Triple5Light Therapy

#holidaystress #family #copingmechanism #conflict #Psychology #Triple5LightTherapy #Couplestherapy #BlackMaleTherapist  No matter how far away from home we travel, most of us can’t escape our familial history — and the memories that come with it. Along with shopping, gift-wrapping, and cookie baking, I’m prepping for the holidays by accepting that family stress may get the best of me. While I haven’t lived at home for over 20 years, conflict around heated topics like politics can make me feel like a misunderstood teen again. Listening calmly and objectively to my parents becomes harder and harder, and I interrupt more. Once, I even rolled my eyes at my mom like a pouty adolescent. My behavior, however, isn’t meant to be disrespectful or cruel, even though it might look that way. It’s actually a normal coping mechanism known as regression. As a psychologist, I’ve heard hundreds of family tales similar to mine. For many of us, reuniting with loved ones during t...

#Relationship #HealthyRelationship #UnhealthyRelationsip #LettingGo #Attachment #conflict Have you ever looked back at a previous relationship and wondered, “What was I thinking?” It may feel surprising to look back and realize how unhealthy a relationship was and wonder how you endured it for as long as you did. That’s why hindsight is 20/20. Perhaps you haven’t been in an unhealthy relationship yourself, but you’ve wondered why a friend or family member stays in a relationship that is clearly making them unhappy. Similar to a smudged windshield, it can be tough to see what’s right in front of you until the gunk is wiped away. Often, it’s not a lack of awareness that keeps people stuck in unhealthy relationships; deep down inside there is a voice calling for their attention urging them to face the truth but it’s being buried due to underlying fears. If you’re having difficulty letting go of an unhealthy relationship, consider whether any of the following reasons are playing a role: 1....

#holidaystress #family #copingmechanism #conflict #Psychology No matter how far away from home we travel, most of us can’t escape our familial history — and the memories that come with it. Along with shopping, gift-wrapping and cookie baking, I’m prepping for the holidays by accepting that family stress may get the best of me. While I haven’t lived at home for over 20 years, conflict around heated topics like politics can make me feel like a misunderstood teen again. Listening calmly and objectively to my parents becomes harder and harder and I interrupt more. Once, I even rolled my eyes at my mom like a pouty adolescent. My behavior, however, isn’t meant to be disrespectful or cruel, even though it might look that way. It’s actually a normal coping mechanism known as regression. As a psychologist, I’ve heard hundreds of family tales similar to mine. For many of us, reuniting with loved ones during the holidays can feel like psychological time travel. There’s a rea...