July 2025

Coping with Uncertainty…

Coping in Tumultuous Times

Tumultuous times filled with random, surprising events create worry, fear, and anxiety. What can a person do? Taking Valium, moving to New Zealand, or joining the people in power are all possibilities, but these are unacceptable options for many. Here are some strategies.

Keep your eye on the ball.

Authoritarian regimes distort the truth. Accounts shift daily to suit the needs of those in power. The emphasis is on victory rather than honesty. During such times, truth can be elusive, and rampant propaganda can confuse individuals about what is factual.

Like Jack Webb from the old show Dragnet says, “Just the facts, ma’am, just the facts.” Strive to follow the truth and discard propaganda. This process necessitates independent critical thinking, which often clashes with the spin masters’ narratives. While this approach may not always bring happiness, it will help individuals remain grounded.

In the Morning

The fog rolls in
Across the ocean,
Where the dolphins soar,
Creeping up the hill
Through the pine trees,
Receptive to moisture’s mist,
The world is still,
In place and waiting
For the departure
Of nature’s curtain
Of beauty,
Woven by the tides,
the stars,
the heavens beyond.

A Walking Trip in the Orkney Islands

Some years ago, Vicki and I flew to London from Boston. After a few days of sightseeing, we took another plane to Inverness, Scotland, where we met our hiking group and leader from Wilderness Scotland, an Adventure Travel Company based in Scotland. Our destination was the Orkney Islands, a few hours north.

Initially, I was unsure about the trip since it was not the rigorous hiking trips I was accustomed to in the Alps or Himalayas. My doubts were quickly dispelled when we checked into our quaint hotel in one of the larger towns in the Orkneys. Our hotel was perfect with over 250 single malts, great seafood, and quaint rooms.

Our days consisted of taking ferries to different islands that make up the Orkneys and then hiking 6 or 8 miles. In Scotland, all lands are open to the public, so we walked freely across any field we desired. Most of our hikes were along the North Sea, which always looked forbidding.

Our group interacted very well. In addition to the leader, there were two people from England and six Americans. Everyone was friendly and interesting. The staff at our hotel was very accommodating, and it was fun after a long hike in drizzly weather to come back to the hotel for scotch and wonderful food.

A walking trip is a good way to see the Orkneys. Besides selecting interesting routes, our guide knew a great deal about the bird life and fauna there, and our walks were continuous learning experiences. Following the trip, Vicki and I stayed for a few days in Inverness, where we enjoyed the local culture, before flying to Rome.

Trauma and PTSD in Older Adults

Older adults constitute a growing proportion of the United States population. By 2050, it is projected that adults aged 65 and older will comprise 82 million of the population – a 47% increase from 2022 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2018). In the United States, 90% of older adults have experienced a traumatic event in their lifetime (Norris, 1992). Considering the prevalence of trauma in this increasingly growing population, clinicians working with older adults must remain well-informed of the implications of trauma in aging. Roughly 2-4% of the older population meets criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Acierno et al., 2007) and 7-15% exhibit clinically significant symptoms (Kaiser et al., 2025); symptoms can last more than 50 years after a traumatic event (Thorp et al., 2011). However, there is a paucity of research on older adults with PTSD.

Several developmental factors in older age can explain why symptoms of PTSD may increase in later life. These include loss, retirement, increased health problems, reduced income, cognitive impairment, decreased social support, and other stressors that may make it more difficult to cope with memories associated with trauma (Thorp et al., 2011). Individuals who once turned to avoidance-based coping strategies (such as substance use or overcommitting oneself to work) may find that these strategies are no longer available or effective.

Age Has Sneaked Up on Me

My aging has sneaked up on me
Uncovering fragility
Making plain my mortality
To help me see reality

Why was I blind to death’s approach
As all my aches and pains encroached?
Or when my sacroiliac
Left me stricken, and out of whack?

Should I have felt my knees’ complaint
When piercing pain caused me to faint,
Or seen red flags when weakened sight
Produced halos from cars’ bright lights?

