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Life can be pretty hectic sometimes. Especially with COVID restrictions ending, life seems to be getting busier day by day. We are able to meet up with our friends who we may not have seen in quite a while, or we may be returning to the office. As life is seemingly returning to “normal” (whatever normal really is!), it may impact those whose relationships were affected by the global pandemic. Couples who may have worked from home…

By Eric Dean JD, MBA, MA, MA, LPC, CADC A common concern I hear from clients is that they lack self-confidence, constantly doubting themselves at work and in relationships. After many attempts to fix the problem, they find themselves unable to identify and implement a sustainable solution. In many cases, this is a consequence of lacking a clear understanding of what self-confidence is and where it stems from. In this post, I will define self-confidence, identify common…

By Eric Dean, JD, MBA, MA, MA, LPC, CADC For many of us it is true that we are incredibly hard on ourselves. We feel upset, frustrated, and guilty when we make mistakes or fall short of expectations and consequently punish ourselves via harsh self-criticism. While moderate self-criticism may be helpful, the severity of the self-criticism that we unleash on ourselves is disproportionate to the perceived mistake. In other words, the “punishment” does not fit the “crime”…

The nature of compliments and people’s responses to them is interesting and potentially counter intuitive. As humans we crave validation from others and human connection. We want people to like us! Interpersonal connections and social interactions are vital to our well-being. However, despite the desire for external validation from others, whether in our personal lives or at work, we tend to shy away from compliments. When people in our lives compliment us, tell us what they like…