Reflections after My First Month at CCARE
I started at the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University on June 1st, 2016. And I can't believe I am writing this blog on July 5th! It feels like I only just touched down in the USA yesterday, so I'm shocked a month has...
Everything dies and it’s best we learn to live with that
By James Kirby Fear of dying – or death anxiety – is often considered to be one of the most common fears. Interestingly though, neither of the two widely used diagnostic psychiatric manuals, DSM-5 or ICD-10, has a specific listing for death anxiety. Death is related...
High anxiety: how I use mental exercises to ease my fear of flying
By James Kirby In the last five years, I’ve become quite anxious during flights – especially when turbulence hits. And while my wife Cassie never feared turbulence before, she has recently “caught” my anxiety, for which I feel inherently guilty. Now, we’re as bad as...
Anger management: Why we feel rage and how to control it
By James Kirby and Stan Steindl You’re at the park with the kids. Everyone’s having fun, and then a strange dog appears. There’s no owner around. It’s eyeballing the kids. Immediately your threat system becomes activated. You stand alert, fully focused on the dog;...