Category: Self-Esteem
The Good Therapy Blog
October 29th, 2010 |
Shirking duties was guaranteed to get Ezra angry
With a heaving chest and throbbing temples, Ezra clenched his jaws in anger when he found that the vegetables at the restaurant were unprepared. It was bad enough that local farmers had not supplied the eggplant he ordered for his signature dish. To find that Danny, his deputy hadn’t trimmed the artichokes was unbelievable. Anger turned to rage as Ezra started to cut away at the artichokes imagining punishing Danny with each knife stroke.
Danny arrived ten minutes later and was greeted with a scathing attack, questioning his judgment, and... Read More
October 29th, 2010 |
This is the third in a series of articles on the Scapegoat and how Voice Dialogue can help heal this ancient phenomenon that continues to occur within all human communities and within certain sensitive and susceptible individuals. The first two articles explored the Shadow, the phenomenon called projection, and the history of the Scapegoat in human communities. See the first two articles at: http://www.goodtherapy.org/voice-dialogue-article.html.
"For years it lay in an iron box buried so deep inside me that I was never... Read More
October 28th, 2010 |
An interesting study from Spain tracked children’s mental health and psychological adjustment, then traced those results back to four different types of parenting styles: authoritative (clear rules, very affectionate) and authoritarian (clear rules, not very affectionate), indulgent (few rules, very affectionate), and neglectful (few rules, not very affectionate). Among their conclusions is a connection between authoritarian parenting and child low self esteem. Kids are more likely to have low self esteem if they’re raised... Read More
© Copyright 2010 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist San Francisco Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
October 23rd, 2010 |
Psychological and emotional resilience have been hot topics among therapists, counselors and social workers, especially in areas affected by trauma. Professor Michelle Slone, of the Department of Psychology at Tel Aviv University, has developed a template for teaching resilience to kids which has the potential for worldwide application. Prof. Slone began by observing kids who were exposed to political violence, discerning what qualities helped children in that particular culture stay resilient. Then, she developed a... Read More
© Copyright 2010 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Allen Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
October 22nd, 2010 |
Seth Walsh, 13, Asher Brown, 13, Billy Lucas, 15, Tyler Clementi, 18, Raymond Chase, 19, all died within the last three weeks as a result of suicide. All of them were bullied or harassed for being perceived as gay. And these are just the names that we know. There are many others out there suffering and struggling through the discovery of their sexuality.
Every day gay teens or teens who are perceived as being "outside the box" are bullied and harassed for simply being who they are. This bullying can come from fellow students but there are also negative messages from families, teachers, television,... Read More
October 20th, 2010 |
As much as indulging in “retail therapy” can trigger a short-term giddy feeling, new research shows that some products actually work in the opposite manner: we buy them because they make us feel bad. A new study finds that beauty product marketing, in particular, makes female shoppers feel bad about their appearance by suggesting to women that without the product, they are not as attractive as they should be. The unrealistic appearance of air-brushed models has already been shown to have a negative affect on... Read More
© Copyright 2010 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Fort Collins Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
October 19th, 2010 |
* This blog is a follow-to Richard's previous article, "Who's in Charge - Understanding Men Today"
Why do so many men sabotage relationships and careers? Current cultural stereotypes of men range from bumbling incompetence to aggressive, macho insensitivity. I’ve worked with men in therapy and personal growth workshops for over 25 years, and I’ve identified a type of adult man I call the LATE Men, Lost, Angry Teens, and they are often stuck in an adolescent level of development – literally,... Read More
October 19th, 2010 |
A GoodTherapy.org News Summary
A new report has come out that sheds further light on the psychology of employment. Previous studies have shown that unemployed people experience more depression, stress, and anxiety than people who have jobs. This is hardly surprising: the financial burdens of unemployment provoke constant worry about feeding family members and making mortgage payments. But this new research, from the Centre for Mental Health Research at The Australian National University, suggests that a poor quality job... Read More
© Copyright 2010 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist West Hollywood Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
October 18th, 2010 |
Last month we looked at why it’s important to let ourselves “wallow” in our feelings; it helps us know ourselves better and get over difficult patches faster. It also helps us to reintegrate the parts of us that had to be cut off in order not to hurt so much. Once we’re whole, we can enjoy the self-esteem that comes from knowing and respecting ourselves.
As a therapist, I often hear variations on the following from clients: “I’m sick to death of wallowing in my feelings. How do I let this go and move forward?”
Have you ever had a similar thought? Has it ever seemed to you that... Read More
October 11th, 2010 |
The new school year has started, and many girls face an uphill battle when it comes to insecurity about math. Math anxiety can make itself known through nervousness when tackling a math problem, panic attacks that strike during a test, or even avoidance of math subjects completely. Although not exclusively a woman’s problem, men are less likely to experience anxiety about math.
Why are women so afraid of math? Why do numbers on a page cause panic or make some women’s minds go blank? Clearly, it is not due to lack of ability. Research has failed to identify any striking differences between... Read More
October 7th, 2010 |
When confronted with your three year old’s “I hate you, mom”, it is not easy to step back and consider that, if you respond with curiosity or acceptance, you may be giving your child a significant lesson about how to have a successful relationship. Tolerating a child’s hate and anger without attacking back or expressing hurt, communicates that you can withstand your child’s destructive wishes. It models that if he, too, were on the receiving end of hostility, he would be all right. It normalizes the expression of negativity and helps a child consider that he is not bad for having... Read More
October 5th, 2010 |
Many couples come into marriage counseling or couples counseling with numerous uncertainties, however they all have one common theme: an expectation. An expectation, an unrealistic expectation, a hope that their partner will change and thus the relationship will be satisfying. The partners are consumed with the desire for change, although each of the counterparts, seem to be unaware that in order for the relationship to become modified, the change begins with self.
I often inform couples on their first visit that therapy is about identifying unhealthy patterns within oneself and attempting to... Read More
October 5th, 2010 |
I often say, when explaining eating disorders, that someday I’m going to invent the Eating Disorder Board Game. I certainly don’t meant to make light of eating disorders, for they are serious conditions that cause tremendous pain to those that suffer from them and to those close to the sufferer. It’s just that I’m big on using analogies to explain the significance of eating-disordered beliefs and behaviors.
The Eating Disorder Board Game is one that I use to illustrate one of the salient issues involved in an eating disorder: arrested psychological development. Imagine a board game... Read More
September 27th, 2010 |
A new study from researchers at West Virginia University shows that team sports and athletic activity in general have different impacts on young teens aged 12-14 years. Young teens who had participated in “vigorous activity” reported the same levels of life satisfaction and perceived health as those who were inactive. But the teens who participated in team sports reported drastically higher rates of life satisfaction (five times higher in boys and thirty times higher in girls). Teen depression and substance abuse,... Read More
© Copyright 2010 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Tampa Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
