SelfWork: You Get the Gist… Kudos to Athletes Challenging Stigma
Today I’m starting some segments that will feature what’s going on in the news about mental health. I’ll touch on my thoughts and responses – So you’ll get the gist. Less than five minutes and hopefully packed with information. Today’s You Get the Gist is about the recent athletes who’ve...
Five Reasons We Talk “At” Each Other And How To Listen
When couples walk in my door, saying, “We can’t communicate,” one of the things I immediately wonder is whether anyone is truly listening. With so many of us remaining in various degrees of social distancing, we’re spending more time with those with whom we live than we...
198 SelfWork: Debunking the Myths About Suicide
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and I want to be a part of debunking what are commonly believed myths concerning suicide. I also want to make sure you’re safe. If you become triggered, here’s the link to all the suicide services that are known in every country that...
Five Strategies to Deal With Empty Nest
As a therapist, I try to focus not just on concepts, but on tangibles to help people make concrete changes in their lives, no matter what issues they are facing.
This goes for facing an empty nest as well. There are very specific things you can do to help yourself get on with life after empty nest.
197 SelfWork: Explaining Radical Acceptance
Radical acceptance is a termed that describes a way of being – acknowledging the reality of what is happening rather than fighting it emotionally and thus, causing yourself, and perhaps even others, more suffering. I very much like a Carl Rogers quote that Tara Brach, author of the 2003...
Five Commitments To Yourself If You Love (Or Have Loved) A Narcissist
Narcissism. That word gets thrown around a good deal these days to describe someone who’s self-absorbed, highly confident, or abrasive. But what is a true narcissist? And what are the troublesome dynamics if you love a narcissist? (The pronoun “he” is used due to the fact that the...
196 SelfWork: Turning Being Pissed Into Something Productive Using DBT
Today we’ll be focusing on anger in relationships. I’ve seen anger completely mismanaged and it can sabotage what started out as a relationship with much potential. We’ll discuss some basic characteristics of anger that are vital to know, as well as a specific dialectical behavioral...
When Your Marriage Has Turned Into A Business: Seven Healing Ideas
There are thousands of couples whose marriage has turned into a business. Don’t get me wrong; all couples are running a business. There’s the business of household chores, of coordinating kids’ schedules or work trips out of town, of paying bills, or of taking care of aging...
195 SelfWork: The Suck It Up Episode: Why You Struggle to Feel
Today’s topic was weirdly and almost synergistically created. As I was researching emotional expression, two quite different sources led me to the work of Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett. I’ll share her and Dr. Tim Lomas’ work with you today, as we discover an entirely new way of...
194 SelfWork: How To Make Change Stick
I had a patient say to me the other day, not in a complaining way, but sort of in a “can’t believe it” kind of way – “I’ve been in therapy with you now for a year. I thought I’d be here for maybe a couple of months.” I want to share a bit of his story as well as others who’ve used therapy not to...
Dr. Margaret’s Book Now Available!
I'm thrilled to announce my new podcast has earned over three quarter of a million downloads! Join thousands of subscribers and tune into SelfWork. It's available here on the website under the tag "SelfWork" and for subscription on iTunes. We talk about similar things as here, but go even further in-depth. Hope you'll join those who listen weekly!
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