Blog

Abandonment feelings can be some of the most difficult emotions to bear. The sense of isolation, loneliness, hurt, rage and hopelessness that often present with abandonment feelings make the experience even more daunting and excruciating. No wonder so many of us run around trying to avoid acknowledging or experiencing abandonment feelings in their full force. Where do abandonment feelings come from? Abandonment feelings typically have their origin early in life when caregivers (usually our parents) fail[...]

I cant recall how many times I've heard friends, relatives and work colleagues ponder whether their partner, parents or children really love them. Love is such a complex topic but essentially we are all looking for it in different parts of our lives and experience different sorts of love with our partners, children, parents, relatives and friends. I don't feel loved by those around me However, even if we are lucky enough to be surrounded by people who do love us, it is sometimes very difficult to accept[...]

Most people have either experienced depression or know somebody who has. There are two or three subtypes of depression that are well known and represented in the DSM V. They include major depressive disorder, bipolar and dysthymia. However there are two further but less well known types of depression that evolved from psychoanalytic theory, anaclitic and introjective depression Anaclitic depression Anaclitic depression arises from the unresolved losses around interpersonal relationships. The loss usu[...]

Easter and Passover are around the corner. While families across the world are making plans for reunions and celebrations to honour these important cultural events, for those in therapy it can also involve taking a break from sessions. Therapy holidays are often very difficult to manage and provoke all sorts of issues concerning attachment, abandonment, dependency, shame, loneliness and isolation. Many people who attend therapy experience interpersonal [...]

It is expected that as we age, there will be changes in our erection function. The Viagra Web site claims that half of all men between the ages of 40 and 70 experience at least occasional erectile dysfunction symptoms. For gay (and straight) men these changes are often anything but acceptable. It’s very usual for part of a gay (or straight) man's self-esteem to be bound up in his sexual 'performance'. When we notice even a small change, it results in bein[...]

Life is a journey of learning. And it is more so in the rapidly unfolding and very intense years of childhood, when most of the knowledge we use as adults is gained. Learning to walk, run, draw, write and count and many other abilities, together with mastering our own feelings and emotions and using them all in our social encounters as adults, are continually practiced since childhood. Unfortunately, some of - if not all - our fears have also been with us since our childhood.[...]

Please digitally sign this petition to support a campaign to private health insurance companies designed to level the playing field for mental health practitioners of various ilk’s, by importantly providing greater rebates and access to people seeking counselling and psychotherapy services. Introduction In September 2012 the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australi[...]