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Coping With Change

 April, 2012

Quote of the month

 

"When we are 

no longer able 

to change a situation 

we are 

challenged to change 

ourselves."

  by Viktor E. Frankl, psychotherapist
 

My Services
 
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 YOU ARE WORTH THE EFFORT!! 

 

I welcome the opportunity to help you work through current issues and to look at your future with a sense of hope and purpose.

My 
Qualifications

Masters Degree - Applied Psychology from Seton Hall University

 

Post-Masters Degree-Marriage and Family Therapy from Seton Hall University

 

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

 

Private Practice 

since 2008

 

NJ work experience totaling 5 years

 

Married 23 years

 

Mother of 2 teenage daughters 

 

Lived in Indiana, 

New Jersey and Texas

 

Passionate about 

what I do

 

Greetings! 

 

Enjoy this article on the topic of change and above all, have patience with yourself and those around you as you tackle this ever-present part of life.

 

Tornados have recently affected the Dallas/Fort Worth area.  While you may or may not know anyone who was directly affected by them, please keep them in your thoughts and offer assistance to those in need if you can.


 

Sincerely,

 

Maryellen Dabal, MA, LMFT

Southlake Counseling & Neurofeedback Center

420 North Carroll Ave Suite 140

Southlake, TX 76092

817-876-9958  

maryellen@dabalmft.com

 

Missed previous newsletters??

Go to www.dabalmft.com.  Click on the newsletters link at the bottom of the home page. Enjoy.....

  

From The Positive Perspective.......

 

Change is always occurring, whether it is our body aging, our family growing, our environment being altered or our financial goals needing adjustment.  Some people handle change seamlessly and are equipped with the ability to "go with the flow" and transition very smoothly.  Others are not so lucky.  Change for them requires hard work and dedication to making that transition take place. Let's take a look at some factors that influence the differences in how we look at change.

 

Our family-of-origin can have a prominent effect on how we handle change.  Think of how change was dealt with when you were growing up.  Reflect on the guidance you received from adults involved in the change.  When you had to go to a new school were you given confidence to be who you were naturally and you would make friends easily or were you given stress about acting the right way so that you could find at least one good friend? Kids observe how adults approach change and believe me they understand more than we think they do.  They take those experiences and further develop them into their own lives.  So if you are a parent today, be mindful of how you approach change and the example you are showing your children.  They are watching.

 

Our perspective on life can also influence how we handle change.  Do you look at the glass as half empty or half full?  I have said many times in my articles and in session with my clients that I am a firm believer in the fact that we cannot always choose what happens to us, but we always have the ability to choose how we respond to what happens to us.  This philosophy came from Viktor E. Frankl, a psychotherapist whose ideas I admire very much.  His most popular books, Man's Search for Meaning and Man's Search for Ultimate Meaning are truly inspiring. How he survived being in a concentration camp and watching his family and friends die yet still being able to look at life positively is impressive.

 

Who we choose to surround ourselves with can also influence the way we look at change.  Having friends that possess qualities of being positive and relaxed about change can either reinforce your being able to feel the same way or even alter your negativity into something more positive. Take a look at who are your best friends and who are around you the most.  Do they look at life positively?  Do they support you and your ideas or are they negative and always looking at the "bummer" of every situation? Does something need to change there?

 

Of course, you're being able to accept change better cannot be possible without your awareness of how you currently handle change and your desire to want to alter that if it is not as positive as you want it to be. 

 

May you have a positive experience with life today and may you appreciate and share the gifts and talents that you possess.  

 

It helps to look at this from The Positive Perspective.....

Feedback
I welcome feedback regarding the newsletter or questions about my practice.  I can be reached at maryellen@dabalmft.com.  I cannot, however, give advice through email. For more information on my practice please visit my website: www.dabalmft.com

I wish you well...