The Lifeworks Group, Inc.

By: Christine Hammond, LMHC, NCC David was the charismatic leader of a large not-for-profit organization which gave aid and care for the homeless. Over the past ten years, his organization, under his energetic leadership, grew substantially as donations increased, new shelters were formed, and thousands of people were assisted. On the surface, things seemed to above board and working well. But it wasn’t. Discretionary funds kept disappearing and despite the increase in donations and the efficiency of management, the organizations’ numbers were in the red. David called a board meeting and openly admitted to having a personal spending problem and laughingly brushed off the organization’s issues as people following his lead. When another board member during the meeting confronted David about another indiscretion of sexual harassment of a volunteer. David minimized it, teased the board member for being overly sensitive, and openly admitted his weakness for overspending an...

By: Dwight Bain, LMHC, NCC Roots of Resentment are fueled by Trying Want fewer conflicts with your family? Stop the subtle ‘lies’ that hurt feelings.  That’s what a counselor told me the first year Sheila and I were married. Stop trying and start doing. I think he was borrowing a quote from Master Yoda in the Star Wars film who said, “Do or Do not. There is no Try.”  Tried it. It worked and that’s when I learned the secret to resolve needless conflict. “Trying is Lying. Only Doing builds Trust.” When we say the word “Try” it doesn’t mean much. Consider these popular phrases: I am going to try to - Lose the weight Quit smoking Get more sleep Be on time Pay off the credit card this month Watch less TV and read more Spend less time on Facebook And my #1 favorite… “I’m going to try to get to the gym.” Behavior is based on belief. What we believe pulls us toward action. It’s very powerful. Until you really believe something you c...

By: Christine Hammond, LMHC, NCC “I hate him, with every fiber of my being, I hate him,” Marie said as she looked back on her day. “But while I hate him for this moment, I won’t let the hate linger because I’m not going to give him that power over me.” After years of silence, her bio dad sent a package of weight loss tea to her work. It was his way of saying, “Happy Mother’s Day, I see you. I’m watching you. You need to lose weight.” This was not the first package of its kind. Over the 30 years of no contact, he would periodically send Marie a newspaper clipping, an article, or random note all with the same weight loss message. Marie knew it wasn’t about her weight, it was his way of sparking insecurity, disapproval, and paranoia in her. He did this to get her back for the years of distance. The packages almost always followed shortly after her brother, who kept limited contact, would have a visit with him. It took Marie years to unpack the damage his pathology d...