What to do about your people-pleasing tendencies when family members take advantage of you by Taylor Bennett | Sep 1, 2022 | Family, Feelings & Emotions, Mental Health Topics, Personality My brother shakes his head and sighs, “You’re too nice. It’s going to get you into trouble one day.” I’ve heard this one too many times. I know that I’m a people pleaser, but I’ve always struggled to see the flaw in that… until recently. After exhausting myself, taking on task…
How do I find relief from relatives that want to argue about politics? by Jason Crosby | Aug 29, 2022 | Communication, Family, Mental Health Topics Q: This is probably more common than I realize, but some of my family members have different political views from me. The fact that we disagree isn’t so much of an issue for me, but if at any point I share my beliefs and viewpoints, it feels like I’m instantly…
Father’s Day: Understanding the chemical and psychological connection between father and child by Jason Crosby | Jun 17, 2022 | Family, Mental Health Topics, Parenting Father’s Day is all about Dad—showing him just how special he is and how much of an impact he’s made on your life. Whether you connect with him by reminiscing about old family memories or taking the day to create new ones, Father’s Day is the perfect time to reflect…
Is it okay to cut off family members with toxic traits? by Jason Crosby | May 27, 2022 | Family, Mental Health Topics Q: I love my sister, but sometimes we get into the worst arguments over her behavior. It’s not that I try to get into these debates, but she always seems so ungrateful anytime I do something nice for her, and when I point this out, she denies it. Whether it’s…
Parenting styles: A guide to patterns in raising children by Wistar Murray | May 20, 2022 | Family, Mental Health Topics, Parenting Every year there seems to be a new parenting style trending in popular culture: helicopter parenting, tiger parenting, lighthouse parenting. People write about free-range parenting, gentle parenting, and slow parenting as if children are food items that need to be carefully cultivated through a certain recipe. Child psychologists and mommy/daddy…
How to cope with having nosy parents: Suggestions for frictionless family communication by Jason Crosby | May 18, 2022 | Communication, Family, Mental Health Topics Any family can tell you: There’s no such thing as a perfect relationship. Friction between relatives is unavoidable—but having nosy parents takes it to another level. Having your feelings of independence and freedom cut down by invasive questioning and over-the-top pushiness can get on your nerves. But it’s not as…
Divorce: A handbook for couples and exes by Wistar Murray | May 16, 2022 | Family, Mental Health Topics, Relationships The choice between getting divorced or staying together may be one of the hardest decisions you ever have to make. It’s a critical crossroads where you may see your life heading in two different directions. What kind of future do you want? How do you make an informed decision about…
Mother’s Day: Understanding the deep connection between mother and child by Jason Crosby | May 6, 2022 | Family, Mental Health Topics, Parenting Mother’s Day is one of those special holidays that for so many of us, reminds us of the unparalleled closeness that can define a parent-child relationship. The bond between a mother and child is often life-long; forged by familial ties and tempered with years of both arguments and heart-to-hearts, and…
Moving with kids: Tips on how to relocate your family successfully by Guest | Feb 7, 2022 | Family, Life Transition, Mental Health Topics Moving to a new city can serve as a positive change in your life, which might explain why so many do make that move: as up to 63% of Americans have moved to a new place at least once, compared to the 37% who’ve never left their hometowns. That said,…
What family constellation therapy can reveal about intergenerational trauma (and Abuela in “Encanto”) by Wistar Murray | Jan 28, 2022 | Beginning Therapy, Family, Mental Health Topics, Trauma Family constellation therapy (FCT) is a way of helping individuals heal from family trauma and suffering that’s been passed down unconsciously through generations of their bloodline. Constellation work explores these intergenerational dynamics through body, mind, and spirit. The therapeutic approach is rooted in psychoanalytic thought as well as family systems…
A new study finds that levels of oxytocin, “the love hormone,” are significantly lower in adults who were children when their parents divorced by Taylor Bennett | Sep 10, 2020 | Family, Mental Health Topics, Research Quick Summary A new study from Baylor University “Parental divorce in childhood is related to lower urinary oxytocin concentrations in adulthood” finds that oxytocin levels are significantly lower in adults whose parents divorced when they were children. Researchers say that this might help to explain the difficulty that many children…
What is American Family Day? How to spend quality time with your family after months of being stuck together by Madison Bambini | Jul 29, 2020 | Family, Mental Health Topics Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, families looked forward to stepping away from work and other responsibilities to spend quality time with one another. Maybe they would go to the movies, take a trip to an amusement park, or go out to dinner and get ice cream on the way home….