Surviving the Messy Middle: Finding Hope When Life Doesn’t Follow the Timeline You Expected
Have you ever looked around and wondered why everyone else’s life seems to be moving forward while yours feels stuck? Any delay in the gratification of something we have been working for can be amplified to excruciating disappointment, frustration, and pain in this modern era of watching family and friends’ highlight reels on social media. There is ample opportunity to find “evidence” that you have missed the mark or worse, that something might be wrong with you. The messy middle can be a [...]
How Jealousy Can Become Part of the Grieving Process
Many people have been taught that grief happens in stages, culminating in acceptance as a final stage. However, grief is far more complex, difficult, and unpredictable. It affects people in ways they might never have expected. Although so few people talk about it, one of the most common aspects of the grieving process is jealousy. It is common for people to experience intense jealousy as they grieve, especially when they are reminded of all the precious and meaningful things that they have lost. [...]
Managing Attention and Hyperactivity Deficits with Counseling
Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, where a person has difficulty concentrating to the point of completing tasks, or impulsivity, a type of driven restlessness to a degree that it impacts all areas of life, is not a newly noted pattern in human behavior. The description has shown up in literature in different ways throughout recent history, and most likely will change again over time as more is discovered about where it comes from and how it appears or presents itself in cultures over [...]
Improving Codependent and Other Unhealthy Relationship Boundaries
What exactly is codependency? Many of us have heard the term used, but its definition is neither precise nor without controversy. The term arose among addiction treatment professionals, who noted common behavior patterns in spouses and family members of individuals with addictions. These often involved taking care of, protecting, or deferring to the addicted person, at one’s own expense. In contrast to a balanced, give-and-take relationship, Psychology Today describes codependent relationships as “lopsided” because one person consistently foregoes their own needs to serve [...]
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Treating Major Depressive Disorders
All human beings experience negative or sad moods at times. However, if these or other symptoms are making it hard to function, you may be suffering from clinical depression. A clinical diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) requires five or more symptoms over the same two-week period, including either a depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure, plus significant distress, or impaired functioning. Although not a complete list, symptoms may include agitation, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt, problems with thinking, concentrating, [...]
What to Do When You Notice Signs of Anger Issues in Someone
Of all the emotions we feel, anger can be one of the most destructive and volatile when it gets out of control. It’s not always easy to know the difference between a normal angry response and an anger issue. When you aren’t used to anger, a person expressing themselves heatedly or passionately can seem alarming. It can still be easy to miss the signs of anger issues in someone, especially if they are expressive or unfiltered in their communication. One of the challenges of [...]