Smile! It’s International Happiness Day!

Last updated on: March 20, 2014 at 9:51 am By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

Seriously, that’s a thing. Check it out… Speaking at the High Level Meeting on “Happiness and Well-Being: Defining a New Economic Paradigm”convened during the sixty-sixth session of the General Assembly the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stated that the world “needs a new economic paradigm that recognizes the parity between the three pillars of sustainable development. Social, economic and environmental well-being are indivisible. Together they define gross global happiness.” The meeting was convened at an initiative of Bhutan, a country which recognized... Read more

Become a More Effective Parent in 1 Easy Step.

Last updated on: March 20, 2014 at 8:43 am By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

What parents believe they are trying to do for their kids and how kids understand what their parents are trying to do for them are often two very different things. For instance, a parent could take his child to a baseball game to spend time with the child while the child thinks she is being taken to the game because dad likes baseball and decided to drag her along. Often, the effort we make as parents is totally wasted... Read more

Teens Don’t Need to Rebel

Last updated on: March 13, 2014 at 9:12 am By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

On our radio program, Lisa and I are constantly reminding parents that the idea that teens must rebel is one of the most pernicious lies affecting the family today. The idea of adolescent rebellion, in fact adolescence itself, was unknown before the 20th century and even then, the idea of teenagers rebelling was uncommon until mid-century. A friend of mine pointed me to this article by a self-described “perfect teen” that describes the things that her parents did to avoid... Read more

A Psychopath Gives Parenting Advice

Last updated on: March 12, 2014 at 2:44 pm By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

Dr. James Fallon, neuroscientist, is a psychopath (albeit a “pro-social” psychopath in that he hasn’t killed anyone). He discovered this himself after looking at his brain scan in comparison to the brain scans of serial murderers. The images were disturbingly similar. At first he denied it, but then family, friends and professionals started chiming in, “We’ve been telling you for years you are a psychopath.” They weren’t kidding. His insensitivity to others, risk taking, pathological attention-seeking, lack of compassion... Read more

Pope Francis: “Thinking Out Loud” About Church?

Last updated on: March 7, 2014 at 9:59 am By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

This week, Pope Francis raised some eyebrows when, in an interview, he discussed the possibility of the Church endorsing “civil unions” for homosexual partners. He asserted that marriage was indeed for men and women only, but seemed to propose a more open minded and pastoral approach to the question of homosexual relationships than some would expect from the Church. His comments, as they often do, have caused some degree of consternation among many faithful Catholics who are fearful that Pope... Read more

She Likes Me! She Really Likes Me!

Last updated on: March 6, 2014 at 2:36 pm By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

At her blog, Catholic mom, Katie Warner lists some of her favorite marriage books. Three of her list of best Catholic books on marriage are ours. Here is her write up. The Exceptional Seven Percent: Nine Secrets to the World’s Happiest Couples, Gregory Popcak My hubby and I became big fans of Dr. Gregory Popcak just a few pages into this book. It’s practical, implementable, straightforward, and spot-on in its marital wisdom. Our marriage reaped the benefits almost immediately, and... Read more

Help for Those Who Feel Guilty Speaking Up.

Last updated on: March 6, 2014 at 12:21 pm By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

“He who is not angry, whereas he has cause to be, sins. For unreasonable patience is the hotbed of many vices, it fosters negligence, and incites not only the wicked but the good to do wrong.” ~St. John Chrysostom and my favorite… “Thoughts seethe all the more when corralled by the violent guard of an indiscreet silence.” Pope St. Gregory the Great. Read more

The Secret of Forgiving Yourself

Last updated on: March 5, 2014 at 10:01 am By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

We’re heading into Lent and, as I noted on the show today, it’s a time where lots of us will end up facing some degree of temptation to beat up on ourselves for failing in our efforts to fulfill our Lenten penances. Beyond this, though, forgiving oneself for one’s failings and struggles is a constant struggle. It can be hard to know what forgiving yourself means much less how to do it. As I’ve shared before, St Augustine said that... Read more

Antidepressants Have More Side Effects than Previously Thought

Last updated on: February 26, 2014 at 1:55 pm By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

A University of Liverpool researcher has shown that thoughts of suicide, sexual difficulties and emotional numbness as a result of anti-depressants may be more widespread than previously thought.In a survey of 1,829 people who had been prescribed anti-depressants, the researchers found large numbers of people — over half in some cases — reporting on psychological problems due to their medication, which has led to growing concerns about the scale of the problem of over-prescription of these drugs. Psychologist and lead... Read more

Inconsistent Home Life/Common Family Problems May Increase Risk of Brain Disorders by Up To 60%

Last updated on: February 20, 2014 at 3:37 pm By Rachael Popcak and Dr. Gregory Popcak

Because parents don’t have enough to worry about, two new studies point to the impact of a child’s home life on brain development. The first study looks at how common family problems like lack of affection, poor communication, parental arguments and the like actually resulted in children developing a smaller cerebellum than children who did not experience the same type of common family problems. The study led by Dr Nicholas Walsh, lecturer in developmental psychology at the University of East... Read more