Mental Health: How Being an Empath Can Ruin Relationships

14 years ago, I discovered I'm an empath. I always knew, even as a child, that I felt others pain, but it was good to discover that intense sensitivity had a name. Empath Guide defines it well: Criticism, suffering, hurt, humiliation, shame are hard enough for me to bear. Watching others feel them is agonizing. Knowing I'm an empath explains a lot about my interpersonal struggles. It can ruin or heal relationships. Mental Health: How Being an Empath Can Ruin Relationships

Dos and Don'ts for Managing Parenting Anxiety

Mom of 14 Nadya Suleman (dubbed "Octomom" for her octuplets ) is an exaggerated example of parenting fail. ABC Good Morning America cataloged some of the single mom's most egregiously bad decisions, including a Xanax addiction. Granted, parenting is stressful. But there are healthier ways to manage anxiety. From past experience with antidepressants, I say they cause more problems than they cure. Here are dos and don'ts for treating parenting anxiety and depression.  Dos and Don'ts for Managing Parenting Anxiety

Meditations for OCD, Relationship Therapy

I'm a recovering obsessive-compulsive. My OCD can devastate my relationships if I let it (and it's pretty hard not to). It cramps intimacy and turns me into an irritable, irritating drone. Every case of OCD manifests itself a little differently--for me, time (or feeling the lack thereof) is a big OCD trigger. I'm consumed with urgency. I feel overwhelmed by responsibilities (many self-imposed). I'm driven by anxious thoughts that I'm behind and can't get caught up. If you struggle with OCD like this, here are some meditations I've developed. I repeat these when I feel an OCD mind-storm brewing. Meditations for Time-Driven Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Thinking

Sensual Gothic Victorian Pre-Raphaelite Ghost Halloween Costume Guide

Gothic Victorian Pre-Raphaelite Ghost Halloween Costume DIY Guide Zombies are not a new invention. They've walked the pages of horror fiction for centuries. The undead have plagued generations of Devil's night, Samhain and Walpurgis revelers. Looking to recreate some of those vintage creeps of yore? Here's a DIY guide to make Gothic Revival Victorian costumes for women. Originally, "Gothic" didn't mean the same thing as the "Goth" styles (black hair, dark clothing, vampiric overtones) of today. Gothic referred to a high medieval architectural style. Modern Goths are a throwback to the Gothic Revival (mid 1700s to early 1900s). They are influenced by the Victorians' dark obsession with rigid morality, morbidity and sexual frustration. Pre-Raphaelites opposed this hypocrisy and focused on innocent sensuality. Read on...

'Fear of Success' as Coping Skill for Low Self-Esteem

Fear of Success as Low Self-Esteem Defense Mechanism
'Fear of Success' is a psychological term that describes panic attack and depression symptoms associated with experiences of success. For people with chronic low self esteem, experiences of success are foreign. 'Fear of success' is a coping mechanism.
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Mel Gibson Phone Rant to Oksana Grigorieva: Religion and Sexual Repression Make Poor Bedfellows

How Religious Mania Destroys Relationships; Mel Gibson, Wife Robyn, Oksana Grigorieva
If I told you that religious zeal could be taken too far, would you think me ungodly? Consider this. Since Mel Gibson began speaking out on religious issues and proclaiming his faith, his personal and professional life have begun to disintegrate.
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Relationships Issues: Guilt, Conscience and Self-Talk

Overactive Conscience and Guilt Complex: Quit 'Should'ing on Yourself
Are you plagued by a constant sense of failure? Do you struggle with guilt complex and low self-esteem with no real cause? Sounds like you're a victim of overactive conscience. How can you heal this problem? Quit 'should'ing on yourself.
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Stinkin Thinkin, Toxic Behavior and Detachment in Relationships

Stinking Thinking and Toxic Behavior: Mental Detachment
In a relationship with stinking thinking and toxic behavior? If someone you love has stinking thinking with toxic behavior you need to detach. Your job is to keep yourself safe. Emotional and mental detachment is one method.
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Intimacy in Writing: Write from your heart and soul...

Article Writing Tips: Write from Your Passions and Bond with Your Readers
Writing is a form of intimacy. Psychologists and therapists find journaling particularly helpful for couples in counseling. Use your writing as a way to build intimacy in your relationships.
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Relationship Mythbusters: Women Want Intimacy, Men Want Sex?'

Relationships, Sex and Intimacy: What Men and Women Want in a Relationship
It's long been said that men want sex and women want intimacy. Research, polls and interviews show that men and women both desire intimacy. People need intimacy. But nobody wants to be used.
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The Dance of Intimacy

Harriet Goldhor Lerner: The Dance of Anger and Other Women's Health Books
How often have I heard women say that they long to find a physician who understands the female psyche. Male doctors understand from a male perspective. Many female doctors have adopted male thinking patterns, too.
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Sexuality and Children

Sexuality and Children: Psychology, Development, Behavior and Healthy Attitudes
Child sexuality is an edgy issue. Religious dogmas can complicate the issue. Child sexuality can only be understood within a developmental framework. What is age-appropriate behavior? How can we help children develop healthy sexuality?
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Men, Women, Intimacy and Sex

What Men Want, Need and Expect Sexually from Women
Explores men's attitudes about women and sex on an ethical, historical, religious and cultural basis.
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