Surviving Family Estrangement: You are NOT going crazy!

So you would be surprised by many people who, in throes of estrangement, reach out and tell me they feel feel like they are going crazy or going mad.Maybe they feel like they are over-reacting to situations, maybe highly sensitive, or just very uncertain of themselves. And this could be reinforced by people in their lives who might judgemental/critical to their reactions, seeing only outward … Continue reading Surviving Family Estrangement: You are NOT going crazy!

Building Self-Esteem: Use your words

I have a very low tolerance for any form of bullshi*t and I’ve found many of my clients share this. One of the reasons why therapy is so effective is the congruent nature of the relationship…there are no masks, no filters and no agenda.

My client Peter felt deeply detached from his family. They lived in a self-contained bubble of delusion where there were unwritten rules about how and when to communicate, what topics could be discussed and how everyone must adhere to a hierarchy of importance (he was far from the top).
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Building Self-Esteem: Challenging Guilt

The factors which influence our self-worth varies MASSIVELY.

It can range from “Biological” considerations, such as not being comfortable with our own bodies or being judged for how we look. It could be “Social” influences, such as being treated badly by a family member, friend or partner. Or it could be “Psychological” factors, such as negative beliefs ingrained during childhood which conflict with our adult actions and desires. In many cases, it is all 3 working together to keep our self-esteem boxed in.

One client I am working with (I’ll refer to her as Paula) is struggling with guilt over being unfaithful in her former marriage (she is now divorced but felt she did not deserve a new partner now). The relationship with her husband was loveless and he treated Paula disrespectfully for many years before she started an affair.
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