Catastrophizing: How to Turn Mountains Back into Molehills

Consider this scenario: Your teenager was supposed to be home at 10:00 p.m. It's now 10:15. Your imagination starts kicking into high gear. It's 10:20. You are now sure that she has been in a car accident. You pick up the phone to call the police when she comes in the door apogizing for being late because she was stuck in traffic. If this is you, then you know firsthand about the cognitive distortion called catastrophizing. Catastrophizing is an irrational way of thinking that is characterized with excessive worry. It causes us to entertain all of the "what if's" as if they were reality and because we often really believe that something will go terribly wrong, we often sabotage our own.....read more

Do You Think in Black and White?

Many people, in fact all people, have automatic thoughts that are distorted at times. One example of this kind of thinking has been dubbed by cognitive behavioral therapy professionals as "all or nothing thinking" or "black or white thinking".

"All or nothing" thinking is a way of processing thoughts that limits people to just two choices in life - "good" or "bad", "rich" or "poor", "smart" or "dumb". People are generally not aware that this particular distortion is occurring in their thought processes nor are they aware of....read more

How Important are Manners?

In the "age of attitude" many people are losing touch with what it means to be polite. Learning manners is an important part of growing up and getting along in life. By equipping your children with social skills such as using manners and exhibiting respect to their peers and other adults, parents are giving their children ....read more

Should Couples Share Housework?

Households where domestic responsibilities were not shared, both partners reported dissatisfaction in the marriage and there was a greater risk for depression. Children were also affected. It seems that children of parents who share responsibility .....read more

Resolutions: Getting Back on Track

Are you feeling like this was just another year to regret making New Year’s Resolutions? Now that we are a little ways into the year, do you feel like a complete failure because you haven’t followed through on those things that you were determined to change this year? What happened to all of the enthusiasm that we mustered on December 31? Take heart. There is a way to get back on track. All hope is not lost.

One of the key elements....keep reading