Deciding whether to end a relationship is a big decision. As a therapist, I often see people struggle with whether to stay or go. For someone with codependency, the decision to leave a dysfunctional or abusive partner is especially hard. Why it’s hard to end a “toxic”, dysfunctional, or abusive relationship If you’re struggling in …
This article focuses on how to parent when you’re codependent or have experienced childhood trauma. You can break the cycle of codependency by learning to parent differently. You can use these strategies even if you’re not a parent (or your children are grown). You can apply many of these parenting strategies to yourself. Yep! It …
Parenting When You Are Codependent: Breaking the Cycle Read More »
We all like different things, so it only goes to follow that what’s fun for others isn’t necessarily fun for you. You can live more authentically when you discover what’s fun for you. Living authentically Living authentically means being true to yourself, having a strong sense of who you are, and behaving in ways that …
How to Discover What’s Fun for You (and Why It Matters) Read More »
I love a good self-help or personal development book. And summer is the perfect time to catch up on some reading. The only problem is there are so many great self-help books to choose from! This list was compiled from suggestions from my amazing Facebook fans. I’m sure you’ll find something that piques your interest. …
Codependency is most often the result of childhood trauma. But many readers have written to me, confused because they’re codependent and had a “normal” childhood. “I don’t understand why I’m codependent. I’ve read your posts, but I didn’t grow up in a dysfunctional family. How did this happen?” “Is it possible to be codependent if …
Codependents and people who grew up in dysfunctional families often struggle with self-care. But you can learn what true self-care is and how to tend to your needs. Do you struggle with self-care? Self-care is especially hard for those who grew up in dysfunctional families and/or developed codependent traits. Codependents struggle with self-care because they …
Treat Yourself Like a Toddler (and Other Tips for Those Who Struggle with Self-Care) Read More »
Mindfulness can improve self-acceptance by helping you stay present focused, connected to your feelings, and grateful. What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is the practice of staying in the moment, of being in the here and now rather than focused on the past or the future. Many of us aren’t fully experiencing our lives because we’re spending …
Try using these 3 tips to stop comparing yourself to others–and increase self-acceptance. How to stop comparing yourself to others. Comparison feels bad. In high school, my older sister was very popular and athletic. I was neither of those things. I realize now that I had plenty of strengths, too, but at the time they …
Growing up in an alcoholic or dysfunctional home After I wrote about growing up in an alcoholic family, I got a lot of requests for additional reading suggestions. We are fortunate that there are many helpful books for Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOAs) on healing codependency, trauma, and relationship challenges. Below are some of my …
Are you drawn to people with serious problems, who tend to “under function”? Do you feel lonely in your relationships? Do you feel like no one listens to you or no one cares about you? Are you tired of having the same arguments over and over again? Do you feel invisible or insignificant? Do …
