Author Archives: Kate McDowell

Christmas cookies

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Kate McDowell

The other day I was procrastinating by looking through food-related websites.  Before long I found myself looking at Christmas cookie recipes and repeatedly landing on pictures of beautifully decorated sugar cookies (this picture is a good example from the FoodNetwork … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Coming Out

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Kate McDowell

This is another post I wrote a while back… I’ve come across several “coming out” stories recently. One is a graphic memoir by Alison Bechdel called FunHome (www.dykestowatchoutfor.com). Bechdel writes about coming out to her parents, (ie acknowledging/revealing her lesbianism), … Continue reading →

Posted in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Personal transformation | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Letting Go

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Kate McDowell

Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching, and for many, with Thanksgiving comes mixed reactions about spending time with family.  Who doesn’t regress to 7th grade (or 3rd or kindergarten?) mentality the moment they walk in the front door of their family home, literally … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Forgiveness, Letting Go, Mindfulness, Thanksgiving | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

meditation and the brain

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Kate McDowell

This is one of those posts I wrote months ago… Last night I heard Jon Kabat-Zinn speak.  I’ve read his books, but never laid eyes on the man (he’s handsome!) or heard him speak publicly.  If you don’t already know, … Continue reading →

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Beginning Anew…

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Kate McDowell

It’s time to start posting again… In the months since I last posted, I fell prey to some of those very mind traps that limit many of us at any given time:  self doubt, disorganization, laziness, over-commitment, perfectionism etc., etc. … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Cognitive restructuring, Personal transformation, Self esteem | 4 Comments

Anxiety

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Kate McDowell

Are you ever riddled with anxiety?  I am.  One night recently I tossed and turned.  Maybe it was the big moon keeping me awake.  Maybe it was the Vietnamese spicy duck.  Whatever it was I lay there worrying.  If you ever experience worry … Continue reading →

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Loss

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Kate McDowell

I had to put my cat down today.  She would have turned 20 years old this summer.  My son calculated that was about 96 in kitty years.  Just about any therapist will tell you that with each loss all the … Continue reading →

Posted in Grief, Loss, Personal transformation | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

brene brown

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Kate McDowell

Are you familiar with TED.com ?  TED talks are awesome.  Usually about 20 minutes long, they are videos of talks by smart, talented, creative people that you might or might not have heard of.  This one is by Brene Brown.  … Continue reading →

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dipping my toes in…

Posted on March 19, 2011 by Kate McDowell

I’ve been a psychotherapist for twenty years.  I am steeped in observations, thoughts, and perceptions about what makes people tick.  I am forever fascinated, awed, and sometimes perplexed by how people think, what motivates us, what nourishes our spirit, and what enables us … Continue reading →

Posted in Introduction | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments