top of page


What Will Your Story Be in the New Year?
Q. What can I do about all the “what ifs” that run through my head? I worry about every potential thing that can go wrong when I anticipate change or face a new challenge. This cycle of anxiety and self-criticism is exhausting. A. As we prepare for new experiences, we start to tell ourselves stories about what we think is going to happen. Sometimes these stories focus on positive potential, and other times they focus on failing and what could go wrong. The stories we tel
Mary Beth Garvey
Jan 22 min read


A Reflection on Parenting (and in Gratitude for My Father)
This week, my dad — who passed away in February — would have turned 89 years old. I miss him every day, but his birthday in particular...
Mary Beth Garvey
Aug 12, 20252 min read


Reminder: You Are Not Your College Acceptance Letter
Right now, countless students across the country are refreshing inboxes, bracing for college decisions, and holding their breath for the...
Mary Beth Garvey
Apr 30, 20252 min read


Cultivating a Culture of Gratitude
Fostering gratitude in our children doesn’t just benefit our family, it benefits all of us. Raising children who are grateful enhances...
Mary Beth Garvey
Nov 22, 20243 min read


It All Belongs
Mental health data is showing that record numbers of kids report persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety and hopelessness over the last...
Mary Beth Garvey
Apr 2, 20243 min read


What is Your Default for 2024?
Make joy your default. Someone I admire shared this simple thought she came across before the holidays, and she was wholeheartedly...
Mary Beth Garvey
Jan 2, 20242 min read


Fueling Resilience Through Gratitude
Even when we are attentive to the good in our lives, challenges can leave us intimately familiar with disappointments, worries, and...
Mary Beth Garvey
Jul 18, 20233 min read


Helping Our Children Navigate Grief
Just over a year ago I posted a similar version of this post in response to the Oxford High School shooting that left four people dead. ...
Mary Beth Garvey
Feb 16, 20235 min read


Support in Grief
Grief is a natural response to loss, whatever that loss is to us. But our culture sometimes leaves little room for grief. The need to...
Mary Beth Garvey
Sep 28, 20225 min read


Kindness Without Reserve
You know the bumper sticker “Kindness Matters?” While I appreciate the sentiment, I would always look at it and think, “do people really...
Mary Beth Garvey
Aug 8, 20222 min read
The Upside of a Respectful No
Our capacity to give, to focus on what we value most, is finite. So is our time to do it. As we think about what we want to commit to in...
Mary Beth Garvey
Jan 6, 20225 min read


Turning Toward Each Other in New Year
Despite some challenges, 2021 brought its share of the good stuff also. There is much to be thankful for in both the complications and...
Mary Beth Garvey
Dec 31, 20212 min read
The Aftermath of Violence: Supporting our Children
Over the last week, a school shooting in our neighboring community has devastated the families who lost loved ones and disrupted all that...
Mary Beth Garvey
Dec 4, 20214 min read


Reset. Recover
All progress has its rhythms, and our growth and success often come in fits and starts. Many times, there is quite a bit we don’t have...
Mary Beth Garvey
Sep 2, 20214 min read


I Feel Like I Just Lost the Best Job I Ever Had (but I didn't)
Are any of you doing that bitter sweet dance of launching your son or daughter off to college - or some other transition – this summer or...
Mary Beth Garvey
Jul 6, 20213 min read


Seeking Delight
The thoughtful and wise friend who introduced me to the writings of Brian Doyle, recently gave me another wonderful, well-timed, and much...
Mary Beth Garvey
Mar 18, 20213 min read


A Conversation on Flashpoint: The Pandemic and Adolescent Mental Health
We have all experienced pandemic related distress, and adolescents are no exception. They have been significantly impacted by the...
Mary Beth Garvey
Feb 23, 20211 min read


Opportunity for Growth? Bring it On
The last year has presented most of us with plenty of challenges. There have been difficult moments, despite our resolve. But there has...
Mary Beth Garvey
Jan 31, 20213 min read


Reflections on 2020. And Bye Bye Bye
It is almost time. Mercifully. We are days away from ushering out an arduous 2020, a year that jeopardized our health, economy,...
Mary Beth Garvey
Dec 29, 20204 min read


Rituals, Gratitude & Untangling the Good
Christmas lights are so reflective of the holidays for me. The simple beauty in them. And the frustration they set in motion, when I get...
Mary Beth Garvey
Nov 30, 20203 min read
bottom of page