Constructive Wallowing

How to beat bad feelings by letting yourself have them

Tina Gilbertson LPC, BC-TMH

5 Ways to Ruin a Good Apology

You already apologized, but the other person is still acting like you didn’t. What went wrong?

Is Your Estranged Adult Child the Black Sheep of the Family?

Does your family have a black sheep? If so, you know who it is, and so does that person. If they’re estranged, here’s how you could help.

How to Stop Feeling Insecure

Here's a simple tool for coping with (and healing from) chronic insecurity. Start practicing today for long-term results.

How to Make a Good Decision in 7 (Reasonably Easy) Steps

Do you ever wish you had a machine that could make decisions for you? With these 7 steps, now you do.

One Way to Deal With Someone on A Power Trip

There are many things that could be going on inside the mind of someone who appears to be on a power trip. This article looks at one factor you might have missed.

How Long Does Parent-Child Estrangement Usually Last?

There are essentially four factors that influence how long you're estranged from your adult son or daughter. Find out how to make the best of what you can control.

Don't Be a Mind-Reader

If you're used to reading people's "energy" and making decisions based on your guesses, you might be getting it wrong at least half the time—or even more.

Whatever Happened to Respecting Your Parents?

How do parents get respect from a generation that grew up not respecting their elders?

My (Adult) Child, Myself

Parents tend to "just be themselves" when dealing with their adult children. So what happens between you tells you a lot about your own inner dialogue.

The Best Approach to an Unsolvable Problem

Do you feel helpless when someone close to you has a problem with no good solution? You may not be able to solve it, but there is something you can do.

Is Your Estranged Son or Daughter a Narcissist?

Narcissists often lack empathy. If your child doesn’t care enough about your feelings to call on Mother’s Day, is it narcissism or something else?

Stages of Estrangement: Maintenance

Whether parents reconcile with their estranged adult children or not, both connection and disconnection require continued emotional effort.

Stages of Estrangement: Transformation

The emotional gridlock of estrangement can come to an end when the rejected parent begins to focus on personal growth.

Stages of Estrangement: Acceptance

No parent wants to accept that they’ll never talk to their child again. But that’s not what acceptance of estrangement is about.

Stages of Estrangement: Despair

Parents rejected by adult children can spend too much time here.

Stages of Estrangement: Shock

If you’ve been cut off by your adult child, you may go through up to five different stages before this is all over – and they’re not the same as stages of grief.

Are Affirmations Holding You Back?

Your actual beliefs about relationships won’t budge in the face of affirmations.

A Simple Technique for a Closer Relationship

Do you ever wish you could feel closer to your partner, but aren't sure how? Here's one thing you can do to close the distance.

Unhappy? Maybe You Should Be

Unlike depression, simple unhappiness requires a different response. Here’s what to do if you’re unhappy in your relationship.

8 Things No One Should Say in a Text

If texting is your primary means of communication, you could be damaging your relationship without knowing it. How many of these common errors are putting you at risk.

Why Your Estranged Child Doesn’t Want to Reconcile

Many adult children cut off their parents when they don’t see possibilities for change in relationships that feel inherently flawed. Here’s how parents can counteract that bias.

Embarrassed? Here's How to Get Over It Quickly

You don't have to remain self-conscious all your life. Researchers have come up with a strategy for reducing embarrassment through simple thought-refocusing.

The Secret Key to Personal Growth

It's possible to make just about any change in your life with sufficient effort. But permanent changes all have one thing in common, and it's way more subtle.

Why You Need to Cry Over Spilt Milk

Allowing yourself to feel bad about a failure may not come naturally, but it turns out to be predictive of future success.

Could 60 Be the New 40?

Bette Davis famously said, “Getting old is not for sissies.” It doesn't have to be that bad. Don’t let aging rob you of mental health and happiness.

A Letter from Santa’s Therapist

If you think it’s all sugar plums and gum drops for Santa Claus, think again. According to his therapist, he’s got everything from anxiety to trauma.

How to Respond to Passive-Aggressive Behavior

Is someone’s passive-aggressive behavior driving you up the wall? Maybe you’re working too hard. Here’s what to do instead.

A Passive-Aggressive Thanksgiving

A tongue-in-cheek look at what’s going on under the surface at the passive-aggressive family’s holiday table.

Are You Supportive or Codependent?

Do you disappear in relationships, getting lost in the problems and concerns of others? Use this technique to trick yourself into holding better boundaries.

Is It the Silent Treatment or Estrangement?

Five ways to know if you’re estranged from someone, or they’re giving you the silent treatment.

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