Dr. Lloyd Glauberman

Occasionally, the events of the day tap into some universal truths about the human psyche. One such event occurred during the July 4th weekend when, in the midst of the country’s yearly celebration and the death of Michael Jackson, Sarah Palin announced that she was quitting as Governor or Alaska. Her leaving office so quickly after the election with two years left in her term begs the question, what universal truth could possibility by associated with Sarah Palin’s behavior? The answer is: the speed and power of speed and power.

Being aware of ongoing external sensory input is essential to survival. Yet, external information only constitutes half of our sensory world. The other half we create in our minds, and its importance cannot be overstated. Begin to notice how you create images in your mind as you talk with anyone under any circumstances. It’s like air, it’s always there but we’re oblivious to it.

Trying to sort out and label the contents of one’s consciousness can be extremely confusing. Equally difficult is trying to assess one’s mood. Am I depressed, angry, anxious, sad or a combination of these feelings? Do I feel good today, or just not bad? What events in my life currently are effecting my feelings, if any? These are questions that everyone asks himself or herself periodically.

Wisdom is learning how to "live smart",  and it will always be just that!  And since the issues which we have to deal with don't change - growing, relating, emoting, working, parenting, etc. - how to successfully deal with all of these facets of our lives also remains constant.  

Changing your lifestyle patterns is tantamount to changing your religion. There is not a single stitch in the fabric of your life that will not be effected by losing a significant amount of weight. The way you think and feel about yourself, the way others respond to you and the choices that are available to you are now all different. Therefore, developing the skills to cope with all of this is no easy matter. You need to think about these issues on this level in order to succeed.

I love simplicity; it has a certain unappreciated elegance.  Simplicity, like modesty and subtlety are words this culture tends to ignore; yet, they are wonderful concepts.  And these articles are my vehicle for using simplicity as the foundation for practical learning.

I’m going to provide a point of view that may allow some individuals to view their weight loss experience through a different lens.  I'll do this in two parts. The first part focuses on problem eating, the second on the critical differences between losing weight and managing that weight loss. Weight loss and weight loss management are two totally different psychological states even though, ironically, the behaviors needed to succeed at both are identical. And the difference between the two is where the action is.

Our world is shaped by the words we use. But a certain few - four in particular - are more important than others in any discussion of practical wisdom. These words influence how we interact with the people, events and situations that constitute our world and influence our decision making.

We are creatures of conversation, constantly communicating. Less obvious, but equally important is our internal conversation within ourselves.  We just keep talking, whether someone else is there or not. We can learn to recognize and be aware of these conversations and thereby learn to pay better attention to important tasks.

If there's one part of our experience that we view as sacrosanct, it's our feelings. While thoughts and behavior, the other two parts of the golden trilogy that composes our "selves" are as important, it's our feelings that we're closest to. Why else would so much of psychotherapy focus on them?