The Lifeworks Group, Inc.

 By: Megan Brewer, LMHC Burnout can be an easy topic to read about cognitively, file away as good information, and then disregard without letting it impact you further. But as we talk about burnout in this article, I encourage you to not only engage it cognitively, but to consider the personal implications for how it affects your own life. Burnout can be discussed in different contexts, such as in our careers or personal lives. but let’s start with a simple definition of burnout that can cover a lot of contexts. Burnout is the depletion of a substance that is needed to keep something going. When we strip the definition of burnout down like this, we can easily see burnout in a number of different areas, such as in the physical, emotional, mental, and relational arenas. Anything that requires something of you—some output of energy or effort—will 1) require you to have what is needed to engage the work you want to do, and 2) require replenishment to keep going. Now, if we th...

By: Brian Murray, LMHC, NCC Codependency is a word that was born out of the addiction field of therapy. It’s a description that is used for a person who is involved with a person who has substance abuse problems. The codependent has an addiction as well. They are addicted to love. There are many traits and characteristics of a codependent that can be sub-categorized under the big 3 discussed here. These are the fixer, the controller and the apathetic. In addiction they may also be accused of being an enabler or a rescuer. Codependents provide resources to the addicted person hoping they will get love in return. And hope is the key word, they hold out for the hope of getting love if they just prove how wonderful they are to the addicted person. This creates a double bind in the relationship, henceforth, the codependent and the dependent. Usually it takes years before the codependent realizes they will never get the love they seek. Or, the codependent notices a behavioral reinforceme...

By: Brian Murray, LMHC, NCC A codependent is a person who has an unhealthy relational attachment to another person. It is also referred to as relationship or love addiction. Codependency was born out of the addiction field as someone who is an enabler of an addicted person. They get this way as they believe there is something they fix, rescue or control that will translate into the love they so desperately seek. The addicted person takes advantage of this need by using the codependent as a resource. This “resourcing” is provided in many forms such as food, housing, and money just to name a few. The term codependent has since morphed into identifying anyone who remains involved in an unhealthy relationship. This unhealthy attachment is due to some underlying fear that they will lose love or ultimately be alone. Once these feelings materialize, the codependent begins to do things to control relational outcomes. Codependency is a learned behavior that typically stems from childhood ...

By: Emily Long Taylor Swift said it perfectly in a song: “you got that James Dean daydream look in your eye…” when it comes to describing bad boys. Your friends have dated them, you’ve dated them, your mom, sister, cousin… every woman you encounter has experienced a “bad boy” at one point or another. How can you spot the “bad boys” and identify them? You can’t. They don’t walk around wearing signs of indication, dress a certain way or hang out in a particular area. They just are. When your friends or family date them you can normally spot them more quickly than Waldo in a Where’s Waldo book. But when you’re dating a “bad boy” everything isn’t so crystal clear.  Categories of “Bad Boys” When someone thinks of the bad boy image, their perception is all based on experience. Why? Shouldn’t a bad boy be obvious? Bad boys can earn their classification by their charm. They could be perfectly groomed in an Armani suit and know the exact words to say to a female to win her over....