How to raise creative kids.

I grew up on Kauai in Hawaii in the 1970’s, a hippie child with few possessions and no TV. I firmly believe that free time in nature along with a lot of reading, provided the right soil for a creative mind. As a kid I made my own board games, built tree forts,...

Those ten-dollar tomatoes—is Hawaii backyard gardening worth it?

Hawaii backyard gardening has always been a labor of love, but I don't think it's always been this expensive. I put my garden in prior to the Crash of 2009, and it’s a good thing too or I’d never have been able to afford the lumber for the box beds (over $350.00) the...

Phases of the empty nest: taking back my house one room at a time

My recent post on Finding Your Calling made me think about the overlap between “roles” (like parent, spouse) and “jobs” or career. For me, being a mom has been part of being a therapist. I specialize in child/adolescent therapy in large part because one of my children...

How to find your “calling.”

Short answer: one disciplined step at a time, by listening to your inner voice. This is my story. I do what I love. I'm a therapist, and its my privilege and honor to witness stories, hold the bottle for tears, and be present in the deepest pain and greatest...

Those that pass through #Hawaii and haunt us.

(ALL NAMES AND DETAILS CHANGED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY.) Some of you know I’m a school counselor and therapist. This year has been interesting as I’m at two schools, one of them without a school counselor (I’m supposed to be a “higher level” service.) This means I...

Quotes to feel better by.

Quotes. Nuggets of wisdom. I love 'em! And I love what I do as a mental health counselor. It's truly a privilege and calling to do this kind of work. One of my favorite ways to encourage clients is to write a pithy little quote on the miniboard in my room. It sits...

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