Inside (37 articles)
Fear can keep us safe; but fear can also keep us too safe. Too little fear may cause too much loss. So what's the difference? How can we tell if we have too much fear or too little?
Try a few of these 5 quick and easy exercises to help you identify what matters most in life so you can maximize the time and energy you spend on what's truly important (some of your results may surprise you.)
Strong differences in political, ethical, world-view and religious opinions can lead to workplace conflict. What can you do when opinion conflicts cause you problems at work?
Reconsidering forgiveness. Do you have to forgive to move beyond the past? Forgiveness can liberate, but many people find healing and happiness without it - and in some cases, harboring a little past anger may be protective.
Find the right therapist! Here are 23 interview questions to ask to get to know a potential therapist.
While "addictive personality" is not an actual diagnosis it does seem that many people who do not abuse substances still show aspects of addictive behavior.
What do you do when you just can't seem to feel as thankful as you'd like to? Well, firstly, don't be too hard on yourself (thinking changes aren't easy) and secondly, try a few easy gratitude-boosting attitude changes.
Are there any advantages to finding a therapist from your own cultural or sub-cultural group? If your therapist isn't 'like' you (for example, in recovery) how can you be sure he or she understands and can help you? Here's advice on finding a good therapist, whether from your shared group or beyond.
Everybody talks about achieving "work/life balance" as if it were an attainable goal (usually, it's not). But if we understand the trade-offs we make - and prioritize our wants and the needs, we can stop blaming ourselves and actually find our own satisfaction and happiness.
Believing in something greater than yourself can bring meaning to your life and help you feel connected to the world around you. Learn how to open yourself up to your spiritual side and find what you believe in.
High school and college provide instant social populations and ample dating opportunities most of the time. But what about after college? If a college graduate has only his new job, while his peer group has also moved on, where does he look for friendship, for dating and romance?
Along with the grief of job loss, and the stress of starting a new career, later-in-life transitions can carry more potential complications than for those just starting out. Home, family and community responsibilities coupled with the new logistics and emotions of a new job can add up to a lot of stress.
Both physical and mental health problems can cause symptoms like: feeling tired, not wanting to get out of bed, not enough energy to go do “fun” things, sadness, feeling “hyped-up,” unable to calm down, worrying about everything all at once, too much energy to settle down, not being able to sleep, constant arguing, constant fussing, constant irritability...
How a person chooses to deal with fear determines a great deal of what's possible in their lives. Make a choice to stop running from fear!
Aren't I "weak" if I use medications? Does using medications mean I am crazy? What if I don't think I'm doing that badly? The appropriate use of psychotropic medications, with counseling, and under proper physician supervision can be a potentially useful way to get mentally healthier!
Bipolar or schizophrenia...is a pastoral counselor really a valid option? Yes! Pastoral counselors are trained mental health professionals that ALSO have training in interjecting spirituality into the therapeutic process.
Is a mid-life crisis cliche? When is a mid-life crisis normal? Can counseling help? Here are a few thoughts about what a mid-life crisis means and when to seek help.
When might a couple benefit from couples counseling? Anytime! But if that's too vague, here are some indicators that a couple might use to gauge their potential need for couples counseling.
Learn more about what maintains your bad habits, how to prepare for change and how to cope with changes to your life-routines.
ChooseHelp experts answered more than 700 addiction and mental health questions in 2012. After much struggle and deliberation we've picked the very best 20 or so from this impressive collection of knowledge and compassion.
You don’t get addiction treatment to create a life without drugs or alcohol - you get it to create a BETTER life without drugs or alcohol. Finding moderation and balance in life helps to protect you from relapse and ultimately, to be happier and more fulfilled. Take this quick self test to find out what areas you need to work on.
How can you get better when you can’t say or don’t know what’s wrong? Well, with art therapy, you release subconscious thoughts and emotions into artistic creations that tell a trained therapist what’s really going on…and once you know the problem, you can get to work on the solution.
Do you ever feel angry when people don’t act as they should? Do you ever get hung up worrying about the worst case scenario? Do you forget to value your positive qualities as you obsess over your less favorable attributes? If you answered yes to any of the above, then cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) might be just what you need.
Can a therapy rooted in existential philosophy really help you to overcome feelings of anxiety, depression or even substance abuse? Can eyeballing your mortality and the meaninglessness of human existence really lead to peace and well being!? Read on to learn more about existential therapy and find out if the self examined and deliberate life is the life you’ve been looking for.
Even if you’re tone deaf and rhythm challenged, music therapy may be what you’re looking for. Music therapy uses music as a language of communication and expression, as something to get your muscles moving or as a tonic to deep stress or anxiety, or even physical pain – and it’s been found helpful by those with conditions as diverse as substance abuse, Alzheimer’s, developmental delays and many others. Learn more about how music therapy heals and find out if it might be just what you’re looking for.
Although infidelity can end a marriage, it doesn’t have to. Read what the experts recommend you do after learning of an affair and, if you decide to reconcile, learn what steps you can take to rebuild your marriage after such a betrayal of trust.
Feeling ‘stuck’ in life or dissatisfied at work or with personal relationships? Wanting to make a change but not sure about how to change – or even what to strive for? Find out more about life coaching and learn if a life helper might be what you need to get yourself moving in the right direction again. Learn also about the limitations of coaching and get tips on how to find an effective coach.
For many of us, separating faith from a search for answers to the problems of life makes little sense at all. Pastoral counselors are mental health professionals that heal with conventional therapies, but also through an understanding of spiritual needs and wants.
Although most people only consider getting marriage or couples counseling in the face of very difficult relationship problems (which is a good time to consider couples counseling!) couples counselors can also help people even in satisfying relationships get more enjoyment out of their union.
5 things to think about when trying to find an effective counselor - and a to-do list for selecting someone that’s really going to be able to help!
A brief explanation of the differences between psychotherapy and psychoanalysis.
Could counseling help you live a happier life? Counseling and psychotherapy are not only for those experiencing mental illness, they are appropriate for people experiencing a variety of normal challenges who want to live more fulfilling lives. Here are 20 common reasons why people might see a counselor to get some assistance.
An overview of the different types of professionals that commonly offer therapy and counseling services.
Your family, friends and employer may all be screaming at you to change your ways – but until you develop a motivation for change that comes from within – lasting recovery is pretty unlikely. Motivational Interviewing is a proven effective form of counseling that helps you to overcome feelings of ambivalence and decide on and commit to a course of action.
None of us goes through life in isolation – and the problems we face in life are rarely as unique as we believe them to be! Group therapy is a very effective form of counseling that harnesses the power and authority of a group of people facing similar challenges for support and learning and toward behavior change.
Grief is a normal and healthy process during which we work through the emotional pain of loss. Between 10% and 20% of those in bereavement, however, will get ‘stuck’ in this process – never making any real progress towards healing, suffering a condition known as complicated grief. People enduring complicated can benefit greatly from grief counseling.