Therapy and Counseling Articles

Childhood obesity is already a very serious and disturbing problem in the United States of America and many parts of Europe where obesity in general is increasing.The problem looks set to spread to other parts of the world as their standard of living improves.A diet with a high fat, sugar and ...

Leaders are one of the most responsible of all the Striving Styles. When they are fully engaged with the holiday season, they act as though it is their responsibility to make sure everything runs smoothly and everyone has a good time. They work very hard during the season to ensure it does as they get pleasure from and feel most in control when they are working. They are often popular people because they make things happen and will be found where the action is – at family, community, neighbourhood and workplace events.

How many times have I felt that way and how often have I heard this sigh coming from others before I began to deal with Emotional Manipulation? Weeding out manipulative attempts from straightforward communication or rightful influence is not always an easy ride. Cloud of negative emotions Before I recognize my emotions, I feel my heart pounding and my breathing becomes labored. – Your reaction might be different: lump in the throat, cramp in the stomach, tension in a certain muscle group: listen to your body, and recognize what sign means manipulation danger for you!

Unlike fear of failure and fear of rejection, being afraid to succeed can be far more insidious because it is almost always unconscious. Fear of failure is one of the greatest blocks to success, in every aspect of life. Everyone is closely familiar with fear of failure on some level. The fear of failure is closely related to fear of criticism and fear of rejection. Much like the fear of failure, the fear of success creates anxiety due to the fear of not knowing and not being certain of what will happen next.

I'm all about breaking stereotypes and reducing stigma. I've often run into many of these in my line of business. As a therapist working with some of the most vulnerable and stigmatized people in society I feel an obligation to debunk stereotypes that have held people back from seeking help and judging others. For now, I will address the stigma around therapy. When I tell people that I'm a therapist/counsellor I usually get a couple of different reactions. One stereotype tha

How to become a counselor - How to become a therapist. Firstly let us look at why you wish to. Is it to understand yourself better? Or your partner? Or potential lovers and partners? Or are you actually thinking of this as a tool that you can use career wise and sell to clients to earn a living from it? If so are your motives pure? I sometimes come across people who get it into their head that even though they cannot sort out their own lives and desperately need counselling o

Marco* first came to therapy to help manage his anger. Marco stated that he has been angry for a long time now. He stated that he has a very bad temper, snaps at everything, and gets into physical fights at least three times a month. When asked where he learned to be angry, Marco had no problem talking frankly about his father. Marco was a victim of child physical abuse from the ages of 7-14. Depending on his father’s mood when he walked into the home, Marco knew if he was going to get to sleep peacefully or if he was going to have another bruise on his body.

Why is Air Just Like Great Sex? The only time most people think about it, is when they’re not getting any! Cute joke, huh? But it is sadly true. Even though breathing is our most vital connection with life, and almost 80% of people are breathing at only 35% of capacity, most never even ...

This is a topic close to my heart, as I am married to a techie geek. I'm not insulting him - he would probably take it as a compliment, actually. And well he should. Were it not for my husband's tech prowess, I'd still be rolling paper into our old dot-matrix printer and trying to figure out the fax machine. He has succeeded in dragging his at-times technophobic wife into the 21st century, and truly, it needed to happen. This is a wave - a tsunami - that unless we get on top of, we will find ourselves drowned by.

I have no intention of getting “old”. How about you? Of course, I will get chronologically older, hopefully much older but my intention is to retain the maximum physical and psychological well-being possible so that I can continue to live a productive, creative and healthy life.

Guided Imagery, Guided Interactive Meditation, and Visualization are similar words and practices. The point of this type of exercise is to exercise your belief system to work for you and not against you. Even though there are many benefits of talk therapy alone, it is important that the therapeutic environment offer experiential tools to facilitate new experiences within you. The imagery that you use must come from you. It cannot come from me. It has to be believable imagery.

It is so simple, tikes who are young as well as babies occasionally have a operation for ventilation tubes inserted into their ears. This process is usually for chronic ear infections. As the toddlers get older, their hearing looks to be at a normal stage.Sharp medical experts have said, ...

I was brought to depth psychology through my love of typology. As a corporate consultant, each time I taught a workshop on the Myers-Briggs assessment I found that people were finding new ways of seeing themselves and others. Bridges of understanding were being formed and those I trained were accessing new insights about the paradigms they operated within.

Family therapy is a term that’s been becoming more and more popular over the years. To see the reasons behind that , we must first examine the most important details surrounding family therapies, their defining characteristics which make them the preferred solution for various psychological issues and everyday troubles. Of course , it is good to remember that family therapies cannot help every problem , but are very suitable for the type of situation that people have to go

Is it hard for you to tell when risky behavior becomes a problem? They say that if you place a frog in a pot of water and begin to heat the pot, the frog will boil to death without even realizing it. Conversely, if you throw a frog into a pot of boiling water, the frog will make a quick exit. ...

