With the recent suicides of two celebrities, Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, both of whom were at the peak of their fame, once again we find ourselves trying to understand one of the most mysterious causes of death—suicide. Just last month, the Center for Disease Control issued their report on the dramatic increase in suicide, particularly in middle aged white males and in females.

It’s difficult to make sense of two disparate statistics—the significant increased use of anti-depressants among teens and adults and a rising rate of suicide. According to the American Psychiatric... Read More

When I first heard about the shooting in Las Vegas, my reaction was muted—“Another shooting”, I sadly thought. But then, on the way home from work, I listened to first-person accounts of the shooting.  As I heard a man describe what happened, I had a sinking feeling in my gut. This event was even worse than I imagined. Joyful concert goers, listening to the music they love, thought they heard fireworks—until they realized that a fusillade of bullets was raining down on their bodies. No more needs to be said. Most of us have either seen or heard this disturbing news.

It’s been... Read More

On Monday, I took a trip out to the Harbour Point Everett Clinic to meet with staff and providers who were reeling from the emotional impact of the recent murders in Mukilteo. Dr. Dahlberg, a long-time family doctor in the community, realized that their staff would need support.  One of the team, a mom, was worried about the safety of her young children. “How can I be sure that my kids are safe when something like this can happen in our city?” she asked. An act of mass murder that happens down the street is startling, frightening, and overwhelming. How can something like this happen in our... Read More

Several weeks ago, my wife and I were having dinner overlooking the harbor in Wellfleet, Massachusetts on beautiful Cape Cod. It was a warm summer evening, cooled by a gentle breeze. The setting sun shimmered, reflected by the water. We were discussing our children’s recent visit when my eyes welled up with tears. As we talked, I realized that my mother, who died a year and half ago, wouldn’t be part of my future. I would never see her again. I was thrown upside down, knocked over by an intense wave of grief.

I thought about other losses—my brother who died at 32, my father who... Read More