Blog Articles
Additional resources written by our PCS therapists.
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Awe Walks
It’s been a long, hot summer here in the greater Phoenix area as well as so many other places in our world. I miss my morning walks, which I needed to pause when the low temperatures rose into the upper 80’s to low 90’s. Recently, I got to travel out… -
Burnout
Burnout seems to be a hot topic in recent years, but what really is it and how can we hopefully improve our individual experiences? According to the ICD-11 burnout is defined as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed” (World Health Organization,… -
What is a Sex Surrogate Partner and how is it different from a sex worker?
A sex surrogate partner is a trained and certified professional that helps a client explore and overcome physical, emotional, and/or social issues around intimacy and sex. The role of a sex surrogate is to help individuals with issues such as sexual dysfunctions, shame, negative body image, dysmorphia, anxieties about touch,… -
The Self-Attachment Model (SAM)
“Return back to yourself, you have been away far too long.” – Author Unknown Humans rely on their primary caretakers longer than any other mammal. This is due to the time it takes for the human brain to fully develop, including emotionally and socially. In those earlier years, we relied… -
The Power of Reading
Reading was instilled in me at a young age. As a child I used to think, “how cool is this, I get to travel to a faraway land” and escape into the world the author created. As I grew older my reading selections evolved into learning something new, seeing through… -
Partner Sexual Betrayal
When a partner or spouse in a relationship learns that the person whom they have trusted has been unfaithful to them, the pain of that discovery can be incredibly intense, leaving the person with an overwhelming sense of betrayal. Betrayal as an Attachment Trauma Betrayal in a committed relationship includes… -
No Bad Parts
Internal Family Systems (IFS) reflects our outer world to our inner world. Its takes our relationships in real life and mirrors them to the relationships in our head. IFS examines dynamics in the family setting and relates them to how relationships function within us. What do I mean by our… -
After
I recently purchased a vintage watercolor painting that I found attractive and repelling, simple and complex, familiar yet to be honest a little bit haunting. What more could you ask from a piece of art? It was dated 3-12-1950 and the title of it was written in a beautiful hand-penciled… -
Beginning
I hate writing blogs. Well, hate is a strong word — but still. I stare at the screen, waiting for my muse, type a word, delete a word, have a thought, role my eyes. Sigh. Then, I start typing, sometimes without direction and then it has begun. Before long…well, you… -
What Makes You Hard to Live with?
There is this powerful rut that happens when we plant ourselves in mud thinking if the person across from me would just get a clue, fix their problems, and stop acting the way they act, my life would be so much better. It’s the human response and hard to avoid…. -
Filth
“It took many years of vomiting up all the filth I’d been taught about myself, and half believed, before I was able to walk on the earth as though I had a right to be here.” – James Baldwin I have read this quote over and over again. James Baldwin… -
Horses: a Bridge to Healing?
The road to healing can be long and winding with many obstacles. Sometimes we need a bridge… It was a warm March afternoon as I stood with a father as we watched his children greet the horses in my arena. After a few months of sessions the boys invited him… -
The Platinum Rule of Relationships
“How could she not love that – I put so much thought/time into making her birthday special!” Many many years ago when I was in the first few years of my 1st marriage I planned what I was sure to be the best birthday party ever for my wife. It… -
Tire Tracks
Series Three: Blog Alex had been cheating on Alice from day one. Secretly, he hired strippers at his bachelor party and never made it through his honeymoon without cheating with someone he met at the pool of the resort where he and Alice stayed during the week after the wedding…. -
Who’s My Mother? Developing Self Parenting Skills
Series Three: Blog Ninety-Six Mothers are a powerful influence in the emotional development of every child. The emotional stress and strain that a mother engages while the child is in utero impacts emotional development significantly. Environmentally, children absorb the emotional experiences of their parents. A child depends upon mother for… -
AI and Mental Health Therapy: A Look Into the Future
The following is, ironically, adapted from a dialogue with Open AI Chat GPT, an AI-powered Chatbot. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in therapy services has the potential to improve the way mental health services are delivered and received. Here, we will explore the ways AI could impact mental health… -
Colors, Music, and the Importance of Emotions
Simply put, from just 3 colors we get all colors; from just 7 notes, we get all the music; from just 6 emotions, we get all the different feelings. Isn’t interesting how a vast variety of things can result from the combinations of just a few elements? And how can… -
The Illusion of a Safety Net
Series Three: Blog Ninety-Five The Flying Wallendas are the most celebrated tight rope act in the world. The Wallenda family has been performing tight rope acts for over 200 years. They were the first to walk a tightrope across the Grand Canyon and the Niagara Falls. Tino Wallenda stated that… -
Desperation—Without it There’s No Change
Series Three: Blog Ninety-Four A calling is an inside force to be, create or achieve a life experience that has not been realized. It is an exploit that cultivates bliss. Even once realized, there is a conscious enlightenment that you are doing what creates deep satisfaction within your soul. Callings… -
Recovery Reflections
Series Three: Blog Ninety-Three Being in recovery from addiction for 32 years and listening to addicts share their journey of recovery has led to interesting observations and, for me, deeper truths about the world we live in. Today’s blog is about this reflection. You might contemplate your own musings about…
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