Dvora Kravitz, MA, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
“I’m going about my day, and my busy mind doesn’t let me relax or focus.” Imposter syndrome, inner critics, low self-esteem, and low confidence all stem from internal personalities that seek to control us. You’re not losing your mind. Everyone possesses multiple internal personalities. Some of these are protectors developed during early life…
At the beginning of March, I decided to experiment and create a multisensory tool to keep track of my thoughts, feelings, and sensations as I recorded my activities. Ideas for Journaling For years, I would buy an oversized teacher’s planner to use as a written agenda and journal. It was inexpensive and provided room…
In 1983 I decided it would be a good idea to become a psychotherapist. Being Chassidic, I wasn’t going to enroll in graduate school and enter a profession without the Rebbe’s blessing. I sat down and wrote a long letter. My letter explained how I had expected to be a professional when I was…
It’s 7:30 am. We have to be in the car to drive carpool in twenty minutes. Our 8-year-old son is still in his pajamas. This happens every morning. I wonder if I should dress him myself or force him to go to school in his pajamas. I know one thing; this is a problem…
One morning, in my middle school classroom, a student reported that there was a shooting on his block. Other students, living on the same block, reported that they heard the shots. A middle school student, struggling with learning difficulties and disruptive behavior, was responsible for security at home. The family was surrounded by active…
You’ve done well! Here’s a badge! This kind of reward system is common in games. Feedback and reinforcement can produce learned behavior. This is called operant conditioning. However, sooner or later, extrinsic rewards time out and lose their power. Points for no value actually lower motivation. So what is it that keeps players in…
Passover is a challenging holiday for most families I know, including mine. Let’s use the “Dayenu” song (It would have been enough!) to list some of the obvious triggers: Remove all food from the house. Dayeinu! Clean the kitchen perfectly and re-kosher the counters, sink, stove, and ovens. Dayeinu! Lock up the year-round dishes…
This is a perfect example of design based on user preferences. We started with my husband’s favorite soup, which was a ready to eat vegetable soup. The problem was, I wanted to serve a fresh soup that I could enjoy as well. I created this version using organic and fresh ingredients after several months…
When I first moved to Los Angeles, I often babysat for the Meier family. The father was a hands-on Dad. I remember learning charts on the kids’ wall when they were still babies and toddlers. He was also intuitive and caring toward me. I must have shared some of my epic (to me) failures…
“You’re not in America” is important to remember when out and about in Israel. While #dt could help streamline consumer experience, safety has to come first right now.