MARKET Restaurant + Bar

MARKET Restaurant + Bar is a high-end restaurant on Via de Valle in Del Mar. I was initially turned off by the idea of a pre fixe menu, but I was pleasantly surprised to find multiple choices in each category: appetizers, entrees, and desserts. When you consider what is served, their price is reasonable.

I had mushroom soup, beef tenderloin, and a cheese plate for dessert. A friend brought a bottle of wine, and the corkage fee was $45.00. Our waiter was excellent, the noise level was moderate, and our party of six enjoyed itself.

Valet parking is available, and reservations are required since the restaurant is very popular. For special occasions, this is a must-try restaurant.

Creativity in Retirement:

My Evolution

Rich Hycner, Ph.D.

David DiCicco has asked me to write about my “creative process!” As I write this now, however, I’m also aware of the irony that if writing is creative, and if I’m trying to discern my own ‘Creativity’ at this point, I must acknowledge that others have significantly influenced my creativity. One simple example is Erving and Miriam Polster’s incredibly creative psychotherapy demonstrations, which had a profound impact on me. They were truly creative therapists; the best I’ve seen. And once in a great while, I am moderately creative in my therapy compared to them, though I am committed to becoming even more creative.

A better example of my creative process is writing and publishing an article on Gestalt therapy in 1985, proposing a “Dialogical Gestalt therapy” (as opposed to Fritz Perls’ more confrontational approach to Gestalt). Little did I know that this would lead me to write, or co-write, three books on a “Dialogical-relational approach to Gestalt Therapy.” This journey was partly inspired by a serendipitous situation in which a teacher I admired recommended that I read Martin Buber’s “I and Thou.” As they say, the rest is history: my writing has surprisingly (to me) led to presenting workshops in six different countries and the books being translated into six other languages! It’s only now, in writing this, that I see a hint of creativity in what I’ve done.

Rich Hycner, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist with over thirty years of experience who practices in Solana Beach. He specializes in marriage, couples and individual therapy and emphasizes a relational approach. He is a long-time member of San Diego Psychological Association and has authored or co-authored books on relationship.

Say Cheese!

On a hiking trip with friends, I was in Chamonix, France. We were staying at the Mont Blanc hotel, and after supper, the waiter brought a cheese wagon every night. By the end of the second evening, our waiter was calling my friend and me fromage brothers because we were eating large amounts of fabulous cheese.

Like wine, every country seems to have its cheese. Cheese is a terrific food; it would probably take a lifetime to learn about all the cheeses worldwide. There are many cheese shops in San Diego, and here are a few of my favorites.

Venissimo: this company has several shops. I am most familiar with the one in Del Mar, and the store has a wide variety of imported cheeses that are hard to find anywhere else. For example, one of my favorites is aged Appenzell from Switzerland, and I’ve never seen it in any other local store. They also have a fabulous seven-year-old cheddar cheese from Québec.

Jimbo’s: we have found some wonderful cheeses at Jimbo’s. It is less expensive than Venissimo and has fewer imported kinds of cheese, but they still have a wonderful assortment. We love St. Angel from France and Quigley’s cheddar from England.

Ralph’s in Del Mar: the supermarket has a nice assortment of cheeses. Their Gorgonzola is excellent. They frequently have many good blue kinds of cheese and several cheddars. Regular cheeses include Emmentaler, Fontina, and Jarlsberg.

Amazon Prime Video: Girls Will Be Girls

This coming-of-age story is complex and multi-tiered. A young girl who is intelligent and respected by the school staff becomes the head girl. She, on one hand, identifies with the strict authoritarianism of the school, but on the other, she finds herself rebelling against her intrusive, overcontrolling mother. Her resolution? She becomes enamored with a male student and begins to explore her emerging sexuality.

Her mother sees what is happening and steps in to “protect” her daughter, but in the process finds herself vying for the attention of her daughter’s paramour.

The suitor, a manipulative teenage boy, ultimately reveals his true nature. The story highlights the struggles of women in India and the double standard in expectations for men and women.

The movie can be rented on Amazon Prime.