The Dating and Relationship Group: What is Codependence?
Codependence is a substantive condition which negatively impacts many domains of functioning, including the capacity to form and maintain healthy intimate relationships. Although quite popularized, codependency is frequently misunderstood and erroneously characterized.
In the next meeting of the Dating and Relationship Group on Saturday, December 19, 2015, 12:00 to 1:15 PM noon, I will present a contemporary definition of codependence and specify its formation in the attachment relationship with primary caregivers within the culture of the family of origin. Also, I will describe how codependence and narcissism may be viewed as two sides of the same coin in terms of their being corollary styles of adaptation that gain momentum throughout development. Finally, Ross Rosenberg's model for overcoming codependency will be introduced as an important resource for those in attendance to help overcome codependent patterns.
The Men's Group:
The Repetition Compulsion
One of Freud's major discoveries, the repetition compulsion was depicted as the explanatory framework for why people seem destined to embed themselves in similar dissatisfying situations and relationships over and over again. There is now emerging research in neuropsychology which provides scientific evidence for the concept of "destiny" and the pull toward negative experience many persons often feel helpless to defend against.
In the next meeting of the Men's Group on Saturday, December 19, 2015, 10:45 AM to 12:00 PM noon, I will describe repetition compulsion, specifically the unconscious processes that lead us to find and engage with what registers as familiar. Freud's remarkable comment "We are doomed to repeat what we do not remember" will be considered in this context. If we can "remember," as Freud indicated, we can opt out of negative situations and break the patterns that haunt us. While this is indeed hopeful, the reality of the repetition compulsion suggests a more sobering conclusion which I will enumerate.
To register for the December 19th meetings of the Men's Group and the Dating and Relationship Group:If you would like to attend the Men's Group (10:45 AM to 12:00 PM noon) and/or the Dating and Relationship Group (12:00 to 1:15 PM) on Saturday, December 19, please RSVP ASAP to Dr. Tobin at 949-338-4388 or [email protected]. There is a limit of 14 attendees for each group and registrants will be accommodated on a first-come/first-serve basis. The fee is $25.00 and the location is The Water Garden Business Center, 23421 South Pointe Drive, Suite 130, Laguna Hills, CA, 92653. Please note that these groups are educational in purpose, not therapeutic.
