Gary Brown

Dating Anxiety in The Age of Tinder

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There are so many singles I see in my practice who struggle with dating. It’s one of the most talked about issues among my clients. Some feel anxious and confused about the whole dating scene. So, let’s start with some of the basics. First, here’s some information about anxiety in general. About 18% of American adults have been diagnosed with an ...read more

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How Do You Know When It’s Not Right to Trust Your Gut

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Do you always and should you always trust your gut? Has your gut always been right? ...or all too often wrong? Bustle reached out to me for an interview about these gut-wrenching and mind-bending questions that people sometimes struggle with. I hope you find it helpful. Please feel free to contact me if you are currently dealing with this ...read more

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The Wisdom of Crying

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The issue of crying often comes up for many of my clients. So many feel a stigma associated with crying – even crying alone, crying with another, and especially crying in a public setting. Somehow there is the erring belief that the human act of crying implies that we are weak. I challenge this belief. It could not be more false. Crying is an ...read more

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11 Tips to Help You Cope with Rejection

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This is going to be one of the deepest dives I have ever done on almost any other blog I have ever written. That’s because feelings of rejection are one of the most common, powerful, and confusing emotional experiences any of us can have. This subject simply doesn’t lend itself to a few electronic soundbites. The feeling of rejection hurts. It ...read more

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4 Tips To Help You Get Over A Relationship You Know Isn’t Good For You

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  Most of us have been there. We are in a relationship that we know isn't good for us, but for any number of reasons, we stay anyway. It is painful to stay. It can also be painful to think about leaving. All of this can be pretty confusing. Wanting some tips for her readers on how to get over a relationship that is not a good fit, Kimmy ...read more

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How to Know If You’re in Love with Your Best Friend

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    You spend a lot of time together, you laugh a lot, you have inside jokes and shared stories. You seem to balance each other and have great conversations and chemistry. Lately when you’ve been together things may have been affectionate and it’s getting you thinking. It could make sense that you and your best friend may want to ...read more

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17 Tips to Help Reduce Anxiety and Panic Attacks

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People seek me out for many reasons. Anxiety is one of the top three reasons, alongside depression, and relationship issues.   In fact, at any given point in time, at least 20 percent of people are suffering from some type of anxiety. What is anxiety? Anxiety is actually a very normal, but unpleasant reaction to one or more situations ...read more

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How To Fast Track Your Resolutions This Year

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Many of us make resolutions and set goals at the beginning of the year. Actually, you may or may not have written them down. I recommend that you do. So, what’s next? What do you do with them for the rest of the year? How often do you revisit those goals that you were so excited about in January, but might have faded by the time you get to ...read more

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5 Reasons to Make Friends a Higher Priority This Year

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It’s the new year and this is a time that I tend both reflect and look ahead. When thinking about friendships and seeing some people who are close to me struggling in this area, the idea of creating this post came to mind. I hope you find it helpful. This year my resolution is to experience more connection with others. And my intention is to ...read more

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When to Stop Talking About Your Ex So You Can Move On

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It's the beginning of a new year.  You and your ex broke up late last year, and one of your New Year's resolutions was to get over them so that you could move on.  The problem might be that moving on is turning out to be actually much harder than you thought it would be. Kimmy Foskett, a writer from Elite Daily, was doing an article on this very ...read more

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New Year’s Resolutions and Goals: What’s the Difference & the Secrets to Make Them Actually Work

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Welcome to 2018! So, I was up last night after everyone else had gone to bed. My thoughts were focusing on what message I wanted the first blog of the year to be. I wanted it to be meaningful for you and not a repetition of the usual New Year’s “resolutions." And that got me to thinking about the different meanings of that word – resolutions ...read more

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4 Tips to Help You Overcome Shyness and Social Anxiety

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It’s the holiday season. For many, it’s a time when we may be spending more time with family, friends, and fellow workers at any number of social gatherings. For some, this is a time of excitement, but for others, the holidays can be a time when we just might prefer to avoid holiday parties. Don’t worry. If that’s you, you’re not alone. And in ...read more

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How to Ask Your Parents About Dating Advice

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If you're a young adult, or even a not-so-young adult, talking to your parents about dating can stir up a range of emotions from frustration, to embarrassment to deep love and respect. And with the holidays afoot, there are plenty of opportunities for these conversations. Your parents are naturally curious about your life, and dating life in ...read more

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The Wisdom & Art of Flirting

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As a therapist, I see both singles looking for a relationship and couples trying to rekindle a spark. You know what both groups of people need more in their lives (and more practice at)??? Flirting. Flirting is to behave as though attracted to or trying to attract someone, oftentimes for amusement rather than with serious intentions...well, ...read more

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Coping With The Holiday Season When You’re Feeling Down

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Holiday parties every weekend, traveling long distances, preparing for Thanksgiving. Christmas lists from the kids to Santa, Hanukkah presents for eight nights, extra time with extended family. Colder, winter weather (well, as cold as it can get in Southern California!) and endless sweet treats when we’re trying to follow a healthier eating ...read more

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