Counseling Corner: Finding Myself at 18: A Journey Through Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
Life is a kaleidoscope of experiences, a mosaic of highs and lows. At 18, an age synonymous with new beginnings and the brink of adulthood, I found myself drowning in the tumultuous sea of alcoholism. My story isn't about the depths to which I plunged but rather the lighthouse that guided me back to myself: Alcoholics Anonymous in Missoula. The Prelude While most of my peers were navigating the tumultuous
Counselor Corner: Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT
A Glimpse Inside My World: Living with Borderline Personality Disorder "It's a bit like waking up every morning and having to piece together who I am. Some days, the image is clear. On others, it’s like trying to complete a jigsaw puzzle with half the pieces missing. Mornings can be deceptive. I might awaken with a surge of optimism, feeling invincible. The sun seems brighter, the world full of endless
Counseling Corner: Plain and Simple: Borrowing Buddha’s Wisdom
Whenever I reflect on the fact that I was able to earn a Ph.D. in Buddhist studies, living in England and India along the way and later teaching in the US and Hong Kong, I cannot help but feel incredibly fortunate. There was a time when I really thought Buddhism was the best religion (or philosophy, psychology, or way of life) out there. But over the years I have also
Counselor Corner: Staying Grounded in Modern Technology
Around a decade ago, Tim Wu, a law professor at Columbia University, wrote a series of thought-provoking articles on technological advancement for the New Yorker's science and technology blog, Elements. In his first piece titled "If a Time Traveller Saw a Smartphone," Wu presented a modified Turing test to explore the ongoing debate between advocates and critics of digital technology. The Turing Test A Turing test, for those who don’t
Counselor Corner: Secrets on How to Focus from ‘The Alchemist’ by Paulo Coelho
Imagine a young man, eager to learn the Secret of Happiness, embarking on a journey through the desert for forty days. His search led him to the top of a mountain where a beautiful castle stood. There, he hoped to find wisdom from a renowned sage. Upon arrival, the young man discovered a bustling scene. Merchants were conducting business, friends were engaged in conversation, melodious music filled the air, and
Counselor Corner: What are the Four Burners?
Yesterday was a hard day. In an effort to fine-tune my daily routine, I had decided to employ my new routine - which was to skip dinner - but what happened next took me by surprise. At lunch, I found myself indulging in oatmeal cookies and blueberry smoothies, only to suffer a significant sugar crash shortly after. Have you ever felt like you made progress in one area of life,