And, yours matters too A young woman posted before and after photos of herself taken a few months apart. In the first image, she looked worried. Stressed. Her expression was tense. You could see the tight lines around her mouth and eyes. She definitely had no peace of mind. In the second photo, she looked at […]
Category: Mental Health
How to Habit Loop Your Anxiety and Set Yourself Free
Set yourself free through the use of these habit loop steps By Kaye Smith, Ph.D. So, what was the first thing you did this morning? Did you look at your phone, grab your glasses, go to the bathroom? Whatever you did, odds on, you do the same thing in the same way, and in the […]
Why I Hid My Neurodivergence From Myself: Could You be Too?
I’d been blending in so well that I didn’t realize I was unique More than three months ago, I learned of my neurodivergence. Autism, to be exact. Me, a 58-year-old woman who earned a Ph.D. and ran a successful counseling practice. At first, I could barely get my head around this revelation. To say I was […]
The 8 Stage Progression of Deadly Domestic Violence
This is the homicide timeline domestic abusers typically follow before killing their partner By Michelle Jaqua This is another guest blog which contains information and discussion on domestic abuse and violence, including homicide. This information was gleaned from research by Jane Monckton-Smith at the University of Glouchester. Intimate partner femicide (IPF) is typically seen as […]
Sexual Addiction is Not a Couple’s Problem
Helping You Thrive! Blaming the partner puts the burden of responsibility on the wrong person Since first writing about my marriage to a sex addict, I’ve heard from many people. Is sex addiction a gender problem? Many of the commenters shared personal stories, but some had issues with the premise of sex addiction. A few people — all men, […]
What Evil People Have Taught Me
Helping the vulnerable not just survive, but thrive Most cannot be saved. I had a conversation with someone this week that reminded me of M. Scott Peck, M.D., and his book, People of the Lie. I read the book years ago and did not understand what he was talking about in regards to evil people until […]
How to Survive Living With a Sociopath
Helping the vulnerable not just survive, but thrive I did it by following these six essential rules. Each type of family constellation creates a unique culture with expectations and unspoken rules. Narcissistic parents, for example, often set up a competitive environment and pitch siblings against one another. To these parents, maintaining the family’s good image […]
My Shocking Discovery at 58 Years Old That I Have Autism
A common undiagnosed or misdiagnosed condition for many women Almost two weeks ago, someone challenged a fundamental assumption I’d held about myself. This revelation has upended my world. Suddenly I feel wobbly, tentative, and not quite sure who I am. I’m undergoing a massive shift in self-understanding. As a licensed psychologist with over twenty years […]
On Being an Echoist–the Opposite of a Narcissist
We avoid all forms of attention, even at the expense of our health Do you know what the opposite of a narcissist is? It’s not the empaths as some think. It’s the echoist. I know because I am one. I walked into my surgeon’s office today. Four days ago, I underwent a lower facelift to deal […]
I Was Victim-Blamed After Being Sexually Exploited Online
And what does it say about our culture that the attack occurred right along gender lines? (Trigger alert: explicit description of sexual exploitation) A notification alert popped up on my phone. Opening the notice, I saw that someone had left a comment on one of my recent articles. He shared that he related to the topic. […]