I never get tired reading amazing animal stories; how pets alert their owner’s when there is danger, and act as guides for those who are physically impaired. The astonishing tales of lost animals who find their way back home after years and miles of trekking. For many of us, our animals are like additional children in the family with whom we share a mutual love and devotion.

Perhaps one of the most complex challenges for mankind is the interpersonal relationship. As we move through our lives, especially adult lives, we encounter many different kinds of relationships. Here, at ACT Professional Counseling, also known as ACT Professional Marriage Counseling, we see ...

Dances of Universal Peace uses dance as a means of reconciliation and fostering peace. Dance can express all human emotions and lead to transcendental states. The Dances of Universal Peace are Sacred Dances which do not require any musical or dance experience. The sessions are about taking part ...

So, you're thinking about New Year's Resolutions? It's that time of year. But, this year, try something new and exciting. Instead of (or in addition to) the usual weight loss and clutter busting promises that you may or may not keep to yourself, try making a different set of priorities and ...

Are you and your spouse worried about what’s happening with your savings, your pension, your children’s college funds, or just staying employed? Do you find yourself fearful of your futures together? Do you find yourselves disagreeing with your partner about how to weather this financial meltdown? Do you find yourselves arguing because one of you makes more money and feels like they have more control over how money is spent?

Here in our western culture we are advanced in many ways- yet in regards to our awareness about our body we are more than lacking! We pop pills for every ailment we have without even trying to figure out what the cause is. One of the many problems with this is that there are so many side affects to these medications- and the greatest problem of all with this course of treatment is that we are not healing the cause.

Within the past decade, the field of coaching has exploded. It seems like there are life coaches for every niche you can imagine. Now, there is even a new genre of coaching, Deep Coaching. Roxanne Howe Murphy, Ed.D, founder of the Deep Coaching Institute developed this innovate way to coach. The Deep Coaching model integrates the use of the Enneagram Personality Mapping system along with present- based coaching techniques that enable individuals to make profound changes in their lives.

My intention with this article is to bring to the light of day the process that is born between, in this case, two individuals who clearly have a lot of love for one another, yet don't know anymore how to share it and simply end up on a path of mutual recrimination, often, or perhaps mostly, accompanied by phrases that offer an analysis of the wrongness of the other party; sentences that usually start with: “you did”, “you said”, “you should”, “you shouldn't”, “the problem with you”, “you hurt me”, “you are not listening to me” and so many more that there is little point in mentioning them all

Many people have done the tough work of recovery from sexual abuse, whether with help in therapy or on one’s own. It challenges us to the core, but it also frees us, and gives life and possibility where we once felt that we might never get through it. For some, getting into a relationship, or ...

Solution- focused therapists understand that many clients come to their office expecting (and sometimes dreading) to have to tell the whole story of their problem, with a detailed history of why they are the way they are and how they’ve gotten themselves into such a predicament. A solution- ...

What many therapists fail to recognize is that past life regression therapy is a therapeutic technique. They confuse the technique with the religious concept of reinca ation. They do not believe in Reinca ation so they dismiss the therapy without examining its merits. Their attitude is somewhat like a professor I had while I was taking my masters in psychology. His specialty was Physiological Psychology.

Is your child or anyone associated suffering from speech problem from a very tender age? With the lifestyle going highly fast paced, people are increasingly suffering from various disorders and diseases that are even seen in children. Out of the many disorders that are rapidly becoming reasons of concern among medical practitioners, speech problem is an important one that calls for immediate attention and care from an initial stage. According to doctors, if proper treatment c

For women in a state of well-being, a balance exists between the feminine and masculine aspects of our psyche that is not dictated by gender. Our feminine nature allows us to experience our creativity and intuition, and gives us our ability to nurture. Our masculine side enables us to manifest ...

I have often been invited to lead a small group of friends in an evening of Past Life Regression. They are looking for an evening of entertainment. Some in the group may believe in reinca ation, others may not. Many times, no one in the group has experienced either hypnosis or past life regression. It will be a novel experience for them and there is often a sense of excitement and apprehension which is shared by the group. The evening usually starts with a brief introduction to hypnosis and the regression process. This helps to allay any fears or misconceptions.

Sometimes it seems as if communicating effectively with one’s partner is an impossible task – overshadowed only by their ability (or lack thereof) to communicate with us. What gets in the way? Why is it so hard to talk to the one you love and be really, deeply understood? That’s what we all want. In fact, I think almost every – if not every – issue that plagues a couple can be boiled down to one simple concept, one fundamental question: Do you love me? Followed at a close second by: Really?r

In choosing a professional with whom you plan to discuss your most personal issues, one who you trust to give you direction and assistance, it is important to first spend some time considering what results you would like to see if therapy was successful from your own perspective. Remember no one can change someone else. We can only choose to help change ourselves, and a person has to first be uncomfortable with the way their life is going before they are open to alte ative wa

n n Therapists nPsychotherapists employ a range of techniques to influence or persuade the client to adapt or change in the direction the client has chosen. These can be based on clear thinking about their options; experiential relationship building; dialogue, communication and adoption of behavior change strategies. Each is designed to improve the mental health of a client or patient, or to improve group relationships (as in a family). Most forms of psychotherapy use only sp

How do you see yourself when you look in the mirror? What do you believe about your own appearance? Are you constantly comparing your body to people you see in the media, or even at work, school, etc.? How do you feel about your body, including your height, weight and shape? Can you name parts ...

