With a past that included therapy and substance abuse, Elisha Goldstein went to study psychology and spirituality as a means to help him find a more meaningful life and escape the environment he was in. Now he combines psychotherapy with mindfulness to help others address their mental and emotional troubles. In issue 16 you can read an interview with him. In this blog he tells about dealing with his anger.
“For me, these days, there are two places where anger usually comes out. One is with my kids—irritation with them when they’re not doing the things I want them to do—and the other is with bureaucratic companies that have things set up in a way that makes you give up and not bother them. When my anger comes up, I stop, look at it, see what’s happening and do self-soothing. And then I’m more kind, caring and conscious. For me, emotionally, this work has been completely transformative, because in order to teach it, you have to practice it too. Now I have kids, and I have my wife, and this work, and it’s a challenge to try and do it all mindfully without getting too caught up in worries about money or other practical things. There’s a whole lot to do about mindfulness and self-compassion in my own life, and as a parent it’s really always particularly challenging. There’s a lot of vulnerability in this work, too.”
- You can read more about Elisha Goldstein in Issue 16.
Text Nina Siegal Photography Justin Guarino