The Lifeworks Group, Inc.

  By: Brian Murray, LMHC, NCC Codependents are identified as someone who has an addiction to love; they will sacrifice themselves to please others. They are deeply concerned with what others think of them in basically every area of life. They have a distorted sense of responsibility and often blame themselves for how others feel. Narcissists are very self-centered people who have a strong sense of specialness in the world. Their ego driven mentalities require others to see them as being highly special even if their life and achievements don't add up to how special they claim to be. Narcissists often blame others as having a problem when their specialness isn't recognized followed by a host of manipulation tactics aimed at punishing the person who didn't recognize them. They will also punish those who try and compete or relate at a level that is equal to them. There is a saying when it comes to narcissists, they don't share the stage because it's all about them...

  By: Brian Murray, LMHC, NCC One of the hallmarks of a great marriage or relationship is being involved with a person who values the other person’s feelings in a respectful and caring way. Validation in a relationship is a good indicator of a relationship health check. It is the ability to communicate reciprocating thoughts and feelings that indicate they are there for each other. Healthy people relationally do not criticize, demand or belittle the other person for expressing their feelings, needs and wants. Whether intentional or not, being critical or belittling the other person can send signals that what is being expressed implies the other is wrong, or somehow it makes them a bad person. Invalidation is negative behavior that can, and often turns the overall mood of the relationship sour. The initial gut response to negativity is usually anger followed by resentment. The anger and resentment are the result of feeling the pain of the invalidating comment. Emotional suppor...

 By: Brian Murray, LMHC, NCC Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a mental disorder characterized by difficulty with interpersonal relationships. Common symptoms include conflict, addictions, self-harm, impulsive and reckless behavior, and they frequently feel suicidal. Most individuals experience a rapid shift in mood ranging from good to bad to angry to fear of abandonment and rejections from others. The feelings experienced in BPD are usually caused by a tendency to see things in terms of black and white thinking while contributing to conflicting views of the self-known as dichotomous thinking. They are highly sensitive people and dependent on how others view and treat them in their relationships. People with BPD struggle to manage their emotions and lose functionality when feeling upset, sometimes with explosive anger. People with BPD can be seemingly high functioning and educated in the workplace and social settings. However, it is their personal life where they str...