Michael Kimmel, Freelance Journalist Profile

Articles

The importance of becoming more resilient

2 weeks ago | sdnews.com | Michael Kimmel

The same bad experience – like getting a traffic ticket or having a fender bender – can happen to two people: one is depressed for a few days, the other bounces back to “normal“ within a few hours. What’s the difference? When I worked for Child Protective Services, we talked about “resilient children” and how they managed not only to survive abusive/neglectful parents, but to thrive in tough situations. This column is about how you too can thrive when bad things happen.
Are you clinically depressed or just sad?

1 month ago | sdnews.com | Michael Kimmel

We all feel sad periodically: it’s perfectly normal when we have experiences that make us feel overwhelmed, upset, or even hurt. Perhaps we’ve just ended a relationship, we miss someone, or we feel alone. Maybe we tried our hardest to get something we really wanted – like a great job/house/partner – but didn’t succeed. The demands of day-to-day living may be weighing us down, and the world itself can be pretty scary right now – with all the governmental chaos and financial unpredictability.
Go to the mirror from time to time

1 month ago | sdnews.com | Michael Kimmel

Mirror work is something I first tried about 40 years ago. I went to a workshop where author/teacher Louise Hay encouraged people to talk to themselves in the mirror. I thought it was pretty weird and resisted it, at first. But today I frequently use it in my counseling practice and in my personal life. For many of us, looking at ourselves in the mirror isn’t easy.
Are you feeling burned out at work? | SDNews.com

2 months ago | sdnews.com | Michael Kimmel

They tell me they feel burned out at work. I define this kind of burnout as : job-related mental and physical exhaustion that has a negative effect on your personal life. You're experiencing : this is a fancy psychological term for loss of interest in things you normally enjoy. Your friends say you're no fun anymore and you find yourself turning down invitations to social events. Find some ways to relax.
The Imposter Syndrome

2 months ago | eriegaynews.com | Michael Kimmel

By: Michael Dale Kimmel of Life Beyond Therapy: When you were a little kid, did you look at all the hard-working grownups all around you and think, "Wow, they're so good. I hope I can be like them when I grow up." Years' later, as a working adult, you look around and think, "We're all just faking it. None of us is really very good." This is called "the imposter syndrome": as adults, we're so full of self-doubt that we wonder if we really know what we are doing.
The PTSD experience and how to recover from it

Mar 4, 2025 | sdnews.com | Michael Kimmel

In the world of psychology, PTSD – post-traumatic stress disorder – is how doctors describe the experience of recovering from trauma. This term was created in 1980 and was used to describe soldiers coming back from war: these men and women had often killed people and watched their friends die right in front of them. Extremely traumatic, right? I would like to posit a slightly different definition of PTSD. I define trauma as: “a deeply distressing or disturbing experience”.
The imposter syndrome

Feb 17, 2025 | sdnews.com | Michael Kimmel

When you were a little kid, did you look at all the hard-working grownups all around you and think, “Wow, they’re so good. I hope I can be like them when I grow up.” Years’ later, as a working adult, you look around and think, “We’re all just faking it. None of us is really very good.”This is called “the imposter syndrome”: as adults, we’re so full of self-doubt that we wonder if we really know what we are doing.
Ahead of Trump’s inauguration, are you comfortable with uncertainty?

Jan 16, 2025 | sdnews.com | Michael Kimmel

Inflation. Donald Trump. COVID. Ukraine. Elon Musk. Financial instability. The Supreme Court. Immigration. Abortion rights. Climate change. Antisemitism/racism/ageism/homophobia/misogyny. I’m 71 years old and I cannot remember a time of such uncertainty. Who can we count on? Trump’s return to office will undoubtedly bring chaos and confusion to the world. Who knows what the now-ultra-conservative Supreme Court and a Republican-dominated Senate and House will get up to?
Slower is better

Dec 22, 2024 | sdnews.com | Michael Kimmel

Are you afraid to slow down? Do you think only stupid people go slowly? You’re not alone. Why do we rush so much? What do we think we’re achieving? Is happiness basically a numbers game – whoever does the most stuff wins — or a matter of quality? Have you ever rushed yourself so much that you got everything done, but didn’t enjoy any of it? Other people seem to move so fast, we feel like losers if we go slower. We think people who cram the most stuff into their days must be happier than we are.
What’s the best way to express anger?

Nov 23, 2024 | sdnews.com | Michael Kimmel

Can anger be healthy? If so, how much anger is healthy? And what do you do with this healthy anger? As a therapist, I’m asked this a lot. People want to find out if they’re “normal” on the anger-o-meter scale (whatever that is).