By Trina O’Quinn for the NABBW How does needlework and quilting bring me Joy? In several ways: Tactiley — the feel of the cloth and thread in my hand and fingers brings me a sense of calm. Audibly — the sound of the pop of the cloth as the needle pierces the material from the other side. Audibly –the sound of the swish of the thread as it is pulled through to the top side of the piece where the picture is being created. Visually — watching the different stitches build the picture. These small steps are a process of creation that brings me great joy. When I quiet... Read More

So You Didn\’t Win the Lottery…Now What? By Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D. and Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. Now that all the mega-lottery winners have stepped forward, the overwhelming odds are you didn\’t win. Americans spent $1.5 billion in their quest to win the jackpot, fantasizing about how they would happily spend the $656 million to be paid out to the winner. As it happened, there were three winning tickets so the final after-tax take home for each will be about $100 million. Still, nothing to sneeze at. Are you wondering how winners have fared in the past? In many cases, not so... Read More

Women and the Art of Play By Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D. and Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. We all know about the importance of play for the emotional growth and development of children. It can enhance their imagination, increase social skills and boost self-confidence. So why don\’t we place more value on play for ourselves? According to a recent study by the Families and Work Institute, 50% of American women don\’t have enough time to spend on themselves and the activities they enjoy. Early on, girls tend to be collaborative, communicative and caring – you can see it when they play... Read More

Love is More Than a Four Letter Word By Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D. and Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. Long before it was a song, the saying was a part of our conversation – and it\’s especially appropriate during February, the month of love: Love makes the world go \’round. With all this whirling, love can make you feel off balance and dizzy. Sometimes it\’s tricky to keep your personal world turning without having it spin totally out of control. Although our focus is most often on romantic love, there are many different kinds of love that help keep us grounded. We can be fully... Read More

What Bhutan Can Teach Us About Happiness By Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D. and Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. It has been over ten years since I retired from my fulltime practice and spent three months doing volunteer work and traveling in Southeast Asia. One of the best parts of my trip was spending time in the remote Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. It was their monarch who defined the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH) to measure quality of life. And Bhutan is the only country in the world that puts happiness and general well-being at the heart of its government policy. The Bhutanese distinguish four... Read More