Posts Tagged With: coping and healing groups

Day 4481: Relationships

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, in my therapy group, people talked about relationships. Some people were exploring new relationships, others were hoping for different relationships, and somebody spoke about their relationship with themselves, realizing they could be their own soulmate.

I have always been fascinated by relationships. Maybe that’s why I became a therapist. Maybe that’s why I watched only relationship movies like When Harry Met Sally… on the airplane to and from Italy. Maybe that’s why I’m still friends with people I’ve had important relationships with.

Last night, I asked a question about relationships on social media:

I’m so grateful for all my relationships — In Real Life and elsewhere.

What relationships do you see in my other images for today?

Speaking of therapy, here’s something I found on YouTube when I searched for relationships:

Thanks to all those who help me understand relationships, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism, Psychotherapy | Tags: April 9 2025, cats, coping and healing groups, different types of relationships, pollock with coconut, Relationships Are Hard But Why?, Stan Tatkin TED talk, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter, When Harry Met Sally… | 10 Comments

Day 4438: Quiet Day

Posted on February 25, 2025 by Ann Koplow

Today is Quiet Day.

I can’t completely observe Quiet Day because of my work as a group therapist. However, there is quiet time in my groups, as we start with a mindfulness exercise to take a break from the chaos of life.

While I appreciate the idea of Quiet Day, this is the time for us to stop being quiet and to speak up about what is happening now, as did Jane Fonda at the SAG awards.

I can image people who don’t agree with Jane Fonda wishing she’d be quiet, but she won’t.

Let’s use Quiet Day — and any quiet time we can find — to relax and recharge during these times when we need to raise our voices together. Hopefully we shall quiet those loud, toxic voices of chaos, fear, and destruction.

Here are my images for Quiet Day.

These red cards explain what to say and when to be quiet with immigration officers.

I suspect we haven’t reached rock bottom yet, but we will if we stay quiet.

Thanks to all who are here for this Quiet Day post, including YOU!

Categories: life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: cats, coping and healing groups, February 25 2025, great dance songs, Jane Fonda, red cards, SAG awards speech, salmon dish, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter | 12 Comments

Day 4419: Catastrophes

Posted on February 6, 2025 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, in my Coping and Healing group, people talked about catastrophes. The discussion included experiencing the common human tendency for catastrophizing in the midst of actual catastrophes.

In case you’re not sure about the difference between catastrophizing and catastrophes, here’s my song “Catastrophizing.”

Because we tend to catastrophize and imagine the worst case scenario (no matter what’s going on) as a way to prepare for and survive the worst, this can exhaust us when we’re dealing with real catastrophes. On the other hand, many people report becoming calm and focused when catastrophes strike, becoming overwhelmed with anxiety later.

The challenge for us is dealing with extended, elongated catastrophes that have confusing or unknown results.

What catastrophes do you see in my images for today?

What are your thoughts and feelings about catastrophes?

Thanks to all who help me get through catastrophes, including YOU!

Categories: life in the USA, original song, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: Catastrophizing, coping and healing groups, Dealing with Catastrophes, Disaster Day, Elon Musk, February 6 2025, movies, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter | 8 Comments

Day 4348: Today

Posted on November 27, 2024 by Ann Koplow

Today, I’m facilitating a Coping and Healing group. In yesterday’s group, we did a mindfulness exercise from this book, which I may also use today.

Today, in order to relax, I’m going to try to avoid the news, but chances are that it will seep into my consciousness and affect me today.

Today, on What Do You Love About America Day, I’m having a hard time identifying what I love about America.

Here are the images I have to share for today.

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

Today, I am now aware there are still things to love about our world.

Thanks to all who are here today, including YOU!

Categories: life in the USA, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: “How to Relax” by Thich Nhat Hanh, “The Good News You May Have Missed” by Angus Hervey, catfish with potatoes, coping and healing groups, November 27 2024, Thanksgiving, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter, What Do You Love About America Day, Wicked | 8 Comments

Day 4278: Get ready

Posted on September 18, 2024 by Ann Koplow

Get ready for another blog post from me, in which I share thoughts, feelings, pictures, tweets, updates, cats, meals, the daily holidays/observances, YouTube videos, and whatever else I’m able to get ready first thing in the morning.

After I publish this, I’ll get ready for another Coping and Healing therapy group and another doctor’s appointment regarding my very unusual heart. I also need to get ready for my upcoming cardiac device replacement surgery by maintaining an INR blood reading of 3.0. Last night’s reading was 3.2, but I think that’s good enough for now.

Get ready for today’s images, everybody!

Get ready for today’s YouTube video!

