by dmackinnon | Jan 2, 2013 | Healing Choices, Process
As I’ve reflected on the last year and looked forward to the next, I’ve been having a hard time identifying my emotions. What am I feeling? I finally realized that I’m feeling excited at all the possibilities that the new year brings. I’ve experienced so many changes...
by dmackinnon | Dec 26, 2012 | Coaching Tools, Healing Choices
Every year around this time I make a list of 50 accomplishments. The reason I came up the number 50 is that it takes me beyond all the goals I set and makes me process some of the more subtle accomplishments of the year. So, at the beginning of my list I have things...
by dmackinnon | Dec 19, 2012 | Communication, Healing Choices
When I was seeing patients, I would often say to a patient, “Can I examine you now?” Sometimes, when I said it to a child, the response was, “No!” At that point, I would say, “Let me rephrase that: I’m going to examine you now.” My initial request was not really a...
by dmackinnon | Dec 12, 2012 | Communication, Healing Choices
“A complaint is a request unasked.” I heard this little saying years ago. I thought it was such a true statement and I said it to my husband when he complained. Then I said, ‘Do you have a request?” He did and he told me what it was. A few hours later I mentioned...
by dmackinnon | Dec 5, 2012 | Communication, Healing Choices
I’ve been thinking a lot about boundaries lately (see last week’s blog post.) While driving the other day, I started thinking about the movie, Moonstruck (stay with me!) If you haven’t seen the movie, put it on your list; it’s a good one. I’m not going to spoil it by...
by dmackinnon | Nov 28, 2012 | Communication, Healing Choices
When I was seeing patients, it was not uncommon for a female patient to ask me what they could do about their lack of sex drive. When I first graduated from medical school, I would start talking about the female sex cycle and all the different changes that can go on...
by dmackinnon | Nov 21, 2012 | Healing Choices, Thought Work
Around holiday time, many people start to talk about the way things used to be. “Oh, it’s not like it used to be,” they sigh. “I wish it could be the way it used to be.” I’ve heard one of my brother-in-laws say, in response to wistful statements such as these, “Which...
by dmackinnon | Nov 14, 2012 | Healing Choices, Thought Work
As I get ready to teach a class on Energy Drainers again this week, I realize that the language I have used in the past has been less than crystal clear. I used to talk about the things that drained our energy. These days I know that it’s our thoughts about the things...
by dmackinnon | Nov 7, 2012 | Coaching Tools, Healing Choices
Which day would you rather have? Day #1: Got up before I was ready. Had to take care of everyone else. Had to drive to Boston in rush-hour traffic. Had to wait for hours to see a doctor. Had to drive home in rush-hour traffic. Had to pick up my son and put him to bed....
by dmackinnon | Oct 31, 2012 | Healing Choices, Process
“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” ― Joseph Campbell I started thinking about becoming a physician when I was 11 years old. I graduated from medical school at the age of 29. By the time I...