Upon reading this article, it is helpful to know that there are well over a million teenagers who are currently suffering from drug addiction and that figure rises as each day passes by. We can’t deny the fact that prohibited substances has been the single most destructive entity to ever hit mankind. As evident by the numerous drug-related crimes and incidents that has taken the lives of so many innocent individuals, substance addiction is now seen as a global pandemic that

Many people insist they have a healthy sense of self-esteem, but then they do things that prove otherwise. They might make poor decisions, spend time with people who treat them badly, or put everyone else first and themselves last. These choices often come from low self-worth that creates unhealthy and dysfunctional beliefs. On page 47 of my book, I explain: “Self-esteem is defined as the way in which you think of yourself; your own value and abilities. It is quite often ti

What is fear? Fear is an emotion that is basic to our survival and occurs in response to anything by which we feel threatened, real or imagined. It allows us to recognize danger so we can protect ourselves. In the brain, fear is triggered by a stressful stimulus that prompts a release of chemicals that causes a racing heart, fast breathing and energized muscles, among other things, known as the ‘Fight-or-Flight’ response. Fear activates our ‘Fight-or-Flight’ response so we can flee to get away from danger or fight to survive.

Joy Young Intuition vs. Willful Forcing – A Life Coaching Toolr

Online Counseling and Skype-based Therapy are convenient, affordable and have been proven effective in several studies. In he UK and Australia Online Counseling is recommended by the national health authorities as a valuable resource that should be made more widely available as part of a preventative campaign to manage mental conditions such as depression.r

Recently a young woman came into counseling complaining of sleeplessness and anxiety. She described having an upsurge of deeply upsetting memories of a terrible incident that occurred when she was seventeen years old. She had been raped by an “acquaintance” on a date. She never told anyone what ...

Intimate relationships offer great potential for connection, personal growth and healing. Yet many people find that although successful in their careers and are able to maintain close friendships, they struggle in intimate relationships. Often these relationships aren’t working because the same ...

Healing the impact of childhood abuse is a difficult yet hopeful process. If you were physically or sexually abused as a child, you may often feel fragmented, confused, vulnerable, and somewhat chaotic inside. You may have difficulty with trust and intimacy in your relationships, and your ...

“Five hundred twenty-five thousandr Six hundred minutesr How do you measure-measure a year”rn–Seasons of Love from Rent As 2015 comes to a close I am hearing more and more about peoples Resolutions to lose weight, make more money, exercise more, eat healthier, etc. Although goals are very important to our lives and our striving to grow as people… I wonder if we have forgotten to stop and look at what we have NOW. Are we taking the time to celebrate the past year? Our accomplishments? The failures we survived? The Love?

Adults with ADHD have trouble concentrating, struggle with organization, lose things, forget things, feel restless, and make impulsive decisions. These are all the same symptoms that children with ADHD experience. But ADHD impacts adult lives in some very specific ways. There are a number of patterns commonly seen in adults with ADHD. These patterns are not listed in the official diagnostic criteria for ADHD but they occur often enough that they should be explored to help in making an accurate diagnosis. They are signs of how ADHD impacts a person's life.

Dreams are a source of inspiration and creativity that can lead us to a deeper understanding of who we are. They are a way for us to connect with hidden parts of ourselves that may not be easily accessible to us in our conscious, awakened states. Dreams may be explored on many levels, usually ...

Does your child argue with you until you are “blue in the face?” If you often have a reasonable request and somehow it turns into a power struggle; and if you cannot get your adolescent to accept responsibility for any misbehavior--they may be defiant and oppositional. If their negative hostile attitude makes you want to avoid conflicts and their anger, and are filled with resentment and spitefulness almost daily--they may have oppositional and defiant disorder. When they see

While I battled with my mental ailment, schizophrenia, I realized that I needed to have a focus point. I kept hearing voices and seeing hallucinations and it was all very scary. It made me paranoid and I was lost. It then occurred to me that I should get a little paper notebook and write about my fears. I felt that by doing this, I could then have closure with some of my more trying mental and emotional issues.

MMT is an exciting new development in which mindfulness is applied directly to help transform and resolve difficult emotional states such as anxiety, fear, phobias, anger and other forms of habitual emotional reactivity that affects the quality of our happiness and the quality of our personal relationships.

General Anxiety Disorder is a very common condition that affects many of us at some time in our lives. At any one time it is estimated that least 10 million people in the US have been diagnosed with GAD and are actively seeking treatment through medication or some form of cognitive therapy. In essence recurrent anxiety is a form of intense worrying about health, work, fear of the future or a wide range of situations that may occur in the future that creates an immense amount of emotional suffering. So what can we do to control our anxiety levels?