With the festive season fast approaching opportunities for social situations increase. End of year work parties, Christmas parties, New Year’s Eve celebrations and summer BBQs - the list goes on! Whilst many people look forward to these events, there are also many who dread them. Social events can trigger anxiety for some people, especially those who are prone to being very shy.

Dr Sue Johnson and Dr Edward Tronick outline the fascinating parallel between the disconnection of a parent and child as being similar to that of disconnection which occurs in romantic relationships. Dr Johnson says "the drama of romantic bonding is an adult version of the bond between parent and child."

So what is self-compassion? Self-compassion involves extending the same level of respect and kindness in our communication with ourselves as we would to a good friend. Dr Kirstin Neff is a leading researcher on self-compassion, who suggests that we should be striving to increase self-compassion rather than self-esteem if we are to lead happy healthy productive lives. 

Anxiety is a normal emotional state that we feel due to our bodies inbuilt flight or fight response. When there is a threat, whether it be real or imagined, we are programmed to feel anxiety to alert us to danger. This is super helpful when there is a real threat! But, not so helpful when it is an imagined threat. Some people may be genetically predisposed to being more anxious and sensitive types of people, for others stressful life circumstances can create feelings of anxiety. If anxiety becomes a common response to everyday life it can become overwhelming and may possibly lead to longer term mental health concerns.

Conflict in all types of relationships is absolutely inevitable. Yet it is the main issue behind relationship dissatisfaction. So, how do we get rid of this issue?

Well, we actually don’t!

In line with the changes in our culture, recent research has begun to examine the effects of relationships on our health, both mental and physical. Our current culture no longer focuses on ‘just’ being in a relationship for social standing – we now engage in relationships to feel attachment and supported by another. And while many relationships have ups and downs (and this is normal), chronic unsupportive relationships have been shown to be associated with a range of negative effects.

Winter is associated with shorter days, less sunlight, rain, and low temperatures. Unsurprisingly, many Australian’s feel a general mood downturn during these months, often reporting feeling flat and lethargic. So why may this be?

Despite common beliefs, we wish we could tell you that we are mind readers!
Psychologists are highly trained mental health practitioners that employ evidence-based practice to treat individuals and couples in a variety of circumstances.