Life is full of stresses that seem to impede the very essence of life. Different people have different means of dealing with these stresses. There are times, however, that average measures can only achieve so much. It is in times like these that the services of a professional therapist are needed. The typical average measures…
I decided to support a friend at an AA meeting for the first time during COVID. I have to admit that it felt eerie when I first entered the room. Nothing like how it used to be before the pandemic. After all, all who were inside were desperately in need of psychological resuscitation. However, when…
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a result of having experienced acute, chronic, or complex trauma. Let’s dive in and deepen our understanding of trauma before we discuss therapy. Common Sources of Trauma Birth trauma Bullying Community violence Physical and emotional abuse Neglect Parental Separation Injury Medical trauma Substance Use Incarceration Natural disasters Terrorism…
The holidays are an excellent time to bond and strengthen family relationships, however they can also be stressful particularly when dealing with family conflict and differing personalities. Some conflict can arise spontaneously, while other times there may be hurt feelings from the past that present themselves again when you reunite. Today I want to focus…
For some, childhood is a time of wonder and adventure; a time when all needs are met and comfort is merely a whimper away. For most of us, however, we experienced “they did the best they could” parenting at best and blatant abuse, neglect and abandonment at worst. My path as a therapist and individual…
A lot of us have heard the airline safety instruction ‘put on your own oxygen mask before putting on your child’s’. This same instruction has been used to provide imagery for helping our children with their dysregulated emotions while at the same time our own emotions are dysregulated. Let’s break down how this can be…
The word narcissism has been around since 1898 and was identified as a mental disorder defined by pathological self-absorption. There are many additional symptoms of narcissism including a lack of empathy, difficulty with attachment, excessive need for admiration, and a strong need for centralized power. Narcissism lives in systems everywhere within society: families, friends workplaces,…
Abuse is defined as the misuse or treatment of someone or something in a bad way or for a bad purpose. While physical abuse has always had validation and credibility because of its violent nature and visual wounds, invisible abuse is just as valid. Emotional and psychological abuse leads to serious consequences such as fear,…
We’ve all heard or made the statement “I don’t want to take sides”. Normally, that is a healthy and understandable position to take. Disagreements occur between 2 people and both parties have their own truths, hurts, feelings and narratives. But taking a side presumes there is an equivalent to each side. This is a false…
I didn’t see it coming. After I made the decision to leave my narcissistic partner, I walked, what I thought was, a straight line to divorce. After all, my ex actually told me he wanted a different kind of wife. When he spoke those words, as we approached our 25th wedding anniversary, my house of…