Psychology Articles

The Grand Jury file on reports filed against Sandusky in the Penn State Sex abuse scandal illustrates some of the most egregious rationalizing (right up there with the Catholic Church's sexual abuse of children) in our country. There are some people involved who attempted to do the right thing and according to the report there are those who simply lied. If you want to educate yourself on minimalizing, rationalizing, doing the right thing, doing the right thing but others sabotaging your report, and not doing the right thing, read the report.

Unwanted changes, unexpected challenges, loss, disappointments, abuse or other forms of adversity often bring with them hurt or harm. Feelings of self-pity are quite normal and understandable. Life has changed in some way and often not for the better. It is only natural to feel sorry for yourself when you are having a hard time. There is nothing wrong with acknowledging that you are suffering and unsure how to cope. But if self-pity takes over and you don’t reign it in, it is a very problematic emotion. The Problem with Self-Pity.r

“Stop Asking why they keep doing it and start asking why you keep allowing it.” ~Charles J. Orlando Today we are going to address leaving a narcissist emotionally and physically. Many people feel they cannot leave physically because of logistical conce s (e.g. money, no support system, housing, etc.), so leaving emotionally becomes vitally important. Knowledge is the best weapon you have in this scenario. The Components of Emotional Abuser

The term co-dependence is pretty familiar to many people today. It is a term that arose out of the treatment of alcoholics and refers to how one person, generally a spouse, would benefit in some way by having their alcoholic partner remain an alcoholic. And the alcoholic partner would, of course, benefit by having the spouse benefit from their alcoholism.

Imagine yourself sitting in a movie theater chair with a tall bucket of butter popco and big cup of ice-cold Coca Cola, maybe stealing a nacho or two with your sister or friend next to you, chatting away about your day’s events – who sent you an email or a text or whatever makes you happy. You might be at Carmike Hickory 8 Theater in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, watching “Mad Max: Fury Road,” or in the Lafayette Louisiana Theater laughing at a comedy “Train wreck.” Maybe at the Aurora Theater in Aurora, Colorado, taking in “The Dark Knight Rises.” You are being targeted by a killer.

(A simple way to let go with dignity) "The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread." Mother Teresa

A Secret You Don’t Want to Know By Linda Sapadin, Ph.D. Psst, want to hear a secret? A secret that will bring you wealth, health and a svelte body with little if any effort? Looks like a lot of people want to hear just such a secret. So many that the very attractive looking book “The Secret” ...

Notes of first therapy session with Sam V., male, 43, diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) Sam presents with anhedonia (failure to enjoy or find pleasure in anything) and dysphoria bordering on depression. He complains of inability to tolerate people's stupidity and ...

Abusers regularly deny the abuse ever took place – or rationalize their abusive behaviors. Denial is an integral part of the abuser's ability to "look at himself/herself in the mirror". There are many types of denial. When confronted by his victims, most abusers tend to shift blame or avoid the ...

Men, masculinity, myths and archetypes guarantee to get people all stirred up. Especially feminists. Either in sheer enthusiasm because the ‘untouchables’ get touched by something other than the usual stuff men get excited about (ie cars, chicks and chips); or otherwise in anger, disbelief and even disgust for it’s for some not ‘politically correct’ enough (‘politically correct’ meaning: not within their clearly defined ideological boundaries.

Determination and Study of Psyche in the human organism has become a scientific necessity. Psyche is a complex fundamental problem of mankind, which has an old history. The research of Psyche has always been complex problem for sciences system. However approaching with doubt to existence and activity of Psyche is impossible. Psyche exists, is available Psyche is in the Human organism. Psyche is psychological and biological reality. Because, Psyche has location, inner structur

Modern humans live a busy, hectic, and multi-tasking life full of uncertainties. It doesn’t take long for this to become stressful. Stress releases adrenalin that pumps us up and makes us more capable in the short term. Adrenalin even helps us remember. Stress also releases hormones called corticosteroids, which include compounds like cortisone and hydrocortisone. They too are useful for short-term emergencies. But long-term, corticosteroids damage the brain and diminishes

