Life is hard at times, and we all know that. But how do we know when it’s “too hard” and we need help? The signs aren’t always [...]
Do you often feel like you need things to be perfect to be satisfied? Is accepting flaws or failures in yourself or others impossible? Do you feel [...]
Shame is one of the hardest emotions to talk about. It can also be the hardest emotion to recognize in ourselves, and it can feel the most [...]
Your pattern and style of self-talk most likely originate from the way your parents or caregivers spoke to and treated you. If your mother was overly critical, [...]
“Building the best life does not require fealty to feelings in the name of authenticity, but rather rebelling against negative impulses and acting right even when we [...]
“You are a failure.” “You look ugly today.” “Everyone’s life is better than yours.” Have you ever said these things to a close friend? How about a [...]
Living mindfully means living in a state of awareness. You savor every flavor, admire every sunset, cherish every moment with loved ones—always grounded in the moment instead [...]
What is the difference between a mistake and a learning experience? Perspective. When we see mistakes as learning experiences, regret transforms from a painful emotion into a [...]
4. Think Beyond Fixing a Problem Set your sights higher than mere solutions to problems, and focus on what you really want, says Andrea Brandt, Ph.D., a [...]
So you’ve done something wrong. You’ve hurt someone else or yourself, and now you feel angry, guilty, sad, or ashamed. If someone else had wronged you, you’d [...]
When you love yourself, you don't rely on others for your self-esteem or self-image. When you love yourself, you feel comfortable in your skin and accept yourself [...]
Positive Outlook Whether it's January 1 or June 30, every day is one in which you can make a resolution to improve your life. Every [...]
Don't Just Survive the Holidays, Enjoy Them It's that time of year again. The displays of small potted Christmas Trees and poinsettia greet you at [...]
Therapists like myself spend a lot of time talking about self-love. But if you’re like many of my patients, you might not know what self-love means exactly. [...]
When a client comes to you in emotional distress and you sense that childhood wounds are the cause, your instinct is to spring into action. I’ve spent [...]
Someone hurts us in a way that feels irreparable and we say, "I will never forgive you." Someone wounds us emotionally or physically and we think, "That's [...]
You're probably familiar with the adage, "The secret to a happy marriage is to never go to bed angry." I've been thinking about this a lot while [...]
It is often said that in the best relationships, partners bring out the best in each other. Sometimes in the midst of the stresses and ups and [...]
Between Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year's, many of us spend more time with our families in the final five weeks of the year than we will [...]
Trying to control your emotions doesn't work because it can't work. When you go out in the world and interact with people, turn on the radio or [...]
Can't figure out why you keep having the same arguments? Read on ... September will always be back-to-school season in my mind––the sadness of summer ending, the [...]
Your good friend says something hurtful; your partner seems remote and uninvolved; your coworker makes a new demand when you're already overwhelmed. Stress hormones flood your body, [...]
Few of us grew up in an emotionally safe environment, a place where we could be truthful about our feelings. Instead, we inherited faulty beliefs about our [...]
Right now, you are talking to yourself. All day, every day, you talk to yourself about the world around you––narrating, interpreting, judging. More importantly, you talk to [...]
It’s always a good time to resolve to make personal improvements that include new attitudes, changed behaviors and improved routines. In looking back at my nearly three [...]
The holiday season and dysfunctional family dynamics go together like turkey and cranberry sauce or a stocking full of presents and an empty wallet. You get in [...]
How do you forgive someone who has wronged you, and why should you do it at all. Forgiveness isn't something you do for the other person. Whether [...]
You have the power to become the person you want to be. Many of us don't like who we are. We feel weak or indecisive or [...]
(Guest blog by Deirdre Fay) Anger has never been a stranger to me. Over the years it has come to visit, sometimes for short blasts, sometimes for [...]
How to deal with passive aggressive family members. Guest post by The Evil Stepmother Speaks' Barb Goldberg. Passive aggressiveness runs rampant in our stepfamilies. I hypothesize that [...]
