The Lifeworks Group, Inc.

“Don’t make me pull this car over!” By: Dwight Bain, LMHC, NCC Every parent has said these words at some point because of the bickering of their children in the back seat. These “back-seat battles” can ruin relationships and is one of the most common causes of deadly car accidents according to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812260 Why do people argue and fight in the car? It’s one of the most unsafe activities a family will ever face and doesn’t make any sense until you understand what is going on psychologically under the surface. More importantly, there are three words that can disarm or eliminate the conflict to protect both life and peace of mind. The largest source of family conflict in cars is bias. Every human has a way of looking at things shaped by their mindset which psychologist Daniel Kahneman won a Nobel prize describing. Dr. Kahneman researched to show how quic...

By Matt W. Sandford, LMHC So, I was driving into work today and I took some back roads so to speak. On the way a car in front of me had signaled to turn right and slowed down and then slowed all the way to a stop, without turning, so that they were sitting in the lane in front of me. I did what seemed wise, since no cars were coming and chose to go around them. But, as I went past the driver of this car became very upset at me and laid on his horn. He continued to stay there in the road and fumed at me as I went along up the road. It got me to wondering, “what the heck was that about?” I reviewed myself and could not think of how I had deeply offended him that would provoke this level of response. I have had my share of irate and rather crazy people on the road. I’ve had a young man get out of his car and threatened to fight me while I was pumping gas at a gas station. I’ve had a water bottle thrown at my car. I’ve had someone spit on my windshield. I’ve had a bike rider bang on...

By Aaron Welch, LMHC, NCC, CSOTS It’s that time. Yes, THAT time. The moment you have dreaded for years. It is time to teach your teenager how to drive. It is the time for you to step into two tons of glass, steel and plastic and hand the keys to someone who, fairly recently, needed you to tie their shoelaces for them. It is the time for digging your fingers into the car door, pushing a brake pedal that is not there, and using a paper bag to cope with hyperventilating. Yet someone, somewhere made up a rule that said a person with out-of-control hormones, a still-developing brain, and very poor impulse control should have the privilege of driving. All kidding aside, teaching teenagers the art of driving can be very anxiety-provoking for many parents. Because of this, learning to drive can also be very anxiety-provoking for many teens as well. That’s not so good because the last person I want to be on the road with is one who lacks confidence and has the anxiety lev...