Directory — Health — Blog Details for "Noah Counseling and Therapy blog at GoodTherapy"

Noah Counseling and Therapy blog at GoodTherapy

Noah Counseling and Therapy blog at GoodTherapy
Reflections on Therapy, Counseling and the People are Proficient movement

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Articles

How Many Heads Does Your Depression Have? Building Yourself To Your Person
2007-09-22 05:45:00
Written by Jeanette Raymond, Ph.D. Click here to contact Jeanette and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile A few months ago Gillian felt lifeless, dead inside and uninterested in anything. Everything was an effort. She just wanted to sleep. She suffered bouts of constipation She didn’t want to meet anyone, prepare food for herself or take care of her dog. She couldn‘t go to work. Her words came out slow and with long pauses in between. The words were flat, without expression -just like she felt. She couldn’t even cry. Nothing touched her and she moved like a robot from her bed to the shower to a chair and back to bed again. She didn’t care about anything or anyone. This was not the Gillian she knew or wanted to be. She had always been driven to work hard, please those around her and then earn her rest. She had been very sociable and knew how to have a good time. Now Gillian is very angry and tearful. She cries easily when memories of past hurtful relationships invade her as if...
More About: Building , Depression , Person , Heads

The Shadow that Haunts You
2007-09-20 09:36:00
Written by Dennis P. Buttimer, M.Ed., CEAP Click here to contact Dennis and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile “Selfish. Lazy. Mean. Incompetent. Not good enough.” Do any of these words cause you to cringe? What other words cause you to recoil? Through shadow work, we learn to release the power these descriptors may have over us. We often resist internal exploration for fear of finding out the worst, that we are unlovable or unworthy or not good enough. In truth, we find liberation and peace when we galvanize the courage to “jouney” within. We hope this article will encourage you to explore your shadow and reap the many benefits! In traditional weather lore, if a groundhog emerges from its burrow and fails to see its shadow because the weather is cloudy, winter will soon end. If the groundhog sees its shadow because the weather is bright and clear, it will be frightened and run back into its hole, and the winter will continue for six more weeks. So often when we see our own ...
More About: Shadow

The Shadow that Haunts You
2007-09-20 09:36:00
Written by Dennis P. Buttimer, M.Ed., CEAP Click here to contact Dennis and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile ?Selfish. Lazy. Mean. Incompetent. Not good enough.? Do any of these words cause you to cringe? What other words cause you to recoil? Through shadow work, we learn to release the power these descriptors may have over us. We often ...
More About: Models , Shadow , Psychotherapy , Methods

Five Steps to Creating Your Dream Relationship
2007-09-19 07:36:00
Written by Rod Louden, LMFT Click here to contact Rod and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile Millions of singles across the world are looking to create relationship bliss. It takes time. It requires energy. It mandates desire. A lot of people have all that. What they don’t have is a valid and reliable Roadmap to Relationship Success. Whether they’re accessing Yahoo Maps or their personal database—if the information used to create a Roadmap is faulty, they’ll end up lost. If you’re single and feeling lost, here are five easy steps that you can take toward creating your dream relationship… (more…)
More About: Creating , Dream , Steps

The Hot Relationship: Send a Glub
2007-09-19 07:36:00
Written by Irene Oudyk-Suk, MSW, RSW Click here to contact Irene and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile My husband sent me a text message recently. It read, “237 glubs for you.” I have no idea what a glub is. But I smiled anyway! I sent him a message back: “237 x 4.5 glubs back to you.” We’ve been sending each other silly glub messages ever since. My husband’s glub message was a bid for connection. I could have ignored his message, or been less positive in my response. I confess that often I do ignore or lightly pass over my husband’s connection bids. After all I’m a busy person. Ignoring a connection bid or responding to a connection bid by changing the subject isn’t always intentional. Given the demands of work, family, exercise goals, commutes, community activities, church involvement and kids games, a positive response to a partner’s glub is understandably overlooked. Marital researcher John Gottman has found that the masters of marriage don’t ignore bids...
More About: Relationship , Send

Can Collaborative Therapy Heal Trauma Safely?
2007-09-18 09:41:00
Written by Noah Rubinstein, LMFT, LMHC Dear Friends, Good Thera py .org received an email today from a therapist concerned about one of the principles of good therapy: collaboration. I was surprised at first, but after reading her email I could see the validity of her concern and how she could be led to it by the way the definition was written. She was concerned that working collaboratively might retraumatize a person. I believe she was equating collaboration with total non-direction. I wrote her back to clarify. I thought I would copy my email here so others with similar concerns could be reassured and so we could have a forum about it if people want to. Below is my email and better approximation to the spirit of collaboration. I hope you will add your wisdom to the discussion. Hi Anonymous Therapist, Your email is a gift to me… I can see how the idea of collaboration, as written on GT might mislead people into thinking collaboration is something it is not. I hope this ...
More About: Trauma , Heal

