” they say—and that includes doing the hard things that will help us feel whole.

Memo to Self: Listen to the living and listen to the dead. In politics, work to defeat those who are no respecters of death. Live in gratitude, live in service, and live to the end.

[The poem is from Marie Howe, “What the Living Do.” At http://lindajging.com learn more about Linda J. Ging’s art. My 10 books are at tiny.cc/qocmuz AND http://tiny.cc/5rcmuz.]

12/28/2021

An article with some great insights and tips!

Cognitive-behavioural tools that anyone can use

02/09/2020

http://teresabuchanan.com/do-overs/

Do overs… February 9, 2020 Teresa Leave a comment When I worked with folks coming out of Federal Prison I had a sign in my office that said something to the effect that “courage is the strength to start over again.” It really does seem to be a superpower…the willingness to begin again AND to...

02/09/2020

“ I will not hide my tastes or aversions. I will so trust that what is deep is holy, that I will do strongly before the sun and moon whatever only rejoices me, and the heart appoints.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

04/15/2018

Grateful for a comfy space and honored to do work I love.

03/10/2018

Loving the view of the sun shining on the wee tree in my office. It’s so often the little things...

02/25/2018

Good stuff here about overcoming anxiety.

By Reid Wilson - Therapy with anxious clients is most effective when I repeatedly challenge their underlying beliefs about how to handle distress. Anxious clients don't need my cleverness. They need therapeutic principles powerful enough to offset their faulty beliefs. I've learned to help my anxiou...

01/12/2018

https://blog.lyrahealth.com/blog/2018/1/5/practicing-acceptance?utm_content=bufferdc065&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

“There’s nothing you can do. You’re just going to have to accept it." Has anyone ever said this to you? Or something similar? If you’re like me, it probably wasn’t very helpful, even if it was true. You probably felt shut down or dismissed, even if the person who said it was trying to help...

11/28/2017

The holidays can be stressful and during times of stress we may turn to judging ourselves and others harshly. If the bustle has you frazzled, consider taking some time to try out this Loving Kindness guided meditation by psychologist and meditation practitioner, Tara Brach.

Loving kindness—embracing ourselves and all beings with a full and tender loving presence.

10/11/2017

Sometimes the bee stings and sometimes life is rough, right? Here are some ideas about how by harvesting and savoring favorite things we may lessen the sting.

“When the dog bites; when the bee stings… October 9, 2017 Teresa Leave a comment When I’m feeling sad. I simply remember my favorite things…and then I don’t feel so bad.” Cue the music, because thank you Rogers and Hammerstein there is wisdom here. We all KNOW this wisdom. We’ve all experienced the…