Search Results for: Robert Firestone

creating a life of meaning

Creating a Life of Meaning and Compassion: Part I

…ad Creating a Life of Meaning and Compassion written by my husband, Robert Firestone. In the first chapter, he discusses goals and qualities for creating a meaningful life. I found these suggestions to be helpful and heartening, and thought it would be valuable to share them on my blog, especially now when life is throwing us a curve ball. I will discuss the first 4 qualities in this blog, and the last 4 in a blog later this month. There is no rig…

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Creating a Life of Meaning and Compassion: Part 2

…in Creating a Life of Meaning and Compassion written by my husband, Robert Firestone. In his words, “If the good life is fundamentally one in which we fully develop our human potentialities, describing these potentialities is central to our understanding of how to proceed.” This blog explains the last four of the eight human qualities that Robert presented in his book: the desire for social affiliation the ability to set goals and develop strategi…

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Aging and Positive Psychology: Biological, Cognitive, Personality, Health, and Clinical Issues

…D., consider challenging life transitions for Baby Boomers. Sexologist Dr. Robert Birch shares his 30+ years of clinical experience as a sex therapist and discusses how to foster a fulfilling sex life for Boomers and seniors. John Erickson is a visionary who revolutionized retirement living, founded Retirement Living Television network (the only cable TV network devoted to seniors), and has developed remarkably effective medical services for senio…

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Aging and Positive Psychology: Biological, Cognitive, Personality, Health, and Clinical Issues

…D., consider challenging life transitions for Baby Boomers. Sexologist Dr. Robert Birch shares his 30+ years of clinical experience as a sex therapist and discusses how to foster a fulfilling sex life for Boomers and seniors. John Erickson is a visionary who revolutionized retirement living, founded Retirement Living Television network (the only cable TV network devoted to seniors), and has developed remarkably effective medical services for senio…

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The Real Reason You’re Not Married

…interpersonal relationships, both I and my father, psychologist and author Robert Firestone, Ph.D., have closely followed hundreds of clients and case studies of couples. In our research we have found overwhelming consistency in certain behavioral patterns that systematically sabotage real intimacy. First off, the search for a partner to whom we feel a real attraction and deep connection is a challenge that it would be foolish to underestimate. Th…

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Sabotage You

…. The Critical Inner Voice, a concept generated by my father, psychologist Robert Firestone, is formed early in life during stressful and traumatic events. Just as positive childhood experiences lead to confidence, ability and optimism, negative experiences lead us to low self-esteem, self-destructive behaviors and pessimism. The Critical Inner Voice thus describes a dynamic operating within each of us that causes us to relive rather than live our…

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Why Are We Hooked on Rejection?

…don’t want to be with us romantically? My father, psychologist and author Robert Firestone, recently commented, “It’s amazing how people will suck the marrow out of rejection.” While most of us like to think that all we want is true love, the reality is, many of us are addicted to rejection. Rejection validates the negative point of view of what my father calls a “critical inner voice.” This “voice” represents an internal enemy shaped out of nega…

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The Critical Inner Voice

Evicting the "Obnoxious Roommate" In Your Head

…ssed by the parallels between Arianna’s inspiring message and my father’s, Robert Firestone, and my own 30 years of research into the concept of the “critical inner voice.” Like the “obnoxious roommate” described by Arianna, the inner voice represents an internalized critic that we all possess to varying degrees. Although this isn’t an actual voice we hear, the critical inner voice describes destructive thoughts we all experience toward ourselves,…

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Parents and Self-esteem

Your Child’s Self Esteem Starts With You

…ir self-perception, and helps them to develop what my father, psychologist Robert Firestone, and I have defined as the “Self-System.” The Self System describes the unique make-up of the individual that exists inherently, which is then informed by a harmonious identification with and incorporation of a parent’s positive attitudes and traits. When parents feel good about themselves, they are much better able to extend this positive sense of self to…

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Why Are You Avoiding Intimacy?

…other level our defenses are being threatened. According to my father, Dr. Robert Firestone, author of Fear of Intimacy, there are many reasons our fears around relationships get ignited, but here are five primary sources.   1. Real love makes us feel vulnerable. Stepping into the unknown (especially something that makes us feel different about ourselves) can be inherently frightening.   2. New love stirs up past hurts. Sadly, being loved in a way…

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