Taking a Break for Dating’s Sake
I’m going to start this entry by asking you to take a deep breath. You are not likely going to like what you read here. However with an open mind, what I’m about to say will make sense. If you are coming out of a relationship that lasted for six months or more, you should [...]
Notice the Unappreciated
We live fast-paced lives. We work demanding jobs, which we have to balance with our relationships and hobbies outside of work. Do you give yourself time each day to do nothing at all? Taking time to appreciate idle times is an underestimated skill. However if you learn to notice what you usually do not pay [...]
Identifying and Overcoming Anxiety and Depression
This week is National Anxiety and Depression awareness week. When we think of anxiety and depression, we tend to think of the most debilitating and extreme cases of these feelings. The truth is that these feelings impact thousands more on a daily basis. Many of these people do not even recognize that what they are [...]
If Only…
While striving for contentment, people often will say that “if only things were different” they would be happier. When saying this, they likely are assuming that things would being better if they had more money, if they had a different job, if they lived somewhere else, or if they had a different partner. In its [...]
Dealing With Passive-Aggressive Behavior
All of us have people in our lives who we wish we did not have to deal with. Sometimes these are co-workers or even our supervisors. Sometimes they might even be family members or friends of our friends. No matter who they are or what it is that they do that you do not like, [...]
The Power of the Group
One of the biggest mistakes people make early on in their recovery is underestimating the power of the group. Our culture is one that values personal independence and free will. This often leads us to overestimate our ability to handle a change in our lives even when with a group of others. For many, the [...]
Inspiration From Within
When working with clients who have had a traumatic or undesirable past where they were victims of others, I have noticed that many of them will use anger as their primary motivator to reaching their goals. Some of them put a great deal of importance into being successful, but for the wrong reasons. Goal-setting is [...]
Not Everything in Moderation
A more modern and controversial viewpoint on substance abuse and addiction is moderation management. As a therapist and counselor, I have been asked about my viewpoint on this very topic. I hope this article can help to provide a well-rounded perspective on a controversial topic, and provide a forum to continue an open discussion on [...]
Making Sense of Luck
With another Friday the 13th having come and gone, people’s superstitious beliefs come into full display. It is on days like this that we will often hear from people about whether or not they think they are “lucky or unlucky”. Luck and superstition have efficacy for use in our lives. However if left to get [...]
Understanding Behavior: Why Do We Do What We Do?
When people come into therapy, many times they are confused about why they do what they do. They know that it is not something that will help them reach their goals, but then they repeat the same behavior again. Typically when people ask themselves this question, it is because they are considering a change in [...]
