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… CONTINUE
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… CONTINUE
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… CONTINUE
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… CONTINUE
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… CONTINUE
Are You in a Love Triangle?
It often seems as if a third party is disrupting a couple’s relationship bond. The most concrete example of this is a love triangle in which one member has an affair. But there are other kinds of “love triangles” in which the third party is much less obvious than a direct romantic or sexual rival…. CONTINUE
Approval Seeking
Few things are less satisfying than the approval of others. Do you want to impress your boss, your neighbors, your friends? Do you want to make your family proud? You can easily spend your whole life chasing a few encouraging words from important people in your life. And even if you do manage to catch… CONTINUE
Will You Ever Get Ahead?
by James Robbins, M.A., LPC You want more money, but things never work out right. Until one day they do. For the first time in your adult life, you can look at your bank account without your stomach twisting into knots. Now what? Now that you have more resources, you’ve taken on a bigger mortgage,… CONTINUE
Irritability, Edginess and Depression
by James Robbins, M.A., LPC When you think of depression, you likely think of sadness. You may imagine someone struggling to get out of bed, or slumped teary-eyed in front of the TV. And yes, depression does manifest in such symptoms for many people. However, irritability, edginess and explosive anger are also common signs… CONTINUE
The Relationship Prison
by James Robbins, M.A., LPC Suppose you wake up in a prison cell, where you discover your only cell mate: the person you got you sentenced to prison, and for a crime you didn’t commit. What’s the fair thing to do? The fair thing is for your cell mate to take responsibility, to say “I… CONTINUE