THE CHESTNUT HILL INSTITUTE

Fitness secrets for staying young

Last time we talked about how the mind can be a fountain of youth.  Now it’s time to look at how physical fitness can contribute to this.  And in fact there are secrets for staying fit.  This is important, because it is amply, hugely, demonstrated in study after study that the more fit you are, the longer you will live and the better will be the quality of your life.  A longer and better life: sounds like a good deal to me.  But what are the secrets for achieving this? (more…)

Science confirms that your mind can be your fountain of youth

There are people, silly, silly people, who insist on making constant references to their getting older.  If they should happen to forget, say, the name of the actor who played Audrey Hepburn’s on-again-off-again boyfriend in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, they’ll say they’re having a senior moment.  (It was George Peppard, BTW—didn’t want you to stress out over this!)  If they get a sore ligament, they’ll say, well, I guess I’m getting older.  Maybe they think this is wisdom: accept, no, embrace! the inevitable.  But it is actually quite foolish. 

There is new research which adds new weight to the old cliché that you’re as old as you think you are.  Think young, be young.  Here’s how it works.  (more…)

Attention deficit…what?  Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention

First comes marriage, then comes divorce, caused by ADHD of course. 

Yes?  Well, maybe.  But let’s not be too quick.  Tara Parker-Pope has another one of her always-excellent articles in the New York Times.  The title of this new piece says it all:  Attention Disorders Can Take a Toll on Marriage.  And that’s certainly true.  But is it the right perspective?  (more…)

You asked for this blog: the latest in an occasional series

We’re stuck in the middle of a heat wave, so this seemed like the perfect time to post a blog we keep getting requests for.  I can’t tell you how many of you have said this has helped you more than hours of therapy.  What I’m talking about is the quickest, simplest, most effective way to lower anxiety.  This is what you do… (more…)

A journalist asks about true love

A writer for a very popular woman’s magazine has just asked some questions that get at how to sort out the difference between true love and the dangerous illusion of true love.  I have to wonder if she is struggling with this in her own live.  Possibly.  We’ve all struggled with this at one time or another.  Anyway, here are her questions, and our answers. 

Q:  Why does the grass always seems to be greener on the other side? (more…)

Who cheats and why

Check out our latest appearance in the media.  We are quoted in the Daily Beast in a very interesting feature on the factors connected with cheating.  It’s really interesting!

For more, you of course would want to read WHEN GOOD PEOPLE HAVE AFFAIRS.

A reporter asks us to assess your risk of being cheated on

A few weeks ago we had a series on “Are you at risk of divorce?”  It appeared here, here, and here.  Now a reporter has asked us to comment on what raises or lowers the risk of having an extramarital affair.  Understand your risk factors is most important.  Here’s a link to that piece. 

For now, here are our responses to the data the reporter showed us:

1. If you never attend religious services, you’re 250 percent more likely to have extramarital sex than those who attend religious service more than once a week.

Chestnut Hill Institute:  The likelihood people will cheat is always about (more…)

It works, it’s fast, and (surprisingly often) it’s easy

Oy, what people don’t know about therapy.  Sometimes I think it’s all Woody Allen’s fault.  He’s helped promulgate the image of therapy as something that goes on forever, is gut wrenching, and accomplishes little.  But in fact the opposite is true.  (more…)

Hey mom, dad: RELAX!

I just read an article that both had great advice for parents and helped them relax.  You rarely find the two going together.  Of course I thought the article was wonderful:  I’d been saying the same thing for a long, long time.  And now here was new evidence for this view of optimal parenting.  So what is this great advice?  (more…)

How to prevent money fights

In the previous blog we talked about how destructive fighting about money can be.  And that matters not only to you but to the whole country: with the tough times so many of us are facing, more money fights means more divorces, and that’s no good for anyone.  But there are things you can do today to stop these fights.  (more…)