So many people don’t want to think — especially about personal concerns. Denial is the opposite of thinking. To most people, not thinking feels easy. But it’s not easy. Life is going on around you, whether you think about life … Continue reading
“Stop barging into my office and infecting me with your anxiety.” (Peggy Olson from the television series, Mad Men) This is a great quote. It illustrates how you can send both anxious people — and sometimes anxiety itself — on … Continue reading
It’s not what you think that causes psychological distress so much as HOW you think. Ideally, as a child in school, you would have learned the laws of logic and reason. You would have learned them so well that you’d … Continue reading
1. A therapist can give a person a reason for living. 2. Merely talking — regardless of what the talk is about, or the ideas underlying it — is enough to improve or solve problems. 3. A therapist is just … Continue reading
Most people don’t understand the nature of self-responsibility, which is why they run from it, or fear it. They think it’s something like the phrase, “suck it up.” Actually, self-responsibility is a powerful and sensitive place. It requires the active … Continue reading
Emotional problems develop because of conflict or chaos in one’s mind. What causes the conflict or chaos? Usually, contradictions. The contradiction can be between what you think or know versus what you do. Or, the contradiction might be between two … Continue reading
A person can always change. Sometimes, it seems he cannot change, but he still can. “He can’t help himself.” Sometimes this is true, in a sense. It’s true in the sense that his irrational, self-defeating or mistaken thinking will not … Continue reading
I have a problem with the notion of, “It isn’t fair!” What exactly is “it”? Only individual people can be fair or unfair. You can say that Joe is unfair, or Suzie is unfair — but when you say “it” … Continue reading
Nearly everyone says the key to working at home is dealing with the distractions. This can best be accomplished by having your own office/workspace, where everyone in the household understands while you’re at work, you’re at work. No interruptions, please, … Continue reading
What’s the difference between fear and phobia? Fear is rational when you’re trying to uphold something valid, such as cleanliness or being organized. Fear is irrational when you’re primarily concerned with avoiding problems rather than upholding something positive. For example, … Continue reading
Bitterness is an emotional state of resentment combined with anger. It’s usually chronic, in nature. A bitter person feels entitled to something he or she didn’t get — whether it’s a specific courtesy or something as unspecified as happiness. Bitterness … Continue reading
Some people don’t like to be treated well. Why is this? There can be many reasons, depending on the exact psychology of the person who craves mistreatment. One reason is low self-worth, obviously. The form this takes is: “I’m not … Continue reading