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Prideful Gridlock: Changing Posture and Perspective
http://www.teachingchildrenphilosophy.org/wiki/The_Zax These iconic Dr. Seuss Zax characters are defined as argumentative, stubborn and prideful. Often, I’ll work with couples who are in conflict due to their different perspectives of the presenting problem. Issues such as finances, parenting, sex, and domestic responsibilities can cause couples to feel that they are going round and round the same argument. Stubbornness and pride contributes to neither party budging on their position. This can cause deep feelings of rejection and hurt which can lead to resentment. It’s normal to find tremendous frustration if our partner does not “see” things the way we do! Often we end up being argumentative and stubborn in our posture, digging…
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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Death By A Thousand What If’s
by Kristy Cobillas, MEd, PLPC We have all heard someone claim that they have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) because of their proclivity toward keeping things neat and organized. Many a joke has been made regarding having “OCD” friends over so that they can clean the house. Those truly suffering with the disorder could only wish it were simply a matter of being particular or neat; unfortunately that is not the case. Exactly what is OCD? Characterized by a presence of obsessions, compulsions or both, OCD is a lifelong, debilitating, and painful neuropsychobiological (brain and psychological) disorder affecting 2% of the population. Coming from the latin word obsessio, which means to “take…
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Attachment Issues and Infant Adoption
By Kathy Petefish, LMSW, LCPC, BCBA, LBA How often have I heard those frustrating and sad words in the last 15 years that I have worked with children? At least a hundred, since working with children with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) has been in my wheelhouse for over a decade. These words are frustrating because they are very often not true. Just because a child is adopted as an infant does not mean they will not have difficulty with attachment issues. Foster and adoptive parents are set up for failure, confusion, and heartbreak when professionals, who do not have accurate information, tell them differently. These words are sad—very sad—because if…
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Unconditional Love and Boundaries
A reflection on Cloud & Townsend’s “Boundaries with Kids” In Christian terms, unconditional love is love that doesn’t depend on the attitudes or actions of the beloved. It is a self-sacrificing love, which finds its ultimate expression in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross: “But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, RSV). Yet we know that God did not love us just to leave us wallowing in our sin; on the contrary, we are told, “Do you not know that God’s love is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4, RSV). We all desire love from our parents, children,…
Marriage Family & Individual Counseling | St Louis MO
