By Jennifer Rego, MSW, LICSW When it comes to conflict to you ever think: “I would rather not deal with it now, there is so much else going on” “This scenario always happens when I speak up” “I hate bringing things up because I don’t know how it will go, or if the person will […]
Why So Defensive? How to Recognize and Overcome Your Defense Mechanisms
It’s commonplace these days to talk about psychological defense mechanisms – usually when we’re referring to someone else. “I tried to talk things out with my spouse, but she was way too defensive to really hear me.” So most of us agree that psychological defenses are a real thing. But what exactly is a psychological […]
Staying Connected in Uncertain Times
As a result of this crisis and pandemic, we have been collectively impacted by this world we live in. There are many tragedies that have come with this, but as a positive outcome we have grown closer. We are sending and receiving messages of healing, sharing stories of hurt, acknowledging that each other is the […]
What Can You Learn from Your Best (and Worst) Relationships?
I had a cat who compulsively pawed at her own shadow on the wall. Sometimes this habit seemed to entertain her. Sometimes it seemed to frighten her. The thing was, however frantically she pawed at that shadow, it pawed back just as frantically. My cat never seemed to figure out that the only way to […]
Compassion: The Key to Self-Growth
When I was ten or so, I heard a story that still sticks with me. A man was on a plane, flying home after traveling all week for work. Utterly exhausted, he hoped to get a couple of hours sleep before returning to his family. Just as he was nodding off, two little girls seated […]