Why do some adult children of alcoholics become workaholics? “Work first. Play later.” That’s the motto Elizabeth grew up with. It was hard for her to relax and enjoy things when there was work to be done, a project left unfinished, or something still on her to-do list. She was more comfortable working than having fun. Play and rest just […]
Tag Archives: people pleaser
Guided Meditation to Heal Codependency
Changing our long-standing thought and behavior patterns can be a long journey. Different approaches work for different people. In my psychotherapy practice, I try to provide a variety of strategies to promote self-care and compassion. For some, a guided meditation, such as this one, can be a helpful tool in healing from codependency and learning to love yourself. What […]
12 Tell-Tale Signs That You’re a People-Pleaser
Are you a people-pleaser? Being kind, generous, and flexible are wonderful qualities. But sometimes we’re too accommodating, too eager to please, and too afraid of saying “no”. There is a price to be paid for being “too nice”. Ryan is a classic people-pleaser. He’s been dating Jessie for two years and hopes to marry her. From the beginning, Jessie has been […]
Assertive Ways to Handle Anger (Anger Managment Part 2)
As I wrote in part 1 of this anger management series, anger is not inherently good or bad. Our goal is to learn assertive ways to handle anger, rather than aggressive. Many people tend to primarily operate as either passive or aggressive and fail to utilize the middle ground: assertive. When you are too passive, you are a “doormat”. You let everyone […]