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Wednesday, May 05, 2010
what is a good relationship?

excerpt from The Joy of Parenting


Take a moment to think about the relationships in your life that are most important to you – those in which you feel closest to someone else. What is it about those relationships that you most value? Take a few moments and jot down your thoughts about this in your parenting journal.


If you’re like many parents, one of the valued characteristics you listed may have been “feeling heard.” When we’re very lucky, we find ourselves in relationships in which people “get” us – they have a solid understanding of our wants, desires, and dreams. They communicate that understanding in how they behave around us – by calling our attention to things we care about or being thoughtful without being asked and without expecting anything in return. Because these things are important to you, you won’t be surprised that these same attributes are probably what your child most values and trusts about her relationship with you.


Taking time to nurture a relationship like this with your child is important. After all, you’re the “base” from which your child ventures out into the world. You ensure his safety and offer a lens through which he will views other important relationships throughout his life. You show your young child how to be in the world by the way you relate to and behave with him. And that is an enormous responsibility – as well as an exquisite gift.

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Posted By newharb / 9:00 AM / Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Thursday, April 08, 2010
the complexity of body image dissatisfaction

Excerpt from Acceptance & Commitment Therapy for Body Image Dissatisfaction


Body image dissatisfaction, a complex construct, is the negative evaluation of one’s weight and shape. In their developmental contextual theory, Lerner, Skinner, and Sorell (1980) proposed that experience with one’s body is influenced by a variety of factors, including cultural, developmental, biological, and historical. Specifying the relative impact of these contexts on body image satisfaction versus dissatisfaction is complex, and it likely varies by individual (McKinley, 2006). However, body image dissatisfaction impacts a wide range of individuals, both women and men, including those with subclinical levels of disordered eating and those without eating disorders.

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Posted By newharb / 5:17 PM / Thursday, April 08, 2010
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Acceptance, Commitment, and Willingness
If control is central to the problem of excessive worry and anxiety, what is the alternative to control? The short answer to this question is “willingness.” WILLINGNESS & THE OUTSIDE/INSIDE PRINCIPLE We can develop willingness in two areas of experience: outside and inside. •    Outside Willingness = Commitment Willingness on the outside involves a willingness to do the things that are important or valuable to us. This willingness on the outside can be described as a commitment to take action in a specific way. Of course, taking certain actions is often associated with certain feelings and thoughts. When it comes to taking action in areas where we tend to avoid and procrastinate, these feelings and thoughts often include anxiety and worry. •    Inside Willingness = Acceptance Willingness on the inside means a willingness to feel the feelings and experience the thoughts that come up in a given situation or when we take a specific action....
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Posted By newharb / 12:00 AM / Tuesday, April 14, 2009
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