Being there for your kids - Bummed Out?

Starting point is 00:00:04 Hi, I'm Dr. John Robinson, and this is Teachable Moments. Let me ask you something. Are there times when you feel bummed out? In today's world, so many things can feel overwhelming. Global conflict, national catastrophes, local trauma, all can add up to our sense of helplessness. But are we? Are we at the mercy of our surroundings? Of course, we may feel that way, but we don't have to be bummed out. Jeff began his psychotherapy with me about a month ago, at 45 years. old. He had been with his company for over 20 years. He started as an assistant payroll clerk

Starting point is 00:00:40 and rose to the top as a corporate accountant. His wife of 23 years, Julie, had been by his side through thick and thin. Their two children, now 17 and 19, were ready for college. The empty nest was looming. Jeff played off his growing depression, calling his therapy, just a tune-up for my mind. Now starting his fifth session with me, I used the beginning sessions to acquaint him with the components of mental and psychotherapy, which we call MPT. He also completed an extensive symptom questionnaire, the multimodal life history questionnaire, which gave us a foundation for his healing journey. Hey, Doc, he greeted me while following me from the waiting room to my office. How you doing? Now Jeff, I joked as he settled in, don't be stealing my lines. Jeff spent the first 30 minutes

Starting point is 00:01:28 of his session telling me the sources of his depression. I empathized and encouraged him with affective listening. After his pause, sensing that he was finished with what had gone wrong with his life, I offered a summary of his feelings and context, and then suggested, you know, Jