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Showing posts from June, 2020

The Challenges of Couples Therapy with A Narcissist

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By: Brian Murray LMHC, NCC Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is a mental health condition that manifests in an overinflated sense of self-importance. Roughly 70% of those who have the disorder are men. In the United States, it is estimated that roughly 6% of the general population has the disorder.   NPD in a clinical setting is typically rated on a spectrum from mild to severe. In order to be diagnosed with NPD, a person must meet the required number of symptoms as indicated in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual version 5 (DSM-5). This manual is a reference published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) that lists diagnosable mental health conditions along with the criteria needed to meet the diagnosis.   The best way to interact with a narcissist is to focus on their behavior rather than on their words. Pay attention to what they are doing and look for patterns. If you focus only on what they are saying you stand a good chance of being gaslighted. Gaslighting is w

How to find “Normal” during the COVID-19 pandemic?

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By: Dwight Bain, LMHC, NCC The coronavirus lock-down has been the longest forced shutdown in modern history, and was successful to slow the physical spread of the disease. Shutdowns through early April prevented 60 million US coronavirus infections, a study quoted on CNN reported. https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/08/health/coronavirus- shutdowns-effective-study-wellness-bn/index.html However, for many the extended time of lock down created a mental health crisis. Being isolated from friends or family, sheltering in place for months, being removed from school/work routines, unemployment, months of lost income, fear of going out for routine medical visits, or not having medical coverage to visit a doctor because of losing insurance coverage after lay-off. These and many other factors elevate feelings of helplessness and will complicate the long recovery ahead. Adding to the stress was the news that the United States economy is officially in recession https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/