Recognizing children’s potential mental health issues Rita Watson Mothers and fathers with challenging children are oftentimes exasperated saints. It can be difficult to determine if a child is “going through a phase” or is in need of help because of a psychiatric problem, such as depression or an anxiety disorder. As with adults, children can…
Rewrite your story and create the future you want
Rewrite your story and create the future you want Rita Watson We all have a story to tell. Our stories are what make us unique. Moreover, how we choose to remember our stories affects our personality and impacts our relationships. What happens in life is our biography. What determines our destiny is the way we…
Try feng shui to lure romance into your home
Try feng shui to lure romance into your home Rita Watson /Providence Journal, June 3, 2012 With the ringing of wedding bells for June brides, there is both excitement and wistfulness. Those who are “always a bridesmaid, but never a bride” have mixed emotions. Even long time married couples wish they…
Sunbathers are left in the dark with labeling delay
Sunbathers are left in the dark with labeling delay By Rita Watson / Providence Journal, Thrive section, June4, 2012 The sunscreen news is sizzling hot. With the announcement from the Food and Drug Administration that the group is delaying label clarifications with regard to effectiveness, sunbathers are left with three options — looking warily at…
In baseball, and in life, to forgive is divine
RELATIONSHIPS In baseball, and in life, to forgive is divine/ June 17, 2012, Providence Journal Rita Watson Behavior between couples who become angry with one another can often resemble an exchange between a baseball player and an umpire. One disagrees. The other confronts. Words are exchanged. And before you know it, someone is ejected from…
Giving is like kissing — it feels good in both directions
The Providence Journal/ All About You/ Sunday May 6, 2012 By Rita Watson With the advent of Mother’s Day, I knew it was time to change my home to its summer look. That meant removing the Valentine wreath from my front door and putting away the coffee table collection of love books to make way…
Physician's Tips for a Good Night's Sleep
From The Providence Journal / May 7, 2012 Rita Watson A controversial study about sleep in the British Medical Journal recently might be keeping some people awake during May’s Better Sleep Month. The report says that getting a prescription for sleeping pills appears to increase one’s risk for cancer and death. Carl W. Bazil, MD,…
Just learn how to live with him: The Providence Journal
Just learn how to live with him (How can you train a man?) The Providence Journal, April 22, 2012 Rita Watson How do you change a man? It is almost impossible. But I did begin wondering about the role of perception, stress and change with regard to men after reading the American Psychological Association’s annual…
The manageable stress movement starts to take root
Stress is a common reaction to concerns about money, work, family and relationships in a world of economic and job uncertainty, marriage breakdown and fractured love affairs. Despite these high-anxiety times, the American Psychological Association announced in January that reported stress has declined. But in fact, it is perception that has changed. In a survey…
In praise of mealtime, at the table: Providence Journal
In praise of mealtime, at the table Providence Journal, April 8, 2012 Rita Watson The welcome table at our grandmother’s home was a place for family. She believed that at the table you learned to “read” people — from the expressions on their faces, the questions they asked or did not, their laughter, smiles, snickers…