“My needs are not being met” is a common complaint in relationships. You may be experiencing loneliness due to lack of a fulfilling connections with a partner or family, friends, and/ or social connections. Perhaps you are not feeling respected or esteemed by others within your current role and feeling as though you are “not living up to your full potential”. While these needs are stressful, they are compounded when the foundational basics are not met.
Teasing. What comes to mind for you? Do you think of friendly banter, affectionate, maybe even flirty teasing? Teasing to embarrass somewhat, but in a playful way? Maybe in the form of a nickname, joke, or light-hearted insult? Or Does teasing feel more like taunting, in which someone else is making fun of you in a mean way? Does your identity feel threatened due to being targeted or bullied for being different? Does teasing take the form of jokes that are inappropriate or offensive [e.g., racist, sexist, homophobic]? How is your sense of self impacted?
No one is immune to experiencing stress, trauma, or other challenging situations that shakes our foundation of safety and security. Reflecting on the last year, many have experienced serious medical and mental health problems or have been impacted by conditions affecting loved ones. Stressors affecting finances and relationships have been prevalent. Suffering is inevitable as it is part of the human condition. Yet during times suffering, there can also be tremendous growth through healing and rebuilding.
Can you think of something who is a bit “pricky”? Maybe their attitude is not very attractive. Perhaps they have been hurting, holding on to bitterness and in turn, pushing away family and friends. Try showing unconditional-positive-regard to demonstrate love and acceptance while also holding onto your own boundaries.
Leading transformations throughout the mental healthcare industry, CARE Counseling is set apart because we invest in each individual clinician. Ensuring CARE counselors have excellent training and authentic experiences means our retention rate was an amazing 94% for 2020.
How have your observations of others’ behavior shaped your current ways of interacting? When one observes behavior and then imitates the behavior, they are modeling the behavior. Albert Bandura, a well-known social cognitive psychologist suggests that observation and modeling are primary aspects of social learning.
Awareness of emotional and behavioral patterns is an important aspect for change. If you are not aware that there is a problem, why change? During the holiday season, you will most likely be observing behaviors of your family and friends and may begin to reflect more on how these experiences have shaped your sense of self.
While calming corners can be used an alternative behavioral management strategy for children who are having difficulties with self-regulation, both children and adults can benefit from spending time in a calming corner when feeling one of more of the following:
You cannot “catch” mental illness like you can catch the flu, but emotions and the flu have one thing in common. They are both contagious! As I think about significant relationships that have been part of my life, I am drawn to those who bring out the best in me. It feels good to be around others who are happy and positive.
