THE CHESTNUT HILL INSTITUTE

Here, fast, is the quickest, simplest, most effective way to lower anxiety.  This is what you do… (more…)

They say misery loves company.  Well, in the case of depression, there’s a lot of company.  If you happen to be depressed, the one thing you can’t be sad about is that no one understands how you feel.  LOTS of people understand how you feel.  According to the World Health Organization, depression will soon be the number one health burden on society.  Now here’s why it’s important for us to understand this.  (more…)

We are working on a project on trust in people’s close relationships.  And that’s something you know a lot about, which is why we need your help.  Please email us at DrFoster@ChestnutHillInstitute.com to tell us your thoughts or experiences about trust in your relationships past or present.  (more…)

Years ago we wrote about this issue, and now it’s back in the news.  It was as harrowing a scene as I’ve ever witnessed as a family therapist.  (more…)

In our last blog we talked about what emotional energy is.  And now you’re feeling, I want some of that! 

But isn’t your emotional energy level just something you’re born with?  NO!  Can you really do anything to raise it?  YES!  (more…)

Labor Day has gone, and for most of us this is a time of new beginnings, a time of hope.  But for some of us the trumpet is sounding and yet we can’t seem to answer the call.  We should feel raring to go, but we’re not.  We’re just not feeling the emotional energy we wish we did.  And that not only feels bad.  It’s a real problem. 

The good news is that you can get more emotional energy.  But what is emotional energy anyway, and how do you get more of it?  (more…)

A lot of kids are very anxious when school begins.  They are afraid they won’t make friends or that no one will like them.  They are afraid of not doing well.  They are afraid of the teacher.  But kids’ fears are endless: one kid is afraid of the janitor, another of the cafeteria, another of arithmetic.

And there are a lot of reasons for these fears.  Maybe it’s a new school.  Maybe they have an allergy or disability.  Maybe they’ve had bad experiences in the past.  And sometimes it’s all a mystery: it’s hard for them to say what they’re afraid of or for anyone to understand where this came from. 

The question is, What should you as a parent do about it? (more…)