This is one of the main dynamics that brings couples into therapy. It is the Anxious-Avoidant Cycle. So, what exactly is the Anxious-Avoidant Cycle, how does it work, and how do we perpetuate it? We also tackle the big question: …
Gabor Maté Quote
This resonates deeply with Richard Schwatz’s work, in that Internal Family Systems (IFS) finds there are NO BAD PARTS.Gabor Mate nailed it here. The part that reaches for the alcohol or the drugs hopes to find something. Often, it is …
9 Signs You Grew Up Chronically Lonely
Ongoing loneliness as a child impacts us in many different ways as adults. How has this impacted you? Let me know in the comments.
I’m Trying To Make Them Understand
Have you ever found yourself repeating yourself and trying to say the same thing in a hundred different ways to be understood? I know I have.
5 Tips for the 5 Stages of a Relationship
One common myth about great relationships is that there are no arguments or disagreements. The Gottman’s, fantastic relationship experts who have done lots of research in this area, disagree. It is NORMAL to have conflict in a relationship; the issue …
Couples and Isolation
There has never been so much pressure placed on the couple. We are supposed to be one another’s confidant, best friend, lover, the person we share all our chores with, work out our finances with, and share child rearing with. …
What to Expect in Your First IFS Therapy Session
I explore what might happen in this episode in your first IFS therapy session. Although this will differ with every therapist, my aim here is to give you an overview of what might happen because sometimes we have scared parts …
D Schwartz Quote
This is how you can make a relationship conscious. When you use the pain, you trigger one another as a guide inward. Rather than blame each other, you meet your pain with curiosity. You turn inward and get curious about …
How To Spot Attracting Unavailable Men
Being in a cycle of attracting avoidant or unavailable people is painful. Over time, it affects your self-esteem and can make you feel like you are going crazy. In this episode, Jen gives you three steps on how to break …
Brené Brown On Pathology
Let’s take OCD as an example. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is in the DSM-5. The DSM-5 is The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illnesses, the latest edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s professional reference book on mental health. Let’s take …