Frequently Asked Questions About Attachment and Attachment-Based Therapy
An attachment is a close emotional bond between two people. The earliest one, and the one that determines how well you can relate to others later in life, is the emotional bond formed during infancy between you and the parent or primary caregiver. This is the person you were dependent on to meet your most basic needs for comfort, security, and survival. The nature and [...]
Signs of a Toxic Mother Daughter Relationship
How do you and your mom get along? Are you and your daughter enjoying one another? We are deeply relational and social beings, which is why the state of our relationships has such an overwhelming impact on our well-being. Even if other areas of our lives are going well, if our closest relationships are in disarray, it’s likely that we won’t feel happy or [...]
Learning to Trust After Trauma: Spotting People’s Green Flags
Many of us know what it feels like to have been traumatized by a toxic relationship, whether it was romantic, platonic, or professional. It might have been an overly critical partner, a bullying boss, or a manipulative best friend who caused emotional damage, leaving us with low self-esteem and trust issues. Even if it’s hard, moving past this can help. It’s important to move [...]
Getting a Divorce Doesn’t Mean You’re a Failure
Most divorced people refer to their marriages as “failures.” They identify as “a divorcee” as if it is a shameful scarlet letter that they feel obligated to wear. Divorce – the word comes with a lot of baggage and weight. Shame Disappointment Regret Somewhere along the way, society began equating success in marriage solely with longevity, as if lasting forever is the only sign [...]
The Physical Impact of Neglecting Your Boundaries
Some people have no issue maintaining their boundaries. They’re decisive, assertive, and have no problem using “no” as a complete sentence. For many others, however, personal boundaries are a complex issue. If you have struggled to speak your mind, share your point of view, stand up for yourself in conflict, or if you constantly put others’ needs ahead of your own, you have probably [...]
Maintaining Intimacy While Long-Distance Dating
The world keeps changing at such a brisk pace that it can be hard to keep up with. There are new technologies and applications of those technologies that come up quite regularly, and they can change how we work, live, and connect with others. The buzz these days is around artificial intelligence, a technology that carries both promise and danger. Whatever is happening with technology, [...]
Overcoming Social Anxiety that Comes With Being Single
Nothing is more frustrating for a single person than seeing others easily forming relationships or enjoying social circles while you feel stuck, anxious, or out of place. For you, social anxiety about being single makes even the simplest social interactions feel impossible. It’s the easiest thing in the world to fall into the trap of believing something is wrong with you at these times in [...]
8 Ways a Fear of Abandonment Could Show Up in Your Life
Do you worry excessively about losing someone close to you? Have you ever stayed in an unhealthy relationship because you were afraid of being alone? Do you avoid getting too close to people to avoid being hurt, or have trouble feeling emotionally connected to others? If so, read on. This article may be for you. The Need for Connection God created us as relational beings [...]
Good Grief, It’s the Holidays
The Christmas holiday season can be the most joyous and magical time of the year, but for many, it is the most stressful and depressing. If you are dreading the holidays, you’re not alone. Many people find that Christmas is the most stressful time of the year. There is a lot of societal pressure to “enjoy” the holidays. It’s a time for tradition, but if [...]
Understanding the Unique Nature of Trauma
If you’ve lived through trauma, then you know that it can impact every aspect of your life, from your mind, body, and spirit to your relationships and everyday life. Unfortunately, trauma from the past doesn’t stay there. It can follow you and show up in insidious and persistent ways throughout your life. Sometimes it can stem from a single event like a car accident [...]