Category: “Feeling Stuck”

A Journey Worth Taking

Brene Brown is a shame researcher who opines: “If you put shame in a petri dish and douse it with secrecy, silence, and judgment, shame grows exponentially.” And it can be debilitating. The main issue with shame is the feeling that there is something wrong with me. I’m a failure is another belief that can … Continue reading “A Journey Worth Taking”

When is it Time for your Adult Child to Leave Home

Who would have considered such a situation as we brought our newborn home from the hospital? We have dreams for their future and our lives together, so how could I end up in a situation where I need to ask my child to leave my home? This decision is complicated by the current parental trend … Continue reading “When is it Time for your Adult Child to Leave Home”

Stop Eating Your Heart Out

For many of us, there is not enough food on the planet to fill the gaping hole within our souls. I know. I tried.” Meryl Beck It’s tough isn’t it, this battle with food? It can be a love affair that turns sour but still doesn’t end. For some of us it feels absolutely impossible … Continue reading “Stop Eating Your Heart Out”

Life in the FASTER Lane

Have you ever found yourself repeatedly doing something you didn’t want to do? Perhaps its eating cookies for breakfast, spending more time playing Candy Crush than desired, or looking at pornography without really knowing why. I recently came across a tool in my work with addiction recovery groups that provides some valuable insight into why … Continue reading “Life in the FASTER Lane”

Change

I go to an exercise class several days a week. I recently convinced a friend of mine, Marta, to go with me.  The classes are, to put it mildly, quite difficult. The instructors call out your name with both correction and encouragement—pushing, pushing, and pushing you to work harder.  Just when you feel like you … Continue reading “Change”

Who is Defining Whom?

Many of us have heard the term “identity crisis” but few of us stop long enough, in our busy lives, to truly understand what it means in terms of ourselves. Our sense of self is closely interwoven in past experiences, present awareness, and future projection. The very notion of having a sense of self is … Continue reading “Who is Defining Whom?”

Personal Inventory

This month is one of my favorite months out of the year.  It’s my “Birthday Month.” Yes, I said “Birthday Month.” Among my friends and family it is common to have an entire month dedicated to ones birthday.  We are half serious and half joking.  It truly is the month we are celebrated and it … Continue reading “Personal Inventory”

More on Disney: Frozen Shows us that People Do Really Change

In my last blog post I wrote about Disney’s ability to put human dynamics on screen like few other entertainment companies can. And though they don’t get everything right, like a line in Frozen that says “people don’t really change”, they do understand a lot about how humans interact and excel at bringing this to … Continue reading “More on Disney: Frozen Shows us that People Do Really Change”

The Law of Mercy

She came into my office reluctantly, perhaps tinged with a bit of defiance. “I don’t even know why I’m here,” she sputtered. “I guess my frustration level has just gotten to the point where I don’t know where else to turn. I’ve lived a lie for most of my life. Outwardly I exude confidence, but … Continue reading “The Law of Mercy”

Why Some People Change, Others Don’t

I’m going to piggy-back off of Julia’s recent article in which she wrote about “striving to be the best version of you.” Reading it led me to think of the many first-time clients who, after pouring out their story of pain or longing, ask this question: Is change really possible? It’s a question mixed with … Continue reading “Why Some People Change, Others Don’t”