Monthly Archives: February 2026

Day 4806: Do No Harm

Posted on February 28, 2026 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, when I was presenting about my Coping and Healing groups to social work interns, we had a discussion about the obligation and wish to do no harm.

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Therapists, of course, avoid causing harm, pain, or suffering to patients during care; however, we can also feel paralyzing self doubt because of the fear of “saying the wrong thing.” I told the interns that people in my groups wished to do no harm, sometimes caused temporary pain in each other anyway, discussed that, and grew from the experience.

I try to do no harm when I ask questions.

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Perhaps it’s a no brainer that despite your best intentions, someone may feel hurt.

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I hope to do no harm by sharing my song “Triggers” right now.

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I’ll try to do no harm with my other images for today.

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I hope it will do no harm that today is International Sword Swallowers Day. I believe it will do no harm to share this photo on National Chocolate Souffle Day.

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Here’s what I find when I search for “do no harm” on YouTube:

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Thanks to all who do their best to do no harm, including YOU.

Categories: group therapy, original song, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Day 4805: Life saving

Posted on February 27, 2026 by Ann Koplow

Last night, somebody in my Coping and Healing group said they found the group life saving. This was very gratifying to hear.

In a few minutes, I’ll be getting ready to go to the hospital to give a presentation about these life saving groups to a group of life saving interns.

Let’s see if there’s anything life saving in my images for today.

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My hope is that this song of mine might be life saving.

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Thanks to all who are life saving (even if you don’t know it), including YOU!

Categories: group therapy, health care, original song, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Day 4804: What other people are thinking

Posted on February 26, 2026 by Ann Koplow

As a group therapist and a curious citizen of the world, I’m often thinking about what other people are thinking. Because I’m not a mindreader, I ask questions about what other people are thinking.

Now I’m wondering what other people are thinking about this blog post.

I don’t know what other people are thinking about my attempts to share my music.

I wonder what other people are thinking about the first song I ever wrote.

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I can’t wait to read what other people are thinking in the comments section below.

I’m grateful for what other people are thinking, including YOU!

Categories: group therapy, original song, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Day 4803: Coping

Posted on February 25, 2026 by Ann Koplow

In yesterday’s Coping and Healing group, we talked about coping strategies to reduce panicking, freaking out, and (as one member calls it) “tripping.”

A group member told us how kids today use the word “coping.”

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I wondered whether this new definition of coping explains why there are so few young people in my Coping and Healing groups.

Do you see different forms of coping in my images for today?

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Here’s what I find when I search for “coping” on YouTube.

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Thanks to all who are coping, including YOU!

Categories: group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Day 4802: The Neutral Now

Posted on February 24, 2026 by Ann Koplow

One way to deal with anxiety is to notice the neutral now.

Here’s how the Noom app describes the neutral now:

I’m also trying to expand my neutral now by practicing a more neutral reaction to old triggers, including “unprecedented” storms, equipment failures, and perceived rejections.

Do you notice the neutral now in any of my images for today?

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Here’s what I find now when I search for “the neutral now” on YouTube.

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Thanks to all who are here for the neutral now, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Day 4801: Anxiety

Posted on February 23, 2026 by Ann Koplow

I’m experiencing anxiety about today’s “massive” nor’easter, the massive damage being done to my country by the current administration, and my non-massive music career.

Like any other mother, I have felt some anxiety about my child. Thankfully, I’m not feeling any anxiety about him today — his 28th birthday. I also have no anxiety about continuing my tradition of posting this old video of his on February 23.

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Do you have any anxiety about my images for today?

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Here’s a song I wrote about anxiety:

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Thanks to all who help me deal with my anxiety, including YOU!

Categories: life in the USA, original song, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Day 4800: Luck

Posted on February 22, 2026 by Ann Koplow

Is it luck that the winter storms around here always seem to threaten the one day a week I’m supposed to work at the hospital in person?

Is it luck that I have outlived the estimates for my survival with an extremely rare heart condition?

Is it luck that I never seem to get the recognition I want for my original songs?

Is it luck that I have get to facilitate six groups a week, practicing a profession that is such a great match for my skills and values?

Is it luck that nobody can seem to cure the annoying clicking sounds I hear whenever I talk?

Is it luck that I found all these images for this blog post about luck?

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I try to improve my luck by noticing opportunities and taking them. That’s why I responded this way to a Facebook post yesterday.

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While I’m thinking “with my luck, nothing will come of that,” I’ll keep trying to improve my luck by putting myself out there.

You’re in luck! My protest song is available here, here, and here:

https://open.spotify.com/track/6jq8LgVTq4zSap7wNUutWZ

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Here’s what I find when I search for “luck” on YouTube:

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I am grateful for my luck and grateful for you!

Categories: original song, personal growth, photojournalism, quotes | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Day 4799: Feel the love

Posted on February 21, 2026 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, in my Coping and Healing group, we talked about feeling unconditional love in our bodies. I could feel the love in my core; other people could feel the love in their upper chests, hearts, and tummies.

During these often loveless times, it is really important to feel the love.

Can you feel the love in my images for today?

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Here’s what I find when I search for “feel the love” on YouTube:

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I hope you can feel the love in my gratitude for you.

Categories: group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Day 4798: That’s data

Posted on February 20, 2026 by Ann Koplow

One of the coping skills I use is telling myself “that’s data” instead of leaping to unhelpful conclusions. Because we tell ourselves stories based on the past, “that’s data” helps me observe and move on.

Here’s how ChatGPT describes using “that’s data.”

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When I gather images for this blog, that’s data.

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Is that data or a story?

Here’s what I find when I search for “that’s data” on YouTube:

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Any comments you leave? That’s data.

Thanks to all who are here for this “that’s data” post, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Day 4797: Coping Skills

Posted on February 19, 2026 by Ann Koplow

In my Coping and Healing groups, people often discuss coping skills. Those skills are always there, even when people feel overwhelmed, helpless, or particularly unskilled.

During difficult times like these, coping skills are more important than ever. What coping skills do you see in my images for today?

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Here’s what I find when I search for “coping skills” on YouTube:

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What are your coping skills?

Thanks to all who help me learn new coping skills, including YOU!

Categories: group therapy, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

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