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May 13th, 2023 by Janet Chen
Self-defeating behavior. Erin struggled with feelings of low self-esteem and self-critical thoughts. She believed other women were better looking and thought she was unattractive. One reason for this pattern was that Erin thought if she used self-depricating thoughts, if or when others said negative things to her, she would […]
April 6th, 2023 by Janet Chen
Human beings naturally seek to make sense of situations and make meaning (M&M) in order to navigate life in a meaningful way. Take for example a situation where the VP of Sales has several direct reports. One of the salespeople is chronically late to work. Over several […]
March 29th, 2023 by Janet Chen
Three “personality states”: the Id, Ego and Superego: Which is best? One model of personality structure includes the Id, Ego and Superego. Sigmund Freud developed this theory to describe personality functioning. “The Id is best”, yells the WWE wrestler. “The Superego rules” says Spock as he is calmly […]
February 15th, 2023 by Janet Chen
Human Error + System Failure = Financial Catastrophe Alexander Pope wrote this famous line in his 1711 essay “To err is human, to forgive divine”. There are several ways one can interpret this insightful line . . . here is one perspective: . . . People are potentially one […]
January 9th, 2023 by Janet Chen
In a recent Psychology Today article, “How to Connect with Your Values”, by Steven Hayes, Ph.D. one is encouraged to connect with their values. Dr. Hayes suggests that distinguishing between values and goals can give one increased direction, meaning and motivation. Hayes defines goals as finite […]
December 11th, 2022 by Janet Chen
Many people struggle with missing family or friends during the holidays. A few years ago, my mother passed away around the holidays. The first year she was gone was very difficult. It somehow seemed wrong to celebrate and be happy without her there. In the article, […]
November 23rd, 2022 by Janet Chen
The article “The Importance of Gratitude on Your Well-Being,” by Institute of Youth (Oct 2021) says that society has lost touch of the meaning of gratitude. As children we are taught to say thank you for gifts, whether we like the gift or not. We are […]
October 8th, 2022 by Janet Chen
In the 1950’s Ainsworth and Bowlby developed a model that is known today as “attachment theory”. They said individuals developed an attachment style in infancy and childhood in response to their relationship with a primary caregiver. Adult attachment styles reflect and exhibit these same patterns in […]
September 17th, 2022 by Janet Chen
In the article, Relapse on the Road to Recovery: Learning the Lessons of Failure on the Way to Successful Behavior Change, DiClemente & Crisafulli deconstruct factors that contributed to a relapse during recovery. They believe clients and mental health programs could benefit from lessons from other industries’ […]
August 6th, 2022 by Janet Chen
Recently a client asked me, what was the most important factor to help them realize behavior change? My response was persistence and direction. In the 2022 article, Relapse on the Road to Recovery: Learning the Lessons of Failure on the Way to Successful Behavior Change, DiClemente […]