Author Archives: Anne Ihnen

Has Meditation Jumped the Shark?

Posted on October 10, 2015 by Anne Ihnen

In a New York Times Op-Ed piece this week, UPenn psychology professor Adam Grant takes what he calls “meditation madness” to task. Referring to meditation as a fad, he systematically debunks its benefits. Stress reduction? There are lots of ways to achieve … Continue reading →

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Precious: a study in trauma

Posted on April 16, 2011 by Anne Ihnen

I finally saw the film Precious, and it’s been sticking with me ever since.  If you don’t know this film, Precious is the story of an inner-city teenage girl who suffers horrific physical, sexual, and emotional abuse from the time … Continue reading →

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Why do I eat this way?

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Anne Ihnen

A friend recommended the book, Women Food and God by Geneen Roth, and as I read it, I feel grateful that Ms. Roth has presented the challenging idea of healing our old wounds by facing ourselves directly in a compelling, … Continue reading →

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Vulnerability, Shame, and the Need to Connect

Posted on January 9, 2011 by Anne Ihnen

This morning, I listened to this talk by researcher Brene Brown on the power of vulnerability:

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Let’s all just be in the moment, shall we?

Posted on December 24, 2010 by Anne Ihnen

Everywhere I turn, I hear people dispensing the wonderful-sounding advice to be in the moment.  This phrase is being tossed around so much that it’s become almost meaningless.  What does it even mean to be in the moment? Here’s what … Continue reading →

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Restoring Sanity

Posted on October 31, 2010 by Anne Ihnen

Yesterday, October 30, was the day that Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert hosted “The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear” on the National Mall in Washington DC. Here in Seattle, we had our own Rally, and I attended. It was … Continue reading →

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Poetry

Posted on October 17, 2010 by Anne Ihnen

I’ve been spending some time this Sunday morning with a poetry website I heard about on NPR, the Favorite Poem Project. The website includes a selection of videos of people reading and talking about their favorite poems. It’s these videos … Continue reading →

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It Gets Better

Posted on October 10, 2010 by Anne Ihnen

I’ve been watching the wonderful YouTube “It Gets Better” videos, and even though I’m not gay (I’m a straight ally) I wanted to share some of my thoughts on the subject. It really is true that life gets better once … Continue reading →

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Survivors of Suicide

Posted on November 22, 2009 by Anne Ihnen

Yesterday, November 21,  was National Survivors of Suicide Day. If you’ve lost a loved one to suicide, then you are a suicide survivor. The grief experienced by those affected by a suicide is especially complex and intense. In addition to … Continue reading →

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Manifesting goodness

Posted on November 5, 2009 by Anne Ihnen

There’s a lot of talk these days about manifesting and drawing the good toward oneself, ideas that are based on the idea of positive thinking, most recently described in The Secret. I see some pitfalls with the idea that if … Continue reading →

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