Posts by Ken Donaldson
Mom, Plan “B” and the Challenges of Life
I wrote a post about two months ago about how Holly and I were taking a “mini-sabbatical” for the month of August. After all of our careful preparations and articulate planning, much of which included having extra sets of eyes and ears to watch over my 94 year-old mother, we thought we were totally prepared…
Read MoreA Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Sabbatical: Why I’m Taking a Month Off for the First Time in My Life
The idea of taking a month off from work scares me…A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Sabbatical sounds great and very therapeutic, but scary too (even though this is actually a “mini” sabbatical). I’ve run my own business for over 25 years and the most time I ever allowed myself to take off at one time has…
Read MoreUncover, Recover and Discover: Overcoming the Stress, Trauma and Drama of Everyday Living
I recently presented EQ, IQ or No Clue: Creating Emotionally Intelligent Relationships to the Suncoast Mental Health Counselors Association. As part of my preparation, I re-read Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman and was reminded of just how delicate we are when it comes to the stressors, changes and shocks of life. In other words, we…
Read MoreSmart From the Heart: An Emotionally Intelligent Conversation about Emotional Intelligence
People come to counseling not because things are going well, but rather, typically because their lives are out of balance, in a funk and overwhelmed. “Emotional Intelligence” is not typically a term that they’re familiar with, but the lack thereof, they are. Most, maybe even all, of these wonderful clients are struggling with a common…
Read MorePersonal Boundaries, Relationship Boundaries and Emotional Boundaries
Years ago I was asked to give a talk on boundaries for a group divorcees who were reentering the dating world. As I was doing some research, I came across, “A Checklist on Boundaries in a Relationship,” in The California Therapist. Times change but boundaries will always be a cornerstone of health and well-being. And…
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