Aeschylus wrote: “What is there more kindly than the feeling between host and guest?”

The hospital stay is often a time of great stress for patients and their families alike.  Recently, President Obama issued a directive for the creation of rules ensuring that hospitals protect the rights of patients to designate visitors, stating in part: “There are few moments in our lives that call for greater compassion and companionship than when a loved one is admitted to the hospital. ” While the President’s comments have been widely debated, his underlying sentiment emphasizes the importance of reducing stress in a hospital setting for all those involved...

Oh, anxiety! It’s the pits, isn’t it? That knot in your stomach, the racing heartbeat, the thoughts darting around in your mind like frightened minnows… The question I hear the most when it comes to anxiety is, “How do I get rid of it?” 

But wait a minute, not so fast.  Imagine, for a moment, that instead of just coming on to torture you, your anxiety served a purpose.  A bout of anxiety can mean that someone is struggling with two opposing thoughts, one consciously held in her mind, and another, buried much deeper, on a gut level...