Job loss is stressful, and the recent recession has caused a substantial increase in unemployment across the country. Anyone who has been fired or laid off understands how the strain and uncertainty can throw a wrench into one’s emotional well-being. Periods of unemployment – particularly lengthy ones – often elicit feelings of anxiety, frustration and …
Many of us spend years obsessing about neuroses, worrying we might inherit a psychological illness from one parent or another, consuming one self-help regimen after another, contemplating self-improvement while slumping in dim therapy offices, revealing what we perceive as our psychological failures. We may continue to repeat this cycle, unaware of the fact that all …
What Is Psychological Wholeness? Are You There Yet? Read More »
My sister was the pretty one; I was the smart one. What I saw in the mirror or what she saw on her report card counted for less than what our families believed and how we were treated. What was expected of us as children led to what we expected from ourselves as we grew …
Were You the Family Hero? The Scapegoat? Here’s How to Get Past Our Childhood Roles Read More »
When a witness is asked to give testimony in a court trial, she s asked to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. If she fails to do so and her dishonesty is discovered, she could be charged with perjury and be sent to prison herself. Fortunately, prosecutors and law enforcement agencies do …
It may start with the end of a relationship or the death of a loved one. Perhaps it is increased stress at work or the loss of a job that starts the internal process of questioning and self-doubt. Physical health problems and the accompanying sense of loss of your vitality or youth might be the …
Turning Inward – How to Pull Out of an Emotional Slump Read More »
“Ask yourself the secret of your success. Listen to your answer, and practice it.” – Richard Bach, American writer (born 1936) When we hear the word “success,” we may have a mental picture of someone who has it made, someone who realizes his or her dreams without having to go through a whole lot of …
“Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got.” – Janis Joplin, American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer, and music arranger, died from an overdose of heroin, possibly combined with the effects of alcohol (1943-1970) It is almost impossible to be able to really see ourselves in an honest light if we are unable or unwilling to …
“One of the things I learned the hard way is that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.” – Lucille Ball, American comedienne, film, television, stage and radio actress, known the world over simply as “Lucy” (1911-1989) We often find ourselves …
“There is real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment.” – Norman Vincent Peale, minister and author, best-known for The Power of Positive Thinking (1898-1993) We’ve all heard the quotes from Norman Vincent Peale, mostly because of his prominence as a minister, but also because of the fact that he was …
If you’re finding that you dread the arrival of the new day because it feels like you’re just beating your head against the wall, trying in vain to solve persistent problems in recovery, you know you need help. A good friend will sometimes do the job, at least temporarily. But what you really need to …
How to Find New Solutions to the Same Old Problems Read More »