"This is America?"
In first grade, we stood each morning to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. It was the late 1960s and all girls were required to wear...
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AUTHOR | SPEAKER
Dr. Lise Deguire
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Try Swiping Right
I saw an old friend last weekend (name and info changed.) Mary is a social worker, a few years older than I, smart and witty, quietly...
If I Only. . . Or, What You Bring to Life's Picnic
In the The Wizard of Oz, little Dorothy, in her blue-checked dress, encounters a series of misfits who become friends. First, she meets...
My Worst Fear: Public Speaking (to Nobody)
What do you do when your worst fear actually happens?
How This Grinch Forgave Her Mother (Mostly)
“Have you forgiven your mother?” Oddly, this gut-wrenching, intensely personal question follows me wherever I go. I am a psychologist and...
Dreams Past; Goals Ahead
“A goal is a dream with its work boots on. A goal is a dream you’ve decided to make real.” Rachel Hollis. I turned 60 last month....
Disfigurement: A Call for Awareness
(republished, with permission, from the Pennsylvania Psychologist) When I was four years old, I survived a fire which burned away my...
How NOT to Turn Into your Parents
My grandmother “Memere” sang every morning as she opened her lace curtains, welcoming the sun into the bedroom we shared. Her chirping...
"Burn Baby Burn"
[Author note: In recognition of this back-to-school time, here is a reprint of my blog about bullying. Many children are bravely...
Happy To Be “Too Sensitive”
My mother used to tell me, “You're too sensitive.” It was a repeated refrain, deployed when I cried too long or hurt too much. She said...
A Dose of Compassion, Doctor's Orders
I have been a patient and a doctor, on both sides of the bed. I have sat with injured people, processing their trauma. I have also been...
Six Calming Strategies for Dark Times
“Now is the winter of our discontent.” Although I quote Shakespeare, I really only know this line from my ninth grade obsession with the...
Learning Differently or, "The Candyman Can"
Once upon a time, I gave birth to a perfect little girl, with big blue eyes and a wide smile. She exuded peace and serenity. A friend of...
What is Your Purpose?
What brings meaning to your life? I am not asking because I have the right answer. I am asking because I want you to have an answer, an...
On Giving & Receiving Criticism, or, What Dylan Said
I don’t handle criticism well. My gut reaction is usually a torrent of justification, a quick defensive shield. My throat gets hot and my...
Looking Back, Finding Meaning
I didn’t plan to visit my old house. Odd circumstances brought me there. Our friend’s mother died, and her funeral took us surprisingly...
How to Actually Have a Happy Thanksgiving
(As currently featured in Psychology Today) Are you excited about Thanksgiving? Are you looking forward to getting together with your...
Why Me? Why Not Me?
(This is Part 3 in the series "Choosing More Surgery." See here for Part 1 and here for Part 2) “How are you doing today?” asked my...
What Daily Meditation Can Do For You
“Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of these things and...
A Tale of Two Siblings
(Note: This post was republished with permission from tinybuddha.com. You can find the original post here: https://tinybuddha.com/blog/be...
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