Selfie Syndrome = Are you a Narcissist?

 

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Although social media may be contributing to the “Selfie Syndrome,” it’s really just normalizing and encouraging those of us who already have Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). What makes NPD a disorder, you ask? Well, you need FIVE or MORE of the following symptoms*:

  • Exaggerates own importance
  • Is preoccupied with fantasies of success, power, beauty, intelligence or ideal romance
  • Believes he or she is special and can only be understood by other special people or institutions
  • Requires constant attention and admiration from others
  • Has unreasonable expectations of favorable treatment
  • Takes advantage of others to reach his or her own goals
  • Disregards the feelings of others, lacks empathy
  • Is often envious of others or believes other people are envious of him or her
  • Shows arrogant behaviors and attitudes

So if you or someone you know shows 5 or more symptoms above, and it gets in the way of relationships, work, home and/or school, then seek out mental health treatment. With the help of a licensed counselor, like a LMFT, you can talk about your thoughts, feelings and behaviors in a safe, nonjudgmental and confidential space.

If what you’re doing isn’t working anymore, talk it out with me. Relationships are complicated, so why let them complicate your life?

If you’d like to start online therapy with me, please call me for a free 15 minute assessment session.

 *For more info on NPD, visit https://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/narcissistic-personality-disorder

Wedding: a Trigger in Relationship Anxiety or Commitment Phobia?

 

 

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Ever notice how a life celebration (ie. wedding) can cause a lot of negativity, depression or anxiety in people? This is supposed to be the happiest day in two peoples’ lives, so how come there’s all this stress, anger and hostility?

There’s nothing like the anticipation of this big event to get people coming together to engage, like the wedding weekend. If you’re excited about this event because it’s important to you or if you are anticipating the worst scenario during this event, then you’re probably stressed or experiencing a trigger in relationship anxiety or commitment phobia*.

If you don’t like these thoughts, feelings or attitude, you have the capacity to change them. With the help of a licensed counselor, like a LMFT, you can talk about the anticipated fears, stress, relationship insecurities, etc. in a safe, nonjudgmental and confidential space.

If what you’re doing isn’t working anymore, talk it out with me. Relationships are complicated, so why let them complicate your life?

If you’d like to start online therapy with me, please call me for a free 15 minute assessment session.

*For more on Relationship Anxiety & Commitment Phobia https://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2015/01/08/what-is-commitment-phobia-relationship-anxiety/

 

How Has Your Family Impacted Your Identity?

Your Family Your Self shows you how each person in your family, including yourself plays specific almost predetermined roles. Understanding the factors that lead to both obvious, and hidden motivations and behaviors in your family can help to improve your relationship with your loved ones as well as discover how those relationships impact how you behave in the outside world.

Online Therapy: What do we know??

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The national association of MFTs posted some conclusions about online therapy:

  1. Many therapists are conducting therapy online
  2. Online therapy works for “specific individual problems, including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic, and more..”
  3. Clients like telehealth
  4. Online therapy improves access to therpy
  5. Therapy done online can be done legally & ethically
  6. Online therapy still has a lot to teach us

For more the full article, visit: http://blog.aamft.org/2017/04/what-we-know-about-online-therapy.html

3-Steps for Calm, Effective, and Happy Parenting

1-2-3 Magic: 3-Step Discipline for Calm, Effective, and Happy Parenting shows how setting effective discipline for young children requires a plan – and requires some self-discipline on the part of the parents. This book spells out at a strategy for handling unwanted behavior. Plus just having an approach/plan of action can be calming for parents as well. If you’re at the end of your wits, this is the place to start.

Life Changes & How to Deal With Them

The Way of Transition guides you through life’s major changes. Whether its the loss of a job, a death in the family or more positive changes like a new child, if you’re attempting to deal with big transitions in your life you’re are likely to find this book comforting and helpful. Plus you’ll learn how life transitions can actual deepen your relationship with yourself and your personal story.

Need Extra Info on Couples Counseling?

Cognitive Therapy With Couples is really a resource for mental health professionals. But for people who really like to “look under the hood,” this book is filled with examples of how to repair relationships. Often times people approach marriage counseling with a set of beliefs that hamper the process, understand what you can get out of counseling and ways to work on your own relationships can be invaluable.

Is Love Ever Enough?

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, so ask yourself (and your Valentine)…Is Love Ever Enough to Make a Relationship Work??

Love Is Never Enough: How Couples Can Overcome Misunderstandings, Resolve Conflicts, and Solve Relationship Problems Through Cognitive Therapy addresses the communication breakdowns that often occur in relationships. This book gives you to the tools to build a solid foundation of trust, loyalty, respect and security and then  strengthen the partnership by developing a sense of cooperation, consideration and compromise

Stress or Chronic Stress?

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Are things in your life getting out of control? Daily hassles, work, commitments, money, family, friends, partner, sleep problems, appetite changes, low energy, life events… it all adds up, leaving you exhausted, sick and more stressed.

Everyone gets stressed from time to time, but if you’re experiencing high stress regularly over time, it may start affecting your physical health. Chronic Stress takes a toll on your body and brain which influences your thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

If you’re tired of being tired or you’re looking to manage the stress in your life, contact me for a free consultation. Let’s see if Health Coaching is for you!

Oakland Warehouse Fire & the Aftermath

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When something horrific happens, people “go into shock.” When I say shock, I mean psychological shock or

Acute stress reaction (also called acute stress disorder, psychological shock, mental shock, or simply shock) is a psychological condition arising in response to a terrifying or traumatic event, or witnessing a traumatic event that arises a strong emotional response within the individual.”

I believe this reaction is your brain trying to make sense of what/where/who/when/why just happened. It takes about 3 days for it to run its course. It takes 3 days before we can “make sense” of it.

When something traumatic occurs, to us, loved ones, even strangers, we try to question it, understand it and figure it out. The truth is, when terrifying things happen, there isn’t always an answer to why it happened. And for us psychologically, that’s problematic.

For ALL those who have been affected by the Oakland Warehouse Fire & the Aftermath, my heart goes out to you.

Please take care of yourself: your physical, mental and emotional needs.

And if you or a loved one needs additional help, please seek out professional help, including trauma and/or grief counseling.