Martha Manning, Ph.D.

Published in Curious

·3 days ago

I Did Something I Never Thought I’d Do with My Husband: I Forgave Him

It was either that or kill him. — I had my heart broken by the man who had held it for safekeeping for decades. The irony is that the worst betrayals come from the people we trust the most. We trust them so much we don’t even think about slimmest, most remote possibility that they will be the…

Forgiveness

5 min read

I Did Something I Never Thought I’d Do with My Husband: I Forgave Him

Forgiveness

5 min read

Published in ILLUMINATION-Curated

·Jan 20

Grief Continued— 3 Months Out

Hint: It’s 4 pm and I’m still in my bathrobe. — Grief settles in… The Rolling Stones sang, “Time is on my side…Yes, it is.” Well, time is definitely not on my side. It is the enemy. It’s as if each minute is tripled. The hours drag their way to the one time that matters — when I can go to bed. A few…

Grief

7 min read

Grief

7 min read

Published in Curious

·Jan 19

If You Talked to Your Friends Like You Talk to Yourself, You’d Be All Alone

How to become kinder to yourself. Our words have direct influence on our emotions. Our feelings influence our behavior and how we evaluate it. When we get a good grade on a test, we might say to ourselves, “Yesss. Nailed it!” Those words translate into a flood of neurotransmitters that…

Psychology

5 min read

If You Talked to Your Friends Like You Talk to Yourself, You’d Be All Alone

Psychology

5 min read

Published in The Wind Phone

·Jan 18

My Sister Died and I’m Left With Ashes of Memories

A letter to Sarah who is gone — Sarah, I forget most birthdays. When I buy cards, I go immediately to the “belated” section. But I never lose track of yours. Thanksgiving baby. Mashed potatoes and gravy girl. Today you would be my senior citizen sister. Everything has changed since you left. My divorce is done. Remember when…

Grief

3 min read

My Sister Died and I’m Left With Ashes of Memories

Grief

3 min read

Published in Invisible Illness

·Jan 17

The “Twins” Pause the Music to Talk About Mental Health and Black Men

Two young Black men speak to each other on YouTube about depression and suicide in a powerful, honest conversation that shouldn’t be missed. — “Twins the New Trend” is a wonderfully entertaining music “reaction” program on YouTube I’ve enjoyed for almost two years. I had a chance introduction with Tim and Fred Williams, the 24-year-old “Twins The New Trend” on YouTube when I was searching for a way to get grout cleaned in my…

Stigma

5 min read

The “Twins” Pause the Music to Talk About Mental Health and Black Men

Stigma

5 min read

Published in The Narrative Arc

·Jan 15

Portraits of Melancholy

My mother saw something it took me years to recognize. — My mother was an artist. Like generations of the women before her, she could take anything, nothing, and turn it into something. Like the generations of women before her, she didn’t come to it until her thirties. …

Love

5 min read

Love

5 min read

Published in Invisible Illness

·Jan 12

Grief Collided with Depression, and I’m Afraid

When life’s storms hit, grasping resilience is a high wire act — I am OK. I will be OK. This is sorrow. It’s expectable. I’m prepared. It’s not depression. It’s bad, but it’s not depression. It’s really bad, but I will not get depressed. I will not fall down again. I won’t. I can’t. Oh God, I am… Loss and vulnerability Several months ago, my…

Mental Health

6 min read

Grief Collided with Depression, and I’m Afraid

Mental Health

6 min read

Published in Curious

·Jan 11

You Say, “I Love You,” and They Say Nothing (or Worse)

Dealing with the Quiet No One Wants to “Hear” — What’s the big deal? For such a short sentence, the consequences of uttering it have huge potential, ranging from bliss, to confusion, to heartache in a relationship. As a culture, we are addicted to the word “love.” We love our mothers. We love the new Frappuccino flavor at Starbucks. With the help of a…

Love

5 min read

Love

5 min read

Published in Curious

·Jan 5

A “Tiny Dancer” Reminded Me of the Joy in Change

A feisty little ice skater, fell and rose constantly, and made me reconsider my goals for the New Year — It is the day after New Year’s, and I have already screwed 2 of my 3 resolutions. I spent hours making graphs and calendars that would guarantee my success in such things as the perennial 60 lb. weight loss, the punishing, but medically essential leg exercises, and a nightly 4…

Change

5 min read

Change

5 min read

Published in ILLUMINATION-Curated

·Jan 2

The Beginnings of Grief: Getting Through

It takes heartache and time to move forward while honoring the past — As a psychologist I’ve helped many people negotiate the rough terrain of getting through the agony of losing a loved one. The difficulty in “letting go” of that pain can be overwhelming. The death of a dream Our connections to loved ones tell us who we are. …

Relationships

9 min read

The Beginnings of Grief: Getting Through

Relationships

9 min read