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Isabel Kirk is a bilingual mental health counselor psychotherapist offering individual and group services in the Washington DC metropolitan area and distance counseling (online and phone).
For her complete profile, visit: Isabel Kirk    Listen to Isabel Kirk's Interview on Blogtalkradio.com
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Continue reading Endings and Beginnings
Problems…is any one exempt? We all have problems. They may differ with regard to number, degree, type, and intensity, but if we are living in this world we share this common experience. So what’s the difference among us when it comes to problems? Simply, some people are troubled and overwhelmed by their problems while others cope and manage them. Often some people handle their problems so well that they are mistakenly judged not to have problems.
We all wonder sometimes when things go wrong or when not feeling good how we can focus on the positive in our lives and to be thankful. Well, the answer is practicing dialectical thinking. Dialectical thinking is a form of flexible thinking open to the synthesis of opposites, which is often the way life is. To understand a dialectical framework, think of the polarities inherent in reality, the many opposites we encounter in daily life and the way things work. From the simplicity of night and day to the unseen tension between matter and antimatter, reality is full of opposites. Continue reading Introduction to Dialectical Thinking this Thanksgiving
Happiness, the pursuit of every human being. How does it look? What does it mean? How do we know when we are on the way to happiness, or walking further away from it? Wikipedia defines happiness as a state of mind or feeling characterized by contentment, love, satisfaction, pleasure, or joy. A variety of philosophical, religious, psychological and biological approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources. Continue reading Happiness: what’s it all about?
Continue reading Emotions: do they run your life?
Loneliness is a universal phenomenon. Understanding this basic but not so simple truth is an important step in order to grow in life, strengthen our self-esteem and, improve our relationships. As existentialist, Victor Frankl considers loneliness part of the paradox that describes the human condition: “Humans are existentially both alone and related.” Therefore we need to experience both. But many times the awareness or experience of aloneness can be frightening and make us rush to relationships or unhealthy coping mechanisms such as drug and alcohol. It is important to realize that we all experience loneliness at some point; it is part of being human. But not everybody can enjoy it. Being happy alone is a life skill that can be learned…it is called creative solitude. Continue reading Loneliness or Solitude  personal change curve Change! Such a loaded word. What comes to your mind when you think of the word change? Stop for a minute and try to answer that question. What types of feelings does it bring up in you? Hope, excitement, joy, or on the other hand, fear, anxiety, loss, or to make things more complicated, a combination of both? Continue reading Incorporating Change into Your Life
Well the structure of the human personality is very interesting and complex. Fascinating and confusing, lovely and irritating, logical and irrational… and all at the same time. Continue reading Calming Your Inner Critic Will Help You Improve Your Self-Esteem: Learn How
Continue reading Emotional Cleansing = The need to vent |
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The Christmas holidays are over and the New Year has begun. I am just coming back from dropping off my friends at the airport and my heart is sad. I enjoyed the visit and the time spent in company of old time childhood friends, but it is time to return to reality. I am trying to see the positive about it, but it is hard. I am trying to focus on new beginnings, since after all it is New Year’s, but it’s not easy. As a result of my experience with these feelings I discovered the topic for this article: good byes, endings and new beginnings.
What are emotions? What is their purpose? Many people would like to get rid of them because all they do is to cause them trouble. If you are in that category you need to keep reading. Emotions are a full-system response compromising a variety of factors and experiences, and they include bodily sensations, and your thoughts. In order to control your emotions you will need to get in touch with your thoughts and body signals simultaneously. The word emotion comes from the Latin exmovere, and means to move out, agitate, or excite. When emotions get stirred up, they bring about movement or action. And that is why they are part of us.
Patience is a virtue. With that four word sentence being said, you cannot imagine how difficult it is for many individuals to follow that virtue. Patience comes from the Latin word pati which means to suffer, to endure, to bear. It is the ability to tolerate waiting, delay, or frustration without becoming agitated or upset. It’s the ability to be able to control your emotions or impulses and proceed calmly when faced with difficulties. 
Cleansing, detoxifying diets, exercising… what else do we do to purify or clean our bodies? It is somewhat common to hear people say that they are engaged in one of these practices to clean themselves from toxins and other harmful elements. They usually feel more energized and think clearer after one of these periods. Our bodies naturally let go of toxicity when we exhale and when we go to the bathroom. My question is what do we do with the emotional toxins that negative emotions, stress and pain accumulate day after day? As a society I believe we have disregarded the importance of cleansing or detoxifying emotionally. It is importance to recognize that we have a need to do that as well; we have a need to vent.