I wrote my thesis on SIB (Self Injurious Behavior) – it’s a topic close to my heart. No, I’ve never been a “cutter.” But I love someone who engages in this behavior. Cutters are on the increase. I am a Family Therapist and 90% of my adolescent clients currently cut, or have experimented with it. […]
Family
When Anger is Disproportionate to the Trigger – Emotional Overreaction
How many times have you angrily erupted and the recipient looks at you like you’ve just grown two heads? What’s up with that? This displaced anger or “over reaction” is nearly always a sign that your emotional tank is too full. Sometimes if your erupt at someone, it doesn’t have anything to do with them […]
Verbal Abuse – Verbal Attacks – Emotional Abuse
Kim from TX sends an email to TheDivaCast.com first, and we (The Divas) agreed that it was better responded to by me, Zanny. Kim has been married for 5 years to “a wonderful father, a good provider, and a life partner…” but his fatal flaw is the verbal abuse he spews, sometimes daily, at Kim. […]
Easter-Holidays & Forced Family Functions
It is Easter morning – a day Christians observe Christ’s resurrection. Many families around the world will be together. Some people are eager and willing while others join their family of origin with tense trepidation. If you experience increasing anxiety over family get-togethers, you are normal. Most families have some level of dysfunctional behaviors and long standing patterns which nobody […]
Toxic Parents
This email came from Anabella, a 42 year-old Italian immigrant. Her own mother was abusive both phsycially and emotionally. Now, Anabella’s father is dying and her mother wants Anabella and her two young children to stay with her. NO! NO! NO! Anabella – you’re entitled to protect yourself. Listen how. Two wonderful books on this […]
Gift giving and expectations
Is it a gift, or a non-verbal contract with strings attached? I try to be ever conscious of my behaviors, for example, I stay in therapy, I continue reading books that promote emotional well-being (typically C.G. Jung, Robert Johnson, James Hillman and even the “pop” psychology stuff), and yet I still get stuck in my own ego. Recently, I […]