By Sam Vakninr Author of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited" All psychological theories can be classified by one or more of these dichotomies (pairs): Dualism vs. Monism The belief that the mind and the body are two separate entities (though in constant interaction via various mechanisms and pathways); OR The belief that the mind is nothing but an emergent phenomenon or a manifestation of and emanation from or a mislabelling physiological processes and qualities a

Sometimes I feel like complaining. About whatever. And it feels good – that is, when I’m not in the company of the kind of person we all know who see it as their job to drag us over to the “positive perspective” corner of the room. “Leave me alone. I want to feel miserable for now,” I want to scream. But it’s hard to communicate that message without sounding like a whiny, malcontented child.

From the black Eames chair that I have sat in as a therapist for well over 10,000 hours, 2012 parades forth as the catalyst humans need to jar them from their slumber. Blessings to the Mayans for their implantation of an alarm bell into the future collective consciousness of humanity. Whether they have predicted the end of times, the beginning of a new spiritual era or nothing at all, we should not delay the existential question most everyone avoids in order to focus on thoughts that keep their self-concept and lives in tact. Now, let’s ask: Why do you exist?

As a psychotherapist, I often meet individuals, couples and families who at first describe the relationships that matter the most in their lives as ‘very close’, ‘tight’, and supportive. But later, after understanding the issues that brought them to my office, I view them more as insular systems that nurture – or even demand – ‘group think’ and inhibit individualism altogether. In fact, in many of these situations, any deviation from the collective is often considered betrayal to the larger system, whether it be the couple, the nuclear, or extended family.

Does the way you dress affect how you feel about yourself? There are two schools of thought. One says: “It’s not the wrapping that matters; it’s the person unde eath that radiates confidence or beams out insecurity. I dress for comfort and couldn’t care less about the “in” style of the moment.” The other says: It’s naïve to think that appearances don’t matter. Sure, it would be great if appearance had no effect on confidence, but get real. If you’re feeling fat, wearing the “wrong” clothes, having a bad hair day, how can these factors not detract from how you feel?

"Two things define you; your patience when you have nothing, and your attitude when you have everything." In my article on March 2, 2014 and chapter two in my book Backbone Power The Science of Saying No, I speak about the importance of being able to say No when you mea No. After listening to Elliot Rodger's horrific video, I see that it is also important for us all to learn how to HEAR/ACCEPT the word No. There is not just one breakdown that led to this tragic shooting and this is one distinction that screams out to me.

The Five Factor Model was suggested by two researchers, Costa and McCrae, in 1989. The designers of previous factor models sifted through bulky dictionaries and came up with thousands of words to describe human nature in all its variability. Not so the inventors of the Five Factor Model. It is ...

In a paper published last year (“Non Marital Romantic Relationships and Mental Health in Early Adulthood: Does the Association Differ for Women and Men?” The journal of Health and Social Behavior, June 2010) the authors found that when a romantic relationship ends, young men suffer more emotional distress than women. Previous studies of how men and women past young adulthood are emotionally affected by pains in love indicated both sexes being similarly affected. So, why the differences between young men and older men?r

The Seeds of Marital Conflict Her Version: “They married and lived happily ever after.” Though no modern woman would ever admit to believing in such a fairy tale ending, conflicts often originate and are perpetuated because she believes the relationship “is not romantic enough” or “not the way it used to be.”

This statement changed my life! Most of you know it from Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich. Faith is a State Of Mind Wow! What else do I need to say. I have been one to ask of others their opinions, their insights because my childhood was poor and I had very poor role models growing up. I guess I adopted strong role models from the television because I had such poor role models in my households. I can remember selling questionable materials to my “Dad’s” girlfriends and wa

When I was in Grade 4, I struggled with an ability to read, especially when asked to read in front of the class. I wasn’t dyslexic but I was quite shy, and not at all confident about my intellectual abilities relative to my peers. Unfortunately, I had a teacher who, I discovered many years later, had a reputation for being a bully that extended far beyond the city of Winnipeg where I lived for that one terrible year.

