Seeking help from a marriage counselor is not unlike seeking help from a mechanic. It makes little sense to take your car into the shop a month after it started making a horrific noise. By that time, too much damage may have been done and your engine may be beyond repair. By the same token, the effectiveness […]
3 Ways to Stop Enabling Your Adult Child
According to the latest census data, more than half of people aged 18 to 24 live with their parents, and roughly 13% of adults ages 24 to 35 do as well. While many of these young people are hard-working individuals, trying to save money to pay off school loans, buy a house, or start a […]
Stages of Enabling
Early Stage: Relief through Enabling, such as eating for comfort, spending, working or helping someone with his or her problem to avoid internal focus and experience the payoff. Increase in tolerance for the behaviors of the problem person Preoccupation with the problem person or persons Loss of control over emotions or behavior, such as excessive […]
Am I an Enabler?
Do you sometimes feel as if you were put on earth to serve others? Are you overly accommodating and find it difficult to say no? Are you drained from overdoing for others? When you complain, are you told that you should like a martyr? Do you feel as if you are dragging the person up […]
What is Enabling?
What is Enabling? Enabling behaviors and resources The concept of enabling sounds straight forward—doing for others what they can and need to do for themselves—and yet it’s often incredibly hard to distinguish between helping, supporting, and enabling. As parents we are hardwired to want to help our children. As siblings we often want to […]
Should I Go Gluten-Free if I Don’t Have Celiac Disease?
Starting about five years ago, gluten-free diets became all the rage. People who weren’t even sure what gluten was were cutting it out of their diet, most likely to be trendy or fashionable. But maybe these people were onto something? Is it possible that we should all be giving up gluten, even if we don’t […]
How to Help Manage a Loved One’s Anxiety
When a friend or loved one suffers from anxiety, it can be intimidating or frustrating trying to help them cope. Panic and anxiety attacks can leave the anxiety sufferer feeling any number of symptoms, and you may feel helpless and unable to support them. Here are some tips to help you manage a loved one’s […]