Self-Awareness
Am I a good person? Willingness to improve, social conscience, and positive action
Today, social conscience is an extremely valued asset. How we act is typically dependent on the people we interact with in personal and professional settings. Some struggle evaluating situations and utilizing social conscience, and it shows when mishaps and faux pas...
Master self-concept to better monitor, understand, and manage yourself in everyday life
Life has its ups and downs, and it takes quite some practice to be able to handle it well. A really good foundational theory to help make sense of the world and your reaction to it is the idea of self-concept. It’s a powerful idea that when understood can be utilized...
Social media: the cause of low self-esteem among women?
Many of us realize that spending too much time on social media can be harmful—for example, it can damage self-esteem. Recent research explored this consequence and found a link between increased use of social networking sites and women adopting “the thin ideal.” This...
What are the five thinking styles? Understanding synthesists, idealists, pragmatists, analysts, and realists
There are five recognized thinking styles: those who employ them are called synthesists, idealists, pragmatists, analysts, and realists. Synthesists stand out with their creativity and curiosity; they like to consider different ideas, views, and possibilities....
Improve Your Self-Awareness: 7 Professional Tips
A few years ago, I embarked on a trip abroad to “find myself.” I felt stuck, bored, but most importantly lost. Then I stepped onboard that plane to Europe and three months later returned with a newfound happiness and confidence. I was certain in who I was and who I...
Am I an Alcoholic? Am I an Addict?
Many of us have asked ourselves this question. Whether or not we gave it much thought or consideration is another matter. Most simply shrug it off, and that’s certainly the easier thing to do. We have come to accept drinking, and even some drugging, as being a normal...
A Mother’s Guilty Pleasure – What The Vampire Diaries Can Teach You About Self Care
We all have those guilty pleasures that we don’t like to admit- sneaking an extra piece of cake, listening to bad pop music or watching a television drama that is meant for a younger audience. Mine is The Vampire Diaries. Between shuttling the kids to school and...
How to Handle Criticism as a Survivor of Trauma
Whether constructive or otherwise received from a spouse, boss, family member or friend, criticism for some of us can provoke defensiveness, justifying, rationalizing, minimizing, and sometimes self-defeating hostility. I’ve personally seen these responses to...
Emotional Problems are More Than Skin Deep: A Therapist Reflects on Modern and Classical ways of Giving Meaningful Help to Clients
I knew a very fine therapist who was in his early 70’s when we met. He was “old school” and had been working in classic psychoanalysis for more than 30 years. I remember thinking “What would anyone have to talk about after all that time.” When I asked he just smiled....
Understanding Dog Day Feelings
The traditionally defined middle of summer, the 4th of July, has passed and like our furry best friends (at least for man) we lounge, slow and look forward to a change in routine in personal living as we think about Fall. It’s true, the bite of summer heat nips at our...