What to Consider when Starting Psychotherapy
2007-09-17 07:07:00
Written by Jeffrey Chernin Ph.D., Lic. MFT Click here to contact Jeffrey and/or see his GoodThera py.org Profile If you are considering therapy, I’d like to dispel a few myths and offer you some ideas to consider in finding the right therapist for you. Of the myths, probably the hardest one to overcome is that to be strong means to be able to solve problems on your own. Paradoxically, however, admitting your weaknesses and asking for help is a sign of strength. Another myth is that mental health professionals do something to make people change. As great as this would be, individuals are ultimately responsible for making their own changes. Therapists help clients make the changes they desire. A third myth is that therapy can be accomplished in a few sessions. While some problems are eased by short-term therapy, most people gain by having a longer therapy experience. A large survey by Consumer Reports (October, 2004) noted that overall the longer people stayed in therapy, the more t...
More About: Psychotherapy , Consider

Dating Tips For Single Parents: Overcoming the Fears of Repeating Costly Mi
2007-09-17 07:06:00
Written by Mitchell Milch, LCSW Click here to contact Mitchell and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile For many single parents casual dating is frustrating and annoying. Looking for a new partner however, can be downright frightening. In fact many single parents who are gun shy after divorce go in one of two directions. They either convince themselves they are better off not going beyond getting their feet wet at best or they deny and minimize their fears and make reckless plunges. Why you may ask? Well, the chronically painful realities of divorce that involve children may be likened to having a chronic and debilitating illness like arthritis. Instead of periodic flare ups of painful inflammation of muscles and joints we are left dealing with periodic flare ups of our children’s painful struggles to come to terms with our divorces, flare ups of our own painful struggles to come to terms with divorce and episodic painful dealings with our divorced spouses. The evolution ...
More About: Dating Tips , Dating , Tips , Parents , Single

Taming the Tiger: Finishing Fights Well
2007-09-16 06:55:00
Written by Irene Oudyk-Suk, MSW, RSW Click here to contact Irene and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile Think back to the last fight you had with your spouse. Put aside the “what” you were fighting about and zero in on how you felt. Were you “flooded” with intense emotion? Did you feel physically overwhelmed? Were your muscles tense, your palms sweaty? Was your heart pounding, your face hot and flushed? Was it difficult to think clearly? Did you attack your partner in a manner you later regretted? It was almost as if you were face to face with a saber-toothed tiger! And in fact, your body was reacting as if your partner was a man-(or woman) eating tiger. As conflict escalates, your brain automatically floods the body with adrenalin and other hormones to prepare you to either fight or flee. Reason and logic fly out the window. After all, when it comes to a dangerous tiger, common sense takes second place to survival. But, of course, your spouse is not a saber-toothed tiger. ...
More About: Fights , Tiger , Nish

Bliss
2007-09-15 06:15:00
Written by Tracy Becker, LPC Click here to contact Tracy and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile “Everyone speaks on it, yet who has known it?” ~Suzanne Curchod Necker (1739-1794) When I first thought of writing about bliss, I thought no problem, this is easy enough. Yet the more I thought about bliss the more doubt I developed. Sure I’ve had, what I call, blissful moments and experiences, yet what do I really know about BLISS? Thus began the past several months’ adventure of asking others what their thoughts and experiences are with bliss. Bliss has been described to me as times when we are able to be present in the moment, a feeling of resting in a Big Aaaahhh, a heart filled full and overflowing with love for another, being awed by the beauty and tranquility of nature, and an overall sense of wellbeing. Everyone I spoke to felt that bliss is not lasting. One can experience bliss in moments like when you fall into your bed, with fresh clean sheets, after a long and...

Adolescent Psychology and the Media
2007-09-15 06:07:00
Written by Jared Maloff Psy.D. Click here to contact Jared and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile Parenting has often been referred to as life’s most difficult job, and it seems as though in recent years, this job has become increasingly more rigorous. Technological developments in recent years have given rise to novel methods for children and adults to access information. Many of these advancements are aimed specifically at the youth culture, though are responsible for a gradual transformation of the entire culture at large. Adults however, often seem a step slow in recognizing the magnitude that these new innovations will have upon all of our lives and the lives of today’s children. In the United States in general, but especially here in Los Angeles, the media is extremely influential in our lives. Today, given the meteoric rise in the accessibility of new technology, more information is currently available for public consumption than at any other time in history. Children and...
More About: Media , The Media , Psychology , Holo

