In my last blog, I introduced the concept of validation which is about hearing and understanding another person and letting them know that you get it. We do not have to agree with someone to validate them and we do not want to validate the invalid. For example: If someone felt so angry they punched a hole in the wall, I would not validate the action of punching the hole in the wall, I would validate the fact that the person was angry. When at a loss for how/what to validate in a situation, try to identify the emotion or feeling someone is experiencing and validate this. Emotions are always valid, what we do with them may or may not be valid.
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At points in all of our lives, we find ourselves feeling as though other people do not hear or understand us. This can be hugely frustrating and lead to a breakdown in communication where neither side feels as though they are being recognized. In these instances, validation can be incredibly helpful. Below are some skills to help you let people know that you care and are listening, which helps them listen better to you in return.
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Teens are notorious for testing boundaries and questioning everything their parents tell them. Gone are the days when a little reverse psychology or the old “Guess you aren’t big enough yet...” routine could get them to eat their greens or brush their teeth. Now, they are moody, irritable, nap during the day, and have little interest in getting tasks done on our timeline. My goal for this post is to highlight some possible causes for oppositional behaviors in teens, as well as some ways to approach their defiance differently.
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Our relationships with loved ones can be some of our main sources of joy, connection, inspiration, and even healing. However, I think many of us can agree that relationships often can incite tension, communication challenges, and general emotional difficulty. Relationships need to be nourished, and effective communication is a skill set that takes practice and effort. Here are three principles to improve and maintain quality interaction in your close relationships.
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