The Lifeworks Group, Inc.

 By: Christine Hammond LMHC  The media loves to cover narcissists almost as much as a narcissist loves to be covered by the media. And why not? The narcissist’s stories are colorful, prone to exaggeration, intentionally divisive, and feature them as the star. It is easy reporting because it is naturally interesting, requires limited verification, and is emotionally charging. A person either loves the narcissist or intensely hates them; there is little area for grey which makes for a great story. The same is true on a smaller scale when meeting a narcissist for the first time. They have larger than life personalities, can command large or small crowds, exude confidence, and are immensely charming. Who won’t want to capture the attention of such a person? It validates the hidden desires of worthiness, acceptance, and recognition. It is an immediate ego boast to capture the attention of a narcissist. But there is danger in being lured in by a narcissist. What looks...

By: Dwight Bain We all do it. We’ve all promised ourselves we won’t waste another hour on social media with mindless escapism, yet another week goes by and the projects pile up because of the need to ‘like’  more cute pictures on Facebook. So how can you protect yourself and your family from losing so much time on social media or the Internet? First, realize it’s happening, and that technology saturation leads to overexposure which only makes it worse, leading to elevated expectations which leads to depressed moods, then the dark emotions of envy over constant comparison and finally exhaustion. Here are some proven steps to reclaim mental focus during this busy time of year. 1.        Routines – build in healthy routines where you  ‘unplug’  from technology to plug into your friends, family and faith.   2.        Environment – find a way to get you and your family outside. Take a walk, walk the d...

By: Christine Hammond, LMHC Narcissism seems to be on the rise. Teachers are frustrated by children who believe they are entitled to an excellent grade for substandard work. Parents are annoyed by teens who believe they are wiser than their elders. Employers are aggravated by employees who believe the rules don’t apply to them. Spouses are shocked when the charming person they married turns into a raging bully. “The children now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise.” This was written approximately 400 B.C. by the Athenian philosopher Socrates. Yet many would believe it intended for this generation. So why does it seem like there are so many narcissists? Here are a couple of possible explanations. 1.        Social Media. The mass influence of social media has introduced a perfect narcissistic breeding ground. A person can be anything and say anything the...

The Lie of Facebook By: Christine Hammond, LMHC I don’t know about you, but if I see one more “cute” cat video on Facebook, I’m going to scream. How is it that my friends have time to find and then post silly videos? Are their lives so ‘purrfect’ (pun intended) that they have the luxury to do this? Or… is it a façade? Facebook allows a person to literally paint and alter their image without any consequences for false identity or misrepresentation. Think of it as a giant modern art canvas where realistic images are absent and abstract images are present. There is plenty of room for interpretation. My frustration over the videos is more about my interpretation of their time in comparison to mine, rather than an accurate reflection of my friend’s life. Don’t waste energy on interpretative art. Instead, let it be what it is.   Facebook: America’s Addiction By: Cara Griffin-Locker If you are like most people you probably have a Facebook accoun...