10 Strategies People Who Are Easy To Live With Embrace

10 Strategies People Who Are Easy To Live With Embrace

Being easy to live with opens up so many opportunities in your life. It makes you happier, the people around you happier, opens up possibilities for job opportunities and relationships. There are so many other benefits as well. Let’s take a look at the qualities...
Are There “Nice Narcissists?”

Are There “Nice Narcissists?”

What’s a Narcissist? Does a nice narcissist exist? If you’ve read enough of my articles or listened to my podcast, you know that I am a stickler for definitions. Narcissism has become a generic term for any type of abusive relationship, so let me start...
Escape the Loneliness Epidemic with Platonic Intimacy

Escape the Loneliness Epidemic with Platonic Intimacy

The Surgeon General’s Advisory on Loneliness is an eye opening look at the impact of social isolation. Loneliness impacts physical health, mental health, economic productivity, and happiness. Since over 50% of American reported feeling lonely before the...
7 Tips for Coping When You’re Overwhelmed

7 Tips for Coping When You’re Overwhelmed

There’s “coping” and then there is “overwhelm.” Coping skills may not work for crisis situations. You may need something with a little more power. For those situations, here are 7 tips for coping when you’re overwhelmed. You...
Becoming the Hero of Your Own Life

Becoming the Hero of Your Own Life

Every one of us is called upon to become the hero of our own life. Joseph Campbell, an American writer and professor, distilled the typical outline of how this plays out in story and in real life. We call that path “The Hero’s Journey.” It’s a...
Healing the Shame of Abuse

Healing the Shame of Abuse

When it comes to healing the shame of abuse, the biggest hurdle is breaking through the idea that the abuse is somehow our fault. The experiencer seems to feel that they should have, and could have, prevented it. If they hadn’t done this, or had done that, it...
Mental Illness Isn’t a Personal Issue. It’s a Social One.

Mental Illness Isn’t a Personal Issue. It’s a Social One.

It’s funny. When someone becomes anxious or depressed, we want them to go to a counselor to sort themselves out. It’s their problem. Only mental illness isn’t a personal issue. It’s a social one. In some cases, this means that the person who is...
Beware of Narcissistic Pre-Stalking

Beware of Narcissistic Pre-Stalking

If you are, or have been, in a relationship with a narcissist, you may have experienced stalking after the breakup. Lots of people know about this. But did you know that there is also narcissistic pre-stalking? Yep. What’s Narcissistic Pre-Stalking? It’s...
What To Do When Counseling Doesn’t Help

What To Do When Counseling Doesn’t Help

Are you a long time counseling client who hasn’t really changed your life a whole lot? Maybe you still go because you don’t know what else to do. In this article, I’ll review some ideas about what to do when counseling doesn’t help. See a...
FAQ: Richmond Area Referrals

FAQ: Richmond Area Referrals

People often ask me for Richmond area referrals. Here is a list of helping professionals you can try. If someone is not on the list, it doesn’t mean that I don’t recommend them. It could be that I am unfamiliar with them and their work. Keep in mind that...