Perspectives on mindfulness, therapy, and the science of wellbeing.
Mindfulness allows us to experience emotional discomfort with greater poignancy but with less suffering. We perceive our pain more acutely, but it causes us less trouble. The paradox: by moving toward pain rather than away from it, we suffer less.
This is what we mean when we say "pain is inevitable, suffering is optional." Pain is the natural ebb and flow of human experience. Suffering is what we add when we resist, avoid, or fight against that pain.
Coming soon — full article in progressEMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a research-validated approach for trauma. Neuroimaging studies show it reduces activation in the amygdala — the brain's alarm system — and helps traumatic memories become processed differently.
Unlike talk therapy, EMDR doesn't require you to describe traumatic events in detail. Instead, bilateral stimulation (eye movements or tapping) is used while briefly holding a memory in mind.
Coming soon — full article in progressAcceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches us to hold our thoughts lightly, make room for uncomfortable feelings, and take action guided by our values — even when it's hard. This capacity is called psychological flexibility.
Research shows it is one of the strongest predictors of mental health. The good news: it's a skill, which means it can be learned and practiced.
Coming soon — full article in progressDepression is often maintained by a self-reinforcing cycle of negative thoughts, low mood, and withdrawal. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy targets each part of this cycle with practical, evidence-based tools.
Understanding the thought-feeling-behavior loop is one of the most powerful insights a person can have about their own depression.
Coming soon — full article in progressIFS (Internal Family Systems) offers a way to understand why we sometimes feel at war with ourselves. Rather than labeling parts of ourselves as "bad," IFS helps us understand every part has a positive intention — even the ones that cause problems.
This approach is particularly powerful for healing complex trauma and cultivating deep self-compassion.
Coming soon — full article in progressDr. Jajodia was full-time faculty at UCSD's Department of Psychiatry from 2009 to 2013 and has published psychological research on depression, memory, rumination, alcohol use, and the genetics of alcoholism.
Links to peer-reviewed publications are available in the research section of this site.
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