The Lifeworks Group, Inc.

By: Megan Brewer, LMHC The first time I had surgery, I was well into my thirties. It wasn’t major—just removing a small abnormality inside my leg. The surgeon told me to expect 1–2 days to heal; then I could walk on it. He also said most people returned to work shortly thereafter. This was good news, because I didn’t want to spend any more time than was absolutely necessary away from my regularly scheduled week. Being kind to my body and giving it time and space to heal is something I have regularly wrestled to do. So, you can imagine my surprise and disappointment when after 1–2 days I still needed my sweet husband’s help to get around the house. I eventually borrowed crutches in order to move about without pain. Two weeks after the surgery, I was still unable to walk without pain and sat in my physical therapist’s office feeling frustrated—like my body had failed me somehow. She too was surprised to see my leg so swollen and so unusable, which helped me to feel a little more va...

By: Brian Murray LMHC, NCC A person with a victim mentality is someone who is experiencing negative feelings and tries to hold others accountable for these feelings. They hold the belief that nothing can be said or done to improve their circumstances, which keeps them stuck in victim mode. They feel vulnerable around people and believe that others have malevolent intentions towards them. A victim mentality is also one of the key traits of a behavioral condition known as Codependency and also Dependent Personality Disorder.   Accountability and responsibility are absent in this person’s life. They do not take ownership of themselves. Instead, they try to get others to be responsible for them and their feelings. For example, “you make me angry” is a very common phrase they use. The truth is nobody makes you angry. People may say and do things that make you feel angry, but the anger belongs to the person experiencing it. So, if you are angry, you are the one who is accountab...

By: Christine Hammond, LMHC, NCC The other day, one of my interns (I’m a supervisor for mental health students getting their license) asked, “How do you get it all done?” It is a valid question and I remember being a student and wondering the same thing. When am I going to have time for all of the learning, marketing, and developing a practice and still maintain my sanity, keep my family intact, and enjoy life? How can I possibly add one more thing to my already overwhelming schedule? Years ago, I read three books on time management that radically changed my life. They are: “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin,” “7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” and “Eat that Frog!” Benjamin Franklin taught about the importance of waking up early: “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” His obsession with scheduling every part of his day is admirable but even he admitted that too much scheduling can cause dullness (his word, not mine). ...