The Depressive Personality Disorder is not yet recognized by the DSM Committee. It makes its appearances in Appendix B of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, titled "Criteria Sets and Axes Provided for Further Study." It is not clear in what way is the Depressive Personality Disorder ...

For many women, the perennial ete al triangle between men, women and football is coming to a close – for this year anyway. Depending upon when you're reading this, Super Bowl is now history (or almost history). You’ve got your husband back. Though if you’re not rejoicing, it may mean that your man has simply switched to another sport. If it’s not football, it’s baseball, basketball, golf, soccer or tennis. What’s a woman to do?

Let's take a look at our personal, emotional, and spiritual support systems, as they will hold up our physical structure - and not the other way around. What follows is my interpretation and synthesis of the work of many masters, principally the seven levels of judgment of George Ohsawa, ...

To-do lists are magic. According to experts, the second you write something down, you’re infinitely more likely to actually make it happen than if you rely on your (sometimes faulty) memory. Some of the greatest thinkers – and achievers! – of our time have been inveterate list-makers, including: • Benjamin Franklin • Leonardo Davinci • Thomas Jefferson • Martha Stewartr

A finely tuned perception is one of the main characteristic of empaths and sensitives. They pick up on very subtle non-verbal clues, feeling the energy and emotions of others, even if they are not obviously displayed. Body language, facial expressions or simply the energy of a person are enough to perceive what is really going on. Sensitives notice when someone is inauthentic and are not easily fooled by outward appearances.

If you have been affected by divorce or separation or are considering ending your marriage you're going to want to tune in to DivorceForce Survival Guide. In each episode, DivorceForce CEO Gregory Frank tackles various aspects of divorce through candid discussions with leading industry experts such as lawyers, financial planners, divorce coaches, and beyond. Whether you need inspiration, information, or just to know that you are not alone, DivorceForce Survival Guide delivers.

Allergy always has a physiological/medical cause. Allergy has always a physiological / body chemical source. Foreign microscopic particles enter our body and activate our immune system, causing different symptoms like swollen mucous membranes, skin rash, inflammation. When this occurs with a substance that does not expose the body for any threat, we call the reaction allergy. The activation of the immune system is also done by a psychological conditioning.

From the moment we’re born until the day we die we are continually absorbing messages that tell us who we are, what we’re worth as human beings, what we should be doing at any given time, how we should look (and especially how we shouldn’t look), what we should eat, what we should buy, what activities or careers we should or should not engage in, and so on. Opinions come from near, they come from afar, but for sure, they come, and they never stop.

From workplace stress and fast-paced 21st-century lifestyle to traumatic experiences and death of family members, the number of issues that can chip off chinks of your mental health is quite lengthy. Still, it doesn’t always take a tough psychological test to shatter one’s mental fortitude: in some cases, even a few minor factors combined can send peace of mind out the window. For this reason, it’s safer and more efficient to keep tabs on everyday factors th

"Never make yourself feel like nothing, to make someone else feel like everything!" Rationalizing has to be prevalent when there is Domestic Abuse because how else could you convince yourself to stay. First you have to recognize that you are being emotionally, physically and or sexually abused.

Personality assessment is perhaps more an art form than a science. In an attempt to render it as objective and standardized as possible, generations of clinicians came up with psychological tests and structured interviews. These are administered under similar conditions and use identical stimuli to elicit information from respondents. Thus, any disparity in the responses of the subjects can and is attributed to the idiosyncrasies of their personalities. Moreover, most tests r

Childhood nightmares, or very bad dreams, are not uncommon and often need nothing other than a parent’s consoling embrace to remedy the immediate situation. Nightmares may occur for several reasons. Because children are very impressionable, watching a scary movie at night before bedtime can easily trigger a nightmare. If there is a high stress or frightening situation going on in the home, or at school, and the child has not been able to disclose this information to his or her parents, or a teacher or trusted adult, the nightmare may serve as a release valve.

In every situation you’ll encounter as a new mom, whether it is chaotic or mellow, there are three things happening. Examine what’s going on for you right now. You are probably having some thoughts, or your mind is focused on reading and digesting this information. You may be having some ...

