This is part 4 of a 4 part series. You can read part 1 here, part 2 here and part 3 here. For the last few weeks, I’ve been writing about words.I didn’t actually set out to write a series about words. I started by writing about the difference between discomfort and being unsafe. That…
I’ve been writing about grief a bit lately. It hasn’t been intentional, per se. I actually had other topics outlined and scheduled. But as is often the case with writing, one post led to another, which led to another idea. You can listen to the first episode on grief here. In that episode, I explore…
Last week, I wrote about the difference between discomfort and being unsafe. You can read that post here. This is post 2 in what will probably be a four-part series. Ideally, this will grow into a full-length book. The outline is almost done; the writing needs to commence. As I was developing that post, I…
A few weeks ago, I did a podcast on this same topic, if you’d like to listen to that episode, you can find it in your favorite podcast player. Search for episode 352. You can also listen by following this link. As a therapist, I’ve watched certain phrases rise and fall in popularity over the…
A few years ago, I had a wonderful moment. My oldest daughter was working at her college helping the incoming freshmen during their first week on campus. When she came home, I asked her how the day had gone. “UGH! I told one of the freshmen something and I sounded just like you! I heard…
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about how everyone has a reason for their bad behavior. You can read that here. It talks about how we have to recognize that everyone has a reason for why they may have done something that could have hurt us. Today’s article talks about what to do when…
Years ago I worked as a referee coordinator for a soccer program in Maryland. The county I lived in had a thriving sports program and I helped make the games happen. I also refereed in that league. I coached a High School team during the week and refereed in the evenings and weekends. In one…
Last week I talked about shame and Brené Brown. I also talked about Neil Postman and how I think he is one of the most underappreciated thinkers of the last century. Perhaps the most controversial thing I said was that I thought Brené Brown might be wrong when it comes to shame.More than a few…
I think Brené Brown is wrong. There. I said it. I said something I’ve been thinking about for years. I remember when I first saw her TED talk on shame and how powerful it was. I shared it. I had clients watch it. And then… And then, I started to wonder if maybe she didn’t…
Good intentions are widely lauded. When someone means well, we tend to give them the benefit of the doubt. We soften our judgment and assume the heart behind the action matters most. In many ways, that instinct is healthy. Most people genuinely want to do good. Most people care about the people around them. Recognizing…
