Stop trying to fix your partner!
Don’t convince out of a feeling!
Problem solving is only as effective as so far as you can listen and understand your partner!
Lead with listening, follow with solutions if and only if your partner wants solutions!
The Monkey On Your Back: 10 Ways to Overcome Social Anxiety
Social anxiety is a lot like a monkey on your back. It’s a constantly distracting and disruptive presence that you can’t see. And it makes the very important things of connecting with others extremely challenging. So, if you like many others, struggle with social anxiety, read this blog. It will help! It you want to get the social anxiety monkey off your back it is imperative that you become aware of what you are feeling, why you are feeling that way, and how that feeling affects your behavior and your thinking. Below are steps how you can manage and even thrive in the face of social anxiety.
The Gift of Reconciling with Your Recovering Parent this Holiday Season
With the holidays approaching you might be considering building a bridge to your parent. Family relationships can be complicated, and if your senior parent is a recovering addict things can be especially overwhelming. If you aren’t sure where to start, here is some great advice.
The 5 Characteristics and Benefits of Assertiveness
1. Aggressive—Assertive—Passive: People tend to fall on a spectrum of aggressive to passive in their style of communication and how they engage with others. An aggressive person is someone who believes they are entitled to take what they want. They are direct, have little regard for the feelings of others and don’t mind sharing their feelings. They don’t equivocate when addressing a problem or giving feedback. Typically, the aggressive person creates resentment in others. On the other end of the spectrum is the passive person, which is someone who ignores their needs, is indirect, is uncomfortable giving feedback, shies away from addressing problems. This style results in the passive person building resentment towards others since their needs never are met or addressed. Neither the aggressive or passive style promotes healthy relationships. When I work with clients, I recommend the assertive style, which is a person who can be direct and straightforward in addressing problems. They don’t shy away from giving feedback, advocating for their needs. And they do all these things in a manner that is diplomatic and respectful, but doesn’t deny or dismiss truth. The assertive person can communicate wants and desires without attacking others. Assertiveness promotes health in individuals and in relationships.
8 Surprising Dynamics about Personality
Everywhere you look, people are talking about their personality, the personality of others, taking personality quizzes or assessing the personalities of celebrities. We are obsessed with personality in our culture, but how much do those in our culture really know about personality. The following list of 8 Dynamics of Personality may surprise you.
Thinking Errors and How to Fix Them
If you were out hiking and came across a stream, would you immediately start drinking? What if the water was contaminated? If the water was questionable, you wouldn’t drink, right? But you need water so what do you do? Many hikers don’t even worry about contaminants because they have filters, which take out the bad and leave the good. But what if your filter doesn’t work? How can you trust your water? Remove the word water and replace it with thoughts.
Even A Superhero Needs Counseling Book Launch
Looking for that perfect Christmas gift for your comic book loving friend or family member? Look no further! Fans of the Marvel and DC movies and comics will love “Even A Superhero Needs Counseling.” In it you will find an in-depth guide to understanding your favorite comic book character from a psychological perspective while providing you with relevant and insightful advice. In other words, by learning more about Thor, the Hulk, Wonder Woman, Stephen Strange, Superman and many more, you can learn more about yourself. Comic books aren’t just entertainment; they can be a window into the strengths and weaknesses of humanity.
Daniel Bates is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who offers his expert counsel for superhero, supervillain and readers alike. In each chapter, you’ll find:
- An overview of major comic book character’s origin story, arch-enemies, and dynamics of their psychology.
- A mental health diagnosis based on the relevant details of the character’s symptoms.
- What mental health treatment would consist of based on the diagnosis and how it would help their life.
- And, most importantly, how your favorite comic book character’s story can be informative for you own personal growth.
So, if you struggle with anxiety you’re in good company, Superman can relate. If you’ve had an addiction, you and Tony Stark could go to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting together. Or, if you’ve ever had relationship problems, the Scarlet Witch can commiserate with you. Whatever the problem, you will find a superhero or supervillain that shares your struggle. And it is through their stories, you can find help for yours.
Click on the link to learn more or purchase on Amazon. The book is now available in paperback and the Kindle version is available for pre-order.
What Doctor Strange Teaches Us About Spirituality
Doctor Strange, sorcerer supreme, master of black magic, former gifted neurosurgeon brings the “wiz” to “wizard.” Sorry, that was corny, but I couldn’t help myself. Stephen Strange, world-renowned surgeon, lost the use of his hands in a tragic car accident. Seeking salvation, he traverses the Himalayas to seek out a spiritual master. Learning the mystical arts, Stephen Strange transforms into Doctor Strange, one of the most powerful sorcerers on the planet. He possesses many tools in his arsenal, including the Cloak of Levitation, Eye of Agamotto, and the Book of Vishanti. With these powerful tools, Doctor Strange defends this reality from inter-dimensional beings seeking power, dominion and control over Earth.
This is How You Should Fight
Couples fall into common pitfalls when they get into arguments. These pitfalls, although tempting to fall into, only create damage and hurt relationshi
ps. Not listening, arguing to be right, attacks, accusations, bringing up past mistakes, and blowing up or shutting down feel good in the moment, but, in the long-term, they destroy loving relationships. Whatever the pitfall you find yourself falling into, change starts with you. You must lead the way to a better relationship by changing your conflict resolution style. Emphasis on the word resolution. When you have conflict, it should be done for the purpose of resolution, not venting your feelings ore inflicting pain on the other person. So, how do you do that? Here’s my practical, step-by-step advice on how to fight constructively with your partner.
When Your Loved One Is Depressed
Depression is a widely misunderstood mental health disorder. Depression affects people’s careers, sexuality, physical health, and emotional health. But one affect is often ignored because it lives in the periphery. Family, friends, spouses, children, and significant others are also greatly affected by their loved one’s depression. They too carry the burden of depression. Often, treatment only focuses on the individual, but what about those who care for them? What are family members and significant others supposed to do when their loved one is in emotional pain? How can they help? How can they care for themselves when caring for their loved one? These are important questions that are rarely discussed. Below you will find 10 steps to take when your loved is depressed.