A Typical Couple’s Intake
The following is a dramatization – no real persons were depicted or harmed “I don’t know why we are going here. We can handle things on our own,” says the husband as the wife drives them into the parking lot. “I’ve tried, you haven’t, and things are not changing. We need help and that’s why we’re here,” the wife replies as she parks the car and opens her door. “Now, I’m going in...Learn More
Top 10 Relationship Mistakes
Relationships take work and if you don’t know the proper skills, it can be easy to fall into the usual pitfalls that I have fallen into so many times in my life. I guess through all my mistakes I am well aware of the most common mistakes people make. Now, this is not the full list by any means. This is why thousands of books on this subject have been written. It is always advised to attend...Learn More
Continuing Education
Continuing coursework is crucial for people working in the mental health field. For me personally, I get bored presenting the same information over and over again, so I am always in search of information and techniques that grab my attention. To be honest, I get pretty giddy when something comes along that intuitively I know will be of great help. Sometimes I review approaches or periodicals...Learn More
Holiday Greetings
Basic Steps Mental Health is about to enter our seventh year of providing services to people in the Mukilteo and surrounding areas. We wanted to take this time to thank you for being a valued client and sharing the valuable information you have learned with loved ones. The holidays are a special time to share your heart with yourself, family, and wonderful friends. We hope that our time...Learn More
Expectations
Relationships are complex. Two people from two different backgrounds and two different life experiences are suddenly thrust into each other’s world and if you don’t know how to be in close quarters with somebody, things can get out of hand. Now, if you suffered trauma in the past, intimacy can be very difficult because it is natural for a part inside of you to be on guard, fearing that it...Learn More
Conscious Relationships
I guess if you’ve made all the mistakes in relationships, you would be a good guide for people that are struggling. Almost marrying four times, living with partners for years, and raising a child have given me an interesting perspective on couple’s therapy. I’ve learned that there are four major elements in making a relationship successful, or in my case – manageable. Communication – If...Learn More
Valentine’s Day – A Make it or Break it?
Did this past Valentine’s day make or break your relationship? This is a pivotal day for people in relationships because you will discover the actual state the partnership is in. If problems exist, they won’t go away on their own, work needs to be done and not on your partner but on you. This is because the health of your relationship reflects the relationship you have with yourself. If you...Learn More
Are you Addicted to Being Right?
Are you addicted to being right? Is it important for you to win? It is important to understand that when one person is right or wins, another person is wrong and loses. Having to be right and win all of the time is the downfall of meaningful relationships. We refer to these as Transactional relationships. In Transactional relationships failure is eminent. Transactional Relationships For many...Learn More
Family Therapy – When a Family Member is Sick
When a family member is sick it puts the whole family system out of balance. The good news is – this can be used as an opportunity for the entire family to heal. In this article, we take a look at Family Therapy. They believe that when somebody is sick the family is looked upon as being in need of repair. The system doesn’t only refer to your family, it can refer to as the relationships...Learn More