The holidays are difficult for a lot of people. It could be that your holidays involve family conflicts, financial pressures, or are associated with bad memories. And even if you generally enjoy the holidays, they can be stressful because you’re extra busy, not following your normal routine, and get overtired. And this year, the […]
Enabling is doing something for someone that they can reasonably do for themselves. Originally, enabling referred specifically to doing something for an alcoholic or addict (such as loaning him money, excusing his aggression, or driving him to work because he got a DUI) to help him avoid the consequences of his addiction. But enabling […]
Feeling overwhelmed and stressed? Here’s how to stay emotionally healthy. Are you feeling overwhelmed? Is your stress level rising? Obviously, it’s been an especially difficult year. So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed out, you’re not alone! What do you do when you’re overwhelmed and stressed? When we feel overwhelmed, many […]
How to cope when life doesn’t go as planned. Life rarely goes according to plan. I used to think I could make a plan, work hard, and accomplish what I’d set out to do. I’m a planner. I like routines and consistency. I like to know what’s going to happen. I like it […]
Guilt keeps many people stuck in dysfunctional or codependent relationships because they prioritize other people’s needs and happiness above their own. Generally, we hope or expect that relationships will last forever. We idealize close family ties, soulmates, and decades-long friendships. But sometimes this unrealistic expectation – that our relationships should last forever — […]
Perfectionism can create more problems than it solves. Do you have any of these perfectionist traits – overthinking, overworking, criticizing, procrastinating, or being inflexible? If you do (and many of us do!), you know that perfectionism can be more of a hindrance than a help. On the surface, perfectionism seems like a good trait […]
Challenging common myths about codependency Codependency is a confusing term. And regardless of whether you like the term or not, it’s become a popular way to talk about a group of traits and inter-personal relationship dynamics that are usually the result of childhood trauma (such as growing up in a dysfunctional family) or generational […]
Do you back down from your boundaries and allow others to mistreat you? Do you ignore your needs so you can satisfy someone else’s needs? Do you ignore or minimize your feelings? Do you skip self-care because you’re busy taking care of everyone else and think you can do without? In other words, do […]
Some children don’t get much of a childhood. When children have to act like adults – taking responsibility for their siblings, parents, and running a household– there are lasting effects. What is a parentified child? A parentified child is one that has taken on some or all of their parent’s responsibilities. Out of […]
Healing from an unhealthy or toxic relationship involves learning to trust yourself again. Unhealthy relationships erode your ability to trust yourself Unhealthy or toxic relationships can destroy your trust in others. For example, if your partner cheated on you or called you derogatory names, it makes sense that you may have trouble trusting […]