Life is often viewed as a series of attempts and successes and failures, which we allow to define us throughout…
The Power of Forgiveness in Stoic Philosophy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
The Stoic philosopher, Seneca, wrote: “The spirit ought to be brought up for examination daily… I pass the whole day…
The Jaws of Certainty: How Our Low Self-Esteem Pushes Love Away
Evidence can be tricky. We often think of science as a purely objective endeavor, supported by the analysis of an…
Facing the Internal Mirror of COVID-19: Why We Shouldn’t Be Afraid of Self-Isolation
Existential dread is defined as: the fear of the groundlessness beneath us. In essence, it’s the fear of freedom, of…
Addicted to ‘Wow’: Inside of the Mind of a Perfectionist
We think of addiction as entailing some sort of substance, whether a drug, alcohol, or even a video game that…
Bursting the Bubble of Inadequacy: Shifting Our Distorted Beliefs to Love Ourselves
We fear our thoughts more so than reality. The cognitive model of psychotherapy posits that our ideas about ourselves, others,…
In Defense of Anger and Pride: How Negative Emotions Can Be Healthy
Anger and pride, in most religious traditions, are conceived of as engendering vices, corrosive feelings that cause us to react…
Everything Happens With A Reason: How We Can Control Our Destinies in Difficult Times
There’s an old Chinese proverb that tells the story of a farmer who’s unfazed by the perpetual turning of his…
Simple, But Not Easy: Creating Perseverance Through Psychotherapy
In my article, Goodbye Neverland, I wrote that in order to overcame the past, we had to simply choose to…
We Aren’t Unlovable if We Aren’t Loved
Childhood lays the foundation for self-esteem. Children reach out for comfort and affection when they’re scared, sad, and hurt, needing…
Leon's Existential Cafe 