Articles

Critical Incident Debriefing

Marleen Norman, LCSW

Catastrophes, whether by forces of nature (e.g., earthquakes) or man-made (e.g., shootings at a school or at the work place, war zones) result in devastating psychological trauma, in addition to any physical trauma. By definition, disasters impact more than just one or two people. An individual can either be a direct survivor of the event, or a witness to it, to suffer the impact of the experience. Often, affected individuals are only loosely connected by geographic area or random experience (for example, a bank armed robbery).

Inner Critic

Marc Miller, Ph.D.

We often struggle with a voice inside us that is relentlessly judgmental, the inner critic. You may have found difficulty in dealing with overeating, drinking, anxiety, depression, procrastination, parenting, etc. The inner critic will not help with these problems, but can make us feel worse in the following ways:Evaluates and finds fault with our feelings and behavior

Shame and Couples

Marc Miller, Ph.D.

Feelings of shame, or the attempts to avoid such feelings, are at the root of all relationship discord. Furthermore, the painful experience of shame is so unbearable that it is often bypassed or repressed. This results in one or both members of the couple withdrawing, blaming, criticizing, rejecting or being dismissive towards the other

Traveling Together? What To Know Before You Go!

Marleen Norman, LCSW

You and a friend or partner have decided to travel together for the first time. Assuming you've known each other a while and enjoy each other's company, you think it would be fun to share an adventure. You plan the itinerary, get vacation time approved from work, choose appropriate clothing, buy your tickets, pack your bags, and you're off! Traveling together can be a wonderful experience…or your vacation expectations can go from dream to nightmare!

Unconscious Guilt and the Fear of Success

Marc Miller, Ph.D.

Why do we fail in our efforts, even when we have the talent, intelligence, and training to succeed? Why do we seem to sabotage these efforts in so many ways– by procrastinating, or forgetting a crucial detail, or suddenly losing sight of the goal?

The conventional answer is “fear of failure,” and the answer makes some sense. It can be very painful to put out one’s best effort and still fail. Better to sabotage the effort and avoid the risk of that pain.