Search Results for: Robert Firestone

The Ethics of Interpersonal Relationships

by Robert W. Firestone, Ph.D. Joyce Catlett, M.A. Forward by Jon Carson PsyD, Ed, ABPP. This work is an attempt to explain the source of destructive behavior and how it manifests itself in personal relationships between couples, families and in the social arena. It presents a position that offers a hope of altering the destiny of humankind’s unethical behavior. From the Authors’ Introduction ‘Our inspiration for writing this book springs from a d…

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Watch New Video on PsychAlive’s YouTube Channel

…PsychAlive has a new YouTube channel featuring videos from Dr. Daniel Siegel, Dr. Robert Firestone, Dr. Lisa Firestone and more! Visit us to explore issues of self, intimacy and parenting. Subscribe today!…

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Creating a Life of Meaning and Compassion: The Wisdom of Psychotherapy

by Robert W. Firestone, Ph.D. Lisa A. Firestone, Ph.D. Joyce Catlett, M.A. Creating a Life of Meaning and Compassion offers a compilation of therapeutic insights that are valuable in achieving a better way of living. It describes a unique experience in applied psychology whereby a group of individuals challenged a wide range of defensive behaviors and transformed their lives. The authors indicate how these insights can be applied by therapists in…

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How to Keep Your Marriage Close and Exciting

…his inclination toward form over substance is what psychologist Dr. Robert Firestone, refers to as the “fantasy bond.” This illusion of connection allows us to feel secure and attached to a person without having a real feeling of love for that person. We are less threatened by a “fantasy bond” then a real connection, as it allows us to feel that we are not alone or that we are taken care of, while diminishing the pain or vulnerability that comes w…

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Stop the Blame Game to Improve Your Relationship

…r a winner in these arguments. As my father psychologist and author Robert Firestone says, “You may win the battle, but you will lose the war.” Keep perspective on what’s important. If your goal is really to be close again, then sometimes it’s worth just dropping the past, putting down your guard, and simply being nice to each other. Unilateral disarmament can be a first step to getting back the easy and loving flow of feelings between you and you…

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Is Happiness Really Normal?

…s a defense against the inevitable pain of the human condition. Dr. Robert Firestone describes this condition in his blog “Life-Affirming Death Awareness:” Most people spend their lifetime without a great deal of self-awareness, living lives of emptiness and drudgery based on their early programming. They rarely reflect on their circumstances but rather are addicted to a lifestyle of form and routine. Few develop a life plan or project that gives…

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The Inner Voices Behind Violent Behavior

…iewing, and assessing violent individuals, along with my father Dr. Robert Firestone, I began to recognize certain “voices” (negative thought processes) that flood the minds of these individuals influencing them to engage in acts of violence. These “voices” aren’t experienced as hallucinations but rather are a systematic pattern of negative thoughts against to the self, and hostile and suspicious toward others. We call these destructive thoughts “…

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Why Domestic Violence Occurs and How to Stop It

…lusion of connection between a couple, what my father, psychologist Robert Firestone, has referred to as a “fantasy bond.” This dynamic feeds into a sense that another person can make you whole and is responsible for your happiness. These two dangerous belief systems set up an environment for abuse. While women are more likely to experience domestic violence, forms of abuse occur between all kinds of couples, whether of the opposite or same sex, m…

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All Hands on Deck: How We Can Help Someone Who’s Suicidal

…ves of a cruel, internalized enemy, what my father psychologist Dr. Robert Firestone has referred to as the “anti-self” or the “critical inner voice.” We all possess an “anti-self,” a self-destructive side that tells us we are worthless, undeserving, or even that we shouldn’t exist. We formed this anti-self out of negative early life experiences, painful or traumatic events, and destructive attitudes directed toward us that we internalized. This “…

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The Price of Being Strong: Risks to the Mental Health of Athletes

…estructive inner coach, what my father, psychologist and author Dr. Robert Firestone and I have come to refer to as the “critical inner voice.” This internal enemy preys on any vulnerability or perceived weakness, telling us that we are nothing, that we are different, that we are less than, undeserving, or alone. When athletes start to feel separated from the world, they may start to listen to and increasingly believe the commentary of this cruel…

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