Theory and Techniques of Feminist Therapy
2007-09-14 07:48:00
Written by Elizabeth Mahaney, MA, MHC, MFT Click here to contact Elizabeth and/or see her Good Thera py .org Profile Abstract Feminist Therapy focuses on empowering women and helping them discover how to break the stereotypes and molds of some traditional roles that women play that may be blocking their development and growth. This type of therapy grew out of influences of the women’s movement of the late 1960’s. Feminist therapy tends to be more focused on strengthening women in areas such as assertiveness, communication, relationships, and self esteem. One of the main goals of feminist therapists is to develop equal mutual relationships of caring and support. The therapist believes that her client is the only “expert” in her own issues and will help her develop the tools needed to reach her potential as a unique and valuable individual. There are six main tenets of feminist therapy theory with five main principles. It is important to realize that feminist therapy is not just ...
More About: Theory , Theo

An Affair to Remember
2007-09-14 07:47:00
Written by Pamela Simmons, LPC, LPC-S Click here to contact Pamela and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile A love affair can be a wondrous thing unless one is presently married. Though it may be an enjoyable experience for the unfaithful spouse, it is a disillusioning experience for the betrayed spouse. Many very difficult questions arise if the couple decides that they would like to recover and live productively after the affair. Step one is to stop all contact with the lover and begin the healing process at home; healing can happen, but it involves teamwork and takes time. Ups and downs are normal and to be expected. Just as things are looking up, a reminder of the affair can happen and create a downward spiral… (more…)
More About: Affair

The Art of Listening and the Effect on Communication
2007-09-14 07:45:00
Written by Karen Golob, CCDC, CAMF, CH Click here to contact Karen and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile Listening can be difficult. It requires us to tune into more than the actual words and includes gestures, body language and the ability to focus our attention and concentration on someone other than ourselves. How often have you talked to someone on the phone and realized that they were multi-tasking and preoccupied during the conversation. Were they really listening? Probably not. Are you someone who occasionally tunes out when taking to another person because you are anxious to come up with your opinion and thoughts? Are you really listening? Probably not. Do you tend to occasionally tune out when someone is talking to you and do not hear what was said because your mind drifts to something totally unrelated? Are you really listening? Absolutely not. There are four key communication skills for improving interpersonal relations that require listening. They are: (m...
More About: Communication , Effect

The Experience of Bereavement
2007-09-13 06:35:00
Written by Greg Madison, PhD Click here to contact Greg and/or see hisGoodTherapy.org Profile The modern term ?bereavement? originates from an Old English word meaning ?to rob?. In contemporary society, bereavement can refer to any great loss, but it commonly refers to the death of a loved one. ?Mourning? refers to the various public displays of bereavement; ...
More About: Experience , Psychotherapy , Peri , Erie

The Experience of Bereavement
2007-09-13 06:35:00
Written by Greg Madison, PhD Click here to contact Greg and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile The modern term ‘bereavement’ originates from an Old English word meaning ‘to rob’. In contemporary society, bereavement can refer to any great loss, but it commonly refers to the death of a loved one. ‘Mourning’ refers to the various public displays of bereavement; funeral ceremonies, wakes, visiting cemeteries to put flowers on graves, memorial services on anniversaries etc. ‘Grieving’ refers to the psychological component of bereavement, the feelings human beings have when a loved person dies. Since Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross published her seminal book ‘On Death And Dying’ in 1969, it has been assumed that coming to terms with death has five distinct phases; denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance. Health care professionals believed that anyone bereaved or facing their own death should move through these phases, one at a time, but p...
More About: Experience

Balanced Relationships: You, Me and We
2007-09-06 01:21:00
Written by Lisa Brookes Kift, Marriage & Family Therapist Intern Click here to contact Lisa and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile One thing I notice in a lot of couples who come through my door is a lack of balance in their relationship. What do I mean by this? When two people come together there are now three parts to this system; “you,” “me,” and “we.” Imagine if you draw two overlapping circles. There are three parts – the individual pieces on the sides and the overlapping piece in the middle. The outer parts represent each person and the middle is where they join in relationship. Every relationship will look slightly different on paper in where the emphasis is. On one end of the continuum will be the couple where each person essentially lives a separate life with different friends, few mutual decisions and little time spent together. I once had a couple who literally never sat down to eat with one another and had separate bedrooms. On paper, this coupl...
More About: Relationships

Balanced Relationships: You, Me and We
2007-09-06 01:21:00
Written by Lisa Brookes Kift, Marriage & Family Therapist Intern Click here to contact Lisa and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile The following article was solely written and edited by the author named above. The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by GoodTherapy.org. One thing I notice in a lot of couples who come ...
More About: Relationships , Intimacy , Balan

More articles from this author:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7