…discuss the concept of the “critical inner voice,” a term my father Robert Firestone, Ph.D. and I use to describe a negative self-perception we carry with us in our minds. All of us possess this inner critic, but those of us who are traumatized may experience this “voice” as a deeply destructive and terrifying enemy whose attacks on us can feel crippling and constant and can lead to even life-threatening self-destructive behavior. When a person fe…
Learn More…Dr. Donald Meichenbaum and Dr. Lisa Firestone on Resilience…
Learn More
…nform the public about the warning signs of suicide. According to Dr. Lisa Firestone, the following self-destructive behaviors are prominent suicide warning signs: Disrupted Sleep: People who commit suicide often go days or weeks without sleeping. Isolation: A suicidal person pulls away from others, especially close friends and family. They spend more time alone and act as if they do not want to be around anyone. Loss of Interest: People at risk l…
Learn More
…to help. Fortunately, treatment is both available and effective. It can lead to increased resilience, emotional growth, and can even save a life. Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. —Join Dr. Firestone and Dr. Courtois for the Sept. 24 CE Webinar, “Complex Forms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” or the Sept. 10 free webinar for the public, “Understanding Trauma, from ‘Simple’ to ‘Complex.’” L…
Learn More
…ndividual, as outlined in my new book, co-authored by my father Dr. Robert Firestone and Joyce Catlett, The Self Under Siege: A Therapeutic Model for Differentiation. Individuals who are more differentiated, who are living their lives based on their own unique values and desires, are open to new experiences rather than tied to routine. They can think clearly and problem solve. They are proactive not victimized when faced with difficulties. They ta…
Learn More
…ng Webinars from PsychAlive. Read “Recognizing Complex Trauma” by Dr. Lisa Firestone About Christine Courtois, Ph.D. Christine A. Courtois, PhD, ABPP is a Psychologist in independent practice in Washington, DC where she is the principal of Courtois & Associates, PC. She received her PhD from the University of Maryland in College Park, in 1979. Dr. Courtois is immediate Past-President of Division 56 (Psychological Trauma) of the American Psychologi…
Learn More
…needs than those of our children. My father psychologist and author Robert Firestone often talks about the concept of emotional hunger versus love. In a book co-authored by my father and myself, The Self Under Siege, we describe emotional hunger as follows: Emotional hunger may be expressed in anxious over-concern, over-protection, living vicariously through one’s child, or an intense focus on appearances. Parents who behave in this manner exert a…
Learn More
…g’s book, In One Person, explores. After reading a recent blog by Dr. Lisa Firestone, Identity, Sexuality, and Societies Assault on the Self, which is an analysis of John Irving’s book, In One Person, I immediately began to reflect on the role that sexuality has played in my life and how my sexual identity has contributed to shaping me into the individual that I am. Sexual identity is fundamental to a persons overall sense of well-being, it is an…
Learn More
…s. Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice, a book I co-authored with Dr. Robert Firestone and Joyce Catlett, provides exercises for recognizing and overcoming this internal bully. Be Critical, Coddling, or Ignore Issues: We should always support our kids in new challenges. We can help by putting them in somewhat novel situations in which they’re slightly uncomfortable, but we’re there to back them up. We shouldn’t over-push them, leading them to feel a…
Learn More
…reasons, both personal and professional. For one thing, my father, Robert Firestone, has written extensively about the ambivalence inherent in every mother-daughter relationship. His descriptive accounts of the dynamics operating in the mother-daughter bond were published in Compassionate Child-Rearing (1990) and are explained in a chapter in our forthcoming book, co-authored by Joyce Catlett, The Self Under Siege: A Therapeutic Model for Differe…
Learn More