New blog articles include:

"Couples in Crisis: How Couple Therapy Mitigates Stubborn Psychological Defenses"

"A New Challenge in Anger Management: The Rise of Narcissistic Rage"

Also, please go to the Relationship Unconscious website to view the library of podcast episodes and group seminar recordings currently available.

The Men's Group Seminar: Adam Phillips "On Being Too Much for Ourselves" and "Why a Capacity for Boredom Is Essential for a Full Life"

10:15 to 11:30 AM

Adam Phillips is a British psychoanalyst and writer whose most well-known books include On Kissing, Tickling, and Being Bored: Psychoanalytic Essays on the Unexamined Life  (1993), On Flirtation: Psychoanalytic Essays on the Uncommitted Life  (1994), Promises, Promises  (2000), On Balance  (2010) and, most recently, Attention Seeking  (2019). His particular interest and skill centers on applying Freud's ideas to modern dilemmas in a way that is both unexpected and insightful.  In the next meeting of the Men's Group Seminar on Saturday, January 4, 2020 (10:15 to 11:30 AM), we will review segments from two of his works. "On Being Too Much for Ourselves" addresses how early child development organizes a view of ourselves, and ourselves in relation to others, as being "excessive"; for Phillips, this occurrence is responsible for our tendency to be self-critical. A YouTube presentation of "On Being Too Much" is available. "Why a Capacity for Boredom Is Essential for a Full Life" offers a unique perspective on the origins of our departure from the here and now.

On December 21, 2019, the Men's Group Seminar discussed Mark Manson's article "The 3 Paradoxes of Life." We also considered other writers' attempts at understanding and managing life's paradoxes.

The Relationship Group Seminar: Q and A / Open Discussion

11:45 AM to 1:00 PM

The Relationship Group Seminar has addressed a wide variety of issues related to romantic love in recent years.  In our next meeting on Saturday, January 4, 2020 (11:45 AM to 1:00 PM), there will be no theme or topic; instead, we will have a Q and A/open discussion. Participants are invited to come with their questions about any aspect of relationships and I will attempt to formulate meaningful responses as best as I can. The issues brought up may also be useful for other participants to react to and comment on. For those who plan on attending, please prepare at least one question or issue you would like to have addressed. The last time we did a Q and A, over a year ago, inquiries were made about codependence, partner selection, breakup trauma, personality dysfunction, boundaries, narcissism, family-of-origin dynamics, and self-esteem.

In the last meeting of the Relationship Group seminar on December 21, 2019, our focus was on heartbreak.

The Dynamic Psychotherapy Process Group

 1:15 to 2:30 PM

This therapy group utilizes the emerging dynamics among group members, and between the group members and facilitator, as a basis from which to examine one's characteristic ways of thinking, feeling, and relating to others.  Our next group session will be on Saturday, January 4, 2020 (1:15 to 2:30 PM) at the Laguna Hills office location. T he Dynamic Psychotherapy Process Group is a therapeutic experience and entry occurs only after a pre-group screening interview.