The Lifeworks Group, Inc.

Brian M. Murray, M.S., IMH A nightmare scenario for a parent can be the day they discover their teenager is using drugs. Upon this discovery the parent will often question themselves as to how this happened and may even begin to question their parenting skills. One of the best things a parent can do is to equip themselves with knowledge of what teen drug use looks like. If a teen is caught using drugs know that there are several factors involved with them using. Teenage years are often a time of exploration, hormonal changes and what psychologist Erik Erikson in his psychosocial stages of development identifies as identity versus role confusion. They are trying to figure out the world, who they are and their place in it. Drug use is often best resolved if it is treated like an open wound. Find out what they are medicating. What kind of life situational issues are they trying to resolve through the use of drugs? Sometimes it is simply a choice. Like any adult who suffers fr...

By Chris Hammond, IMH, MS Spend some time in a nursing home and you will come across two very general types of elderly people: ones who are still happy and others who are still miserable.   If you listen to their stories, both sets have had their fair share of life tragedies, health problems, loss of loved ones, wars, disappointments, and successes.   Yet one group walks away with a sense of having lived life well despite all of the tragedies and the other with regret despite any successes.   How can this be? Erik Erikson defines the last of his eight psychosocial development stage as Integrity vs. Despair which begins around age sixty-five till death.   The outcome of the previous seven stages sets the standard for this last stage in life as a person who has progressed well in previous stages will most likely end well.   When a person ages, their ability to moderate thoughts, feelings and emotions diminishes so good habits that were formed earlier te...