When someone’s behavior, words, or reaction in the present moment remind us of a painful experience in our past, we may have an exaggerated reaction. We are triggered.
The amygdala, which detects threats and controls emotional reactions, becomes activated. Hormones like cortisol and adrenaline are released, preparing the body for “fight, flight, freeze or fawn.”
Our reactivity is automatic and unconscious. It may be to FLEE (detach, dismiss and minimize), FREEZE (become anxious and fix), […]
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A Father’s Love & The “Father Wound”
Have you ever stopped to think about how your relationship with your dad has shaped the person you are today?
Whether you had an amazing dad, an absent dad, or something in between, your father plays a huge role in your development and sense of self.
For many of us, our fathers are our first love, our first protector, our first example of what a man is.
If you were lucky enough to have a dad who was loving, […]
No Relationship is Perfect
As we approach Mother’s Day, I would like to invite you to take a moment to contemplate, what is/was your mother like? What is/was your relationships with your mother like? What important lessons have you learned from her?
No relationship is perfect, of course. I’m sure there were some challenges, and some very beautiful moments you two spent together.
Some of us have a “mother wound.” I had a very tumultuous relationship with my mother growing up. […]
This is my secret ~ J Krishnamurti
This is a story about J. Krishnamurti, the great Indian philosopher and spiritual teacher. For over 50 years he travelled all over the world, speaking, teaching trying to explain in words concepts and ideas that are beyond words. I read a story about him once surprising his audience by saying he was going to reveal his secret “Do you want to know my secret?”
So, as you can imagine, everyone was listening attentively. Everyone wanted to hear the secret of his wisdom. […]
The Tigers & The Strawberry
Someone I know brought up his fear of old age and death. It made me think of a Zen Parable I had read a long time ago. I always carry it close to my heart and it has been a source of inspiration for me.
Have you ever heard about the Zen Parables? They are called a Koans, a Japanese term that dates from the 7th century. These parables were used to produce doubt, […]
How to Create New Emotional & Spiritual Energy for 2023
The beginning of a new year can start a new chapter in our lives
Why is it so difficult to follow through with our New Year’s resolutions despite our best intentions?
From a therapeutic perspective, for a resolution to work, it is crucial to bring self-awareness and honest self-reflection into the process.
We can design real and permanent change if we take some time to look back, assess and reflect on what worked and what did not work in our lives. […]
How to Navigate Transitions in Times of Uncertainty
This article was originally published in Lion’s Roar Magazine. It was also published in the Spanish edition of Lion’s RoarMagazine.
Below is my latest article on Lion’s Roar Magazine. In it I reflect on my experience moving from Argentina to the USA, and then to Paris, France, and how my perception of life transitions completely changed in the process.
To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest. […]
The Art of Acceptance
Sometimes, the only choice we have is to surrender, to stop fighting the inevitable, and to accept our lack of control. How we inhabit our vulnerability will determine the quality of our experience.
On Friday, August 31, 2015, I woke up at 4:00 am to my cell phone ringing on my nightstand. Distressing news from Argentina. My mom had just had a stroke, had been rushed to the hospital and was in the Intensive Care Unit. […]
What impermanence can teach us
Here is this blog in Spanish
When we realize that the nature of things is change, our appreciation, our gratitude and our ability to value what we have when we have it increases exponentially.
Like nothing else, impermanence can teach us how to treasure every aspect of life and how to live fully. Let’s not wait. Life is as fragile as a sand castle. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. […]
How to work with anger
Monica explores how to meet anger with conscious awareness
This article was first published on Lion’s Roar on June 28, 2022.
While I don’t consider myself an angry person, I have always had an open curiosity about anger. As a child, I remember experiencing deep fear in the chaotic moments of my mother’s angry spells. I felt helpless and anxious, but I suppressed these emotions because of my fear of adding more intensity to my mom’s outbursts, […]