Therapist-Recommended Books on Love & Relationship
Gentle reminders to please support your local bookstore, and reduce, reuse, and recycle whenever possible.
Narcissism and Parent Relationships
It's a buzzword, no doubt about it. Everyone and their mother are tossing the word around, and sometimes without a clear understanding of what narcissism is, its impacts, presentation, and dynamics. Watch a video of Dr. Ramani Durvasula speaking on the signs of narcissism in parents if you think it applies to you or someone you care about. As a psychologist who studies narcissism, Dr. Ramani says, "I’ve found that kids of narcissistic parents can grow into adults who struggle with self-blame, self-doubt and a constant feeling that they aren’t enough." Dr. Ramani has also identified the 6 toxic traits of ‘highly narcissistic’ parents—and how you can deal with them.
Somatic therapy considerations & the effects of living with narcissism
In this graphic below, Dr Ramani shares effects that stress can have on long-term health and wellbeing.
Somatic therapy considerations & the effects of living with narcissism
In this graphic below, Dr Ramani shares effects that stress can have on long-term health and wellbeing.
If you think you might have grown up in a household where personality disorders or mood disorders were a factor, talk with your therapist about it. Healing, inside and out, from toxic relationship histories is something we as therapists are positioned to help you in doing.
The 16 MBTI® Personality Types
On the Myers & Briggs Foundation website, you can learn so much about the Myers-Briggs® system. This personality typology system consists of four preference pairs that reflect different aspects of personality. Why is this a resource here? Because it is one of my favorite tools to utilize when career counseling, navigating life transitions, relationship conflicts, or exploring issues around motivation, to name a few.
What I find most inspiring and applicable to therapy is how the MBTI reflects a set of preferences that best describes someone's natural way of doing things, and where they feel the most comfortable being themselves, outside of any roles they play in life. Whether I am working with individuals or multiple people, I find the MBTI a multifaceted, rich resource and tool to carry in the proverbial mental health and self understanding toolboxes.
How to find your type in the MBTI? Currently, the official Myers Briggs assessment, or MBTI, is only published, accessed and administered through CPP Inc., MBTIonline.com, or a practitioner who is certified to administer and interpret the instrument.
While no other test or instrument is as thorough, complete, or official as the MBTI, below are a few free, online assessment tools that can get you started in learning more about your type:
What I find most inspiring and applicable to therapy is how the MBTI reflects a set of preferences that best describes someone's natural way of doing things, and where they feel the most comfortable being themselves, outside of any roles they play in life. Whether I am working with individuals or multiple people, I find the MBTI a multifaceted, rich resource and tool to carry in the proverbial mental health and self understanding toolboxes.
How to find your type in the MBTI? Currently, the official Myers Briggs assessment, or MBTI, is only published, accessed and administered through CPP Inc., MBTIonline.com, or a practitioner who is certified to administer and interpret the instrument.
While no other test or instrument is as thorough, complete, or official as the MBTI, below are a few free, online assessment tools that can get you started in learning more about your type:
5 Action Steps for Helping Someone in Emotional Pain
Does someone you love experience suicidal thoughts, or are they at higher risk of suicide? Here are five simple ways you can be present, accepting, and helpful to the people you love when they are struggling with their pain:
Crisis Planning & Self-Care
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If you’re experiencing a mental health emergency, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 24/7.
If you aren't currently experiencing an emergency or crisis, click on this link to create a crisis plan and learn more about proactively caring for your mental health. 
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Mood Charting
You can download this mood chart for a comprehensive means of charting your mental health and mood notes over the course of a month. This information can help your treatment team, including your therapist, understand your mental health needs and refine your treatment plans, determine if referrals are needed, and so on. If you prefer to use an app to a paper chart, there are mood trackers available for download. The main objective with mood tracking to help you identify and understand patterns in your mood and emotions, develop mindfulness around unwanted behaviors, coping methods, and correlations with your mental health and daily life.
The 4 Pillars of DBT
I love this modality and find it a great tool for all walks of life, and all ages to make wise use of. You can download a free DBT workbook here: The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook.
DBT Skill: Cultivating the wise mind perspective
There is real power in naming something for yourself. Sometimes, it's feelings that need to be seen, given voice to, and named for us to process and understand ourselves and our realities.
The mental health graphic artist Lindsay Braman also offers a sensation-feeling wheel for download.
