Healthy relationships shouldn’t take much work. And if they do, it’s time to go our separate ways. We must be compatible. If we need therapy, our relationship is already doomed. My partner is supposed to know what I want, and what I need. Healthy couples never argue, because fighting ruins
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Shared by Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S., Contributing Blogger April 3, 2019
You know your friend is struggling with depression or anxiety or some other mental health issue, but you don’t know what to say. You feel like anything you think about saying just sounds stupid and patronizing. You also aren’t sure what to do. After all, you don’t want to intrude.
Read More Shared by Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S., Contributing Blogger March 31, 2019
You see a Facebook post with a picture that immediately gives you pause and—as cliché as it sounds—your stomach plummets. It’s your close friends at a party, and you’re not there, because you weren’t invited. Or maybe you get to work, and everyone is talking about the cool event they
Read More Shared by Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S., Contributing Blogger March 26, 2019
How often do you find yourself wondering if you may have simply misunderstood the context or meaning of a text message? Most people are pretty adept at transmitting factual information – names, dates, numbers – to one another. But how about your feelings, wishes, understanding, concerns and decisions? That’s when
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Shared by Aaron Karmin, LCPC, Contributing Blogger March 21, 2019
When you’re a people pleaser, setting boundaries can feel painful. We worry we’ll hurt someone’s feelings. We fear we’ll fracture the relationship. We think saying no is rude or cruel or not compassionate—and we see ourselves as the opposite of these things. And we simply don’t have much practice with
Read More Shared by Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S., Contributing Blogger March 20, 2019
Jose and Tina were at it again. She saw Jose looking at his phone and turning his back to her. Tina thought the worst, “He is texting other women, he is planning to leave me.” As soon as he put his phone back on the charger and walked away, Tina
Read More Shared by Aaron Karmin, LCPC, Contributing Blogger March 19, 2019
Healthy human bodies produce all sorts of physical symptoms that might be uncomfortable, unexpected, and unwanted. With health anxiety there is a misinterpretation of discomfort and normal bodily sensations as dangerous. This typically leads to excessive checking behaviors that are uncontrollable, physically draining, and significantly impacts our quality of life.
Read More Shared by Aaron Karmin, LCPC, Contributing Blogger March 19, 2019
When you take someone’s anger-provoking behavior personally, you feel offended and disrespected. Your reaction to your uncomfortable feelings is either to defend yourself or to submit passively to what the other person seems to think of you. Either way, you view the other person’s behavior as a literal, serious, personal
Read More Shared by Aaron Karmin, LCPC, Contributing Blogger March 19, 2019
To sustain an intimate relationship, we must be able to communicate with one another. Our communication needs to go beyond the events of the day to truthful, heartfelt conversation that explores feelings and issues within and affecting the relationship. Much of what passes for communication in daily life is far
Read More Shared by Aaron Karmin, LCPC, Contributing Blogger March 19, 2019
Anger is an instinctual emotional response from a real or imagined threat. Anger is painful and we need to get relief. We almost always feel something else first before we get angry: afraid, hopeless, hurt, disrespected, disappointed, or guilty. We use anger to protect/cover up these other vulnerable feelings. We
Read More Shared by Aaron Karmin, LCPC, Contributing Blogger March 19, 2019