Now I need to get ready for another day of making mistakes, learning, and connecting with those I cherish, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: catfish dish, cats, coping and healing groups, Get Ready Day, Great egrets?, INR, living with a congenital heart condition, Rare Earth, September 18 2024, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter | 12 Comments

Day 4267: What matters

Posted on September 7, 2024 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, in a Coping and Healing group, people were talking about what matters to them. What mattered to me was pointing out how some of the members had been treated by others like they didn’t matter and how they mattered to other people in the group.

What also matters to me is getting this song out into the world.

Carol, who is harmonizing there on my song “Don’t Kill Yourself,” matters a great deal to me and has helped me realize how much I matter.

Do you see what matters in the other images I’m sharing today?

What matters to you?

Thanks to all who matter to me, including YOU.

Categories: 2024 USA elections, original song, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: “Don’t Kill Yourself”, books, cats, coping and healing groups, September 7 2024, social media managers, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twitter, what matters | 10 Comments

Day 4182: No Need to Apologize

Posted on June 14, 2024 by Ann Koplow

“No need to apologize” is something I say in my therapy groups quite often, so I’ve started writing a new song with that title.

No need to apologize if you think that needs work.

Do you see no need to apologize in my images for the day?

The Daily Bitch sees no need to apologize and neither do I.

Here’s what I find when I search for “no need to apologize” on YouTube:

No need to apologize if you do or don’t leave a comment, below.

I have no need to apologize but I do need to thank all who are here, now, including YOU!

Categories: original song, personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: bluefish dish, cats, coping and healing groups, If you’ve done something wrong don’t apologize: how to navigate others’ hurt feelings, June 14 2024, learning something new, PsychHacks, The Daily Bitch Calendar, the South Shore of Boston, Twitter | 14 Comments

Day 4143: A Life Worth Living

Posted on May 6, 2024 by Ann Koplow

Even though I’ve forgotten this during some painful times, I’ve always had a life worth living.

A person in my therapy groups says that they don’t have a life worth living if they don’t regain the mobility they had when they were younger. Other group members try to convince that person that they do have a life worth living, here and now. I recognize that different people have different ideas of what makes a life worth living.

Do you see a life worth living in my images for today?

When I search for “a life worth living” on YouTube, I find this:

… this:

… and this:

What do you think makes a life worth living?

Thanks to all who make life worth living, including YOU.

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: cats, coping and healing groups, Douglas MacLean, Ethical dilemma: What makes life worth living?, Frank Martela, Lucy Kalanithi, May 6 2024, The Daily Bitch Calendar, The meaning of life: What makes life worth living?, Twitter, What makes life worth living in the face of death | 10 Comments

Day 4124: Stressed Out

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Ann Koplow

Yesterday, when I couldn’t keep up with the other people in my training class at the hospital for the Electronic Medical Record EPIC, I got very stressed out. Then, when I tried to practice on my own and couldn’t get that to work, I got even more stressed out.

Once I was in a stressed-out state, everything stressed me out — emails, technology, personal interactions, thoughts about the future (like how the go-live date for EPIC and the concert of my original songs are one and the same!), and self doubt about my abilities.

I became less stressed out after I overcame an unexpected glitch on my computer to start my online Coping and Healing therapy group (three minutes late!). I quickly got into the familiar routine of leading a mindfulness exercise and facilitating others’ sharing about their stress. I realized that I was most stressed out about how EPIC would affect my scheduling and documenting my groups in the future. No matter how stressed out I get about that, my groups will go on.

Today, after a good night’s sleep, I’m less stressed out, even though I have to check my INR blood level in a few minutes and later go to physical therapy for my stressed out and clicking jaw.

I hope you don’t get stressed out by my images for today.

For National Haiku Poetry Day, here’s a haiku:

When I am stressed out

My thoughts are like frightened birds

Reeling in the sky.

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

Thanks to all who help me when I’m stressed out, including YOU!

Categories: personal growth, photojournalism | Tags: April 17 2024, cats, Cod dish, coping and healing groups, Epic, green flags, National Haiku Poetry Day, sources of stress, The Daily Bitch Calendar, Twenty One Pilots, Twitter | 10 Comments

Day 4100: Other people’s anger

Posted on March 24, 2024 by Ann Koplow

Because I’ve been dealing with other people’s anger lately, I decided to finish and record my new song, “Other People’s Anger.”

Throughout my life, other people’s anger has gotten too much of my attention. When I was in the hospital with a heart condition when I was very young, I was at the mercy of doctors and nurses, some of whom showed their anger and impatience. As a result, it’s been difficult for me to feel safe when I’ve encountered angry words, looks, or even tones.

Because of all the work I’ve done in therapy, other people’s anger doesn’t bother me as much these days, although I sometimes need to remind myself that “it’s safer than it feels” when somebody is angry at me.

Interestingly enough, other people’s anger doesn’t bother me in the therapy groups I facilitate. Instead, I see that as an opportunity for people to accept and understand anger better.

Do you see other people’s anger in my images for today?