Defensiveness

What is Defensiveness?   While not quite as damaging to a relationship as contempt, defensiveness gives it a run for it’s money as one of the top four negative communication styles Dr. John Gottman has found contributes to divorce.   He calls these the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  Let’s start with a good operating…

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Stonewalling

What is Stonewalling?   While not quite as damaging to a relationship as contempt, stonewalling gives it a run for it’s money as one of the top four negative communication styles Dr. John Gottman has found contributes to divorce.   He calls these the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  Let’s start with a good operating…

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Criticism

What is Criticism?   While not quite as damaging to a relationship as contempt, criticism gives it a run for it’s money as one of the top four negative communication styles Dr. John Gottman has found contributes to divorce.   He calls these the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  Let’s start with a good operating…

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Contempt

What is Contempt?   One of the main things you should know about contempt is that it is the #1 predictor of divorce, according to marriage research guru Dr. John Gottman.  Contempt is a way of communicating the conveys disgust, disrespect, and superiority. If you’ve engaged in (hey, none of us are perfect!) or experienced…

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ROAR : Skill for Anxiety and Panic Attacks

ROAR : Skill for Anxiety and Panic Attacks

The words panic or anxiety attacks can instantly trigger one’s heart rate. It is often hard to know as well as be able to deal with the feeling of a panic attack coming on or occurring. We’ve been using an acronym we learned about a while ago for our clients experiencing these attacks and it…

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Tips for Creating Boundaries AND Keeping a Relationship Strong

We talk about boundaries a lot in therapy.  Many clients completely shy away from them because it feels like conflict or confrontation and others are maybe engaged in more rigid boundaries.  Either way, not having flexible boundaries can sometimes really impact a friendship or relationship negatively.  Let’s look at a couple of examples:   Rigid…

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