Recently I heard someone excuse a mistake by claiming that she had a "Monday Mind." The problem was that she said it on Wednesday. What is a "Monday Mind," and why is it showing up on a Wednesday? What was she talking about? A Monday Mind is simply an expectation or outlook on life that ...

Forgiveness is one of the most difficult things to do while at the same time one of the most needed in the world. There are plenty of people sick of anger, either toward others or to themselves. Forgiveness involves letting go and surrender of judgment and condemnation while engaging in a ...

"Hold yourself responsible to a higher standard than anybody else expects of you. Never excuse yourself."rn--Henry Ward Beecher "The new leader is a facilitator, not an order giver."rn--John Naisbitt Volumes have been written about the MBA-driven attributes of top business leaders. You know these traits. These are the button-down, rigorously mandated strictures of executive leadership that every "proper" leader shall possess. Many companies train their executives in the firm's laws of leadership.

Overcoming special challenges: This is a story related to me by a reading coach in Paterson, NJ. She tutors hundreds of students every year at the public library and has tutored hundreds of children and teens with ADHD: J.M. is a compassionate African American woman who works very diligently ...

When talking about relationships and families, dynamics are complex. Why? Because especially the closest we are the more we expect and therefore, the more disappointed we can be. For example, one of the biggest dreams every parent has is that their children get alone. It sounds simple and easy ...

Psychologist Roger Callahan tells a fascinating anecdote about a patient he calls Mary. Around 1980, they were working together on her intense, life-long phobia of water. He’d been working with her for about a year and had tried every conventional therapy he could think of. She’d gotten a little better, but not much. One day, as they were working in sight of a swimming pool, she complained of nausea and upset stomach. Callahan had been studying Chinese medicine and had learned that one of the end points of the stomach meridian is at the bone just unde eath each eye.

Concepts like homophobia can be tricky. We all get the extreme examples like physically attacking someone because they are gay. But what about more subtle manifestations of fear or discomfort with non-heterosexual people? The Riddle Homophobia Scale was developed to further elucidate this ...

One of the participants in our Mindful Motherhood Training for new moms (I’ll call her Cindy) told us a story about one of those moments that every mom dreads. At the park one day, she and her husband took their toddler and their four-month-old baby in her stroller to the pond to watch the ...

Self esteem are the set of values we place on our own personality. We can also see it as the mixture of capabilities we want to display to the world out there: family, friends, colleagues, and clients. But self worth also is the means with which we present ourselves to ourselves. Self worth is the series of tales we tell ourselves about ourselves. And it is via those stories that we either manage to achieve our goals, or get stumped in a rut and flop to achieve our ambitions.

"Whenever one person stands up and says, "Wait a minute, this is wrong," it helps other people do the same." Gloria Steinem

For a vegetarian variation, replace the shrimp with cubed seasoned, smoked tofu (available at natural food stores). If you use shrimp, keep the shells for stock; just throw them in a bag in the freezer until you're ready to use them. 4 leaves bok choy 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 ...

Wouldn’t it be great if we could wave our magic wand and no one would relapse? Until we understand more about addictions (and we have work to do there), we will have to tackle relapse in other ways. Let’s look at a couple of possible breakdowns that might lead to relapse and find some ways to avoid the traps. First of all, everyone is different. We can give a general plan and it is up to you (with your team) to make it specific to your vulnerabilities. In working with my clients, here are a couple of key areas I’ve found that need to be addressed: Structurer

In the process of mediation, marital therapy, or evaluation, counselors frequently propose various techniques to ameliorate the abuse or bring it under control. Woe betides the party that dares object or turn these "recommendations" down. Thus, an abuse victim who declines to have any further ...

No! Not if you are about to use them as a step-by-step methodology for raising your child. Now a disclaimer: I am a child development “expert.” Starting out as an Early Childhood Education major, on to being a Kindergarten teacher; through to a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology and life as a professor, text book author and parent - I live and breathe child psychology. Yes, I am one of those experts. So why then do I ask if you should listen to child rearing experts and answer NO? In short - because your child is your child and not my child.