Charlotte is 11. She has been brought along to counselling by her mother, Fran. According to Fran, Charlotte has always been a “quiet and shy” girl. Fran remarks that she is not surprised by this as she too was a reserved and anxious child. In recent weeks however, Fran has noticed that Charlotte has become increasingly withdrawn. Charlotte becomes particularly upset before school and ... »
Anxiety is most often considered a problem if it occurs when there is no real threat or when the anxiety response is disproportionate to the threat being faced. However, when there is a real situation or stressor to deal with, the anxiety level might actually be appropriate. Appropriate levels of anxiety activate the organism to prepare and act. Therefore, in some situations, extreme levels of act... »
Couples when they get married usually believe that they are on an equal footing and that marriage or their decision to live together gives them the permission to express their feelings and wants with an expectation that they will be respected, to state their views and opinions with an understanding that they will be listened to, and to say “no” openly without feeling guilty. »
Coleman (n.d) suggests ten (10) barriers to the ethical problem solving process. They are: Lack of knowledge of Ethical Standards Financial Incentives Perfectionism Fear of Criticism/Scrutiny by Others High Affiliative Needs Personal and/or Professional Immaturity Counsellor Substance Abuse Lack of Personal Values Clarification Limitations of Codes of Ethics and Conduct Lack of a Decision Making M... »
In a previous article you looked at the various factors that influence your self esteem and determine why some people have high self esteem and others low self esteem. You saw that your nature, nurture, locus of evaluation and self talk all contributed to creating your self image. Knowing why you feel the way you do about yourself may empower you take some steps to change your unfavourable self co... »
Taking up further study can be a very exciting time as we take a step forward in our personal and professional lives. As we challenge ourselves to develop new skills and knowledge, a new framework to work from, and a new field to master, many of us embrace the role of student with both enthusiasm and anticipation. However, it is not uncommon for most students, at some point in their course, to als... »
No matter how much you love each other, how effective your communication and how committed you are to each other, relationships are mercurial and still may experience problems. Sometimes the problem is a one off event that is quickly resolved to the satisfaction of all involved. »
Anxiety disorders are highly treatable with psychological therapies, medication, or both. Combination therapies are often used, for example a combination of anti-anxiety medication and cognitive behavioural therapy has been suggested to be more effective than either one alone; however the most effective treatment will depend on each individual person’s needs and associated genetic and environmenta... »
Over the last fifty years the fabric of our society has been stretched, twisted and patched to the extent that not much remains of the organisational structure that defined the relationships of our parents and grandparents. When it comes to relationships- anything goes! »
There are two major approaches to play therapy that most orientations can be categorised in to. These are either directive approaches where the therapist assumes responsibility for guidance and interpretation of the play interactions or non-directive approaches where the therapist will tend to leave the responsibility and direction of the therapeutic process to the child (Rasmussen & Cunnigham... »
Communication breakdown in relationships has reached epidemic proportions. Couples are very busy. In most cases both partners work; they have children to raise; and family and friends to attend to. They are always in a hurry. In the Rush that has become their life, they find that they haven’t got the time to listen and to respond to each other. Before they know it they have stopped communicating a... »
Every person has distinctive viewpoints that are equally valid (from where they stand) as the other party involved in the conflict. Each person’s viewpoint makes a contribution to the whole and requires consideration and respect in order to form a complete solution. This wider view can open up the communication transaction possibilities. It may require one party to change their mind chatter ... »
Good relationships don’t just happen. Many people have the attitude that, “If I have to work at it, then it can’t be the right relationship.” This is not a true statement, any more than it’s true that you don’t have to work at good physical health through exercise, eating well, and stress reduction. There are choices you can make that will not only improve your ... »
Good relationships don't just happen. Many people have the attitude that, “If I have to work at it, then it can't be the right relationship.” This is not a true statement, any more than it's true that you don't have to work at good physical health through exercise, eating well, and stress reduction. There are choices you can make that will not only improve your relationship, but can turn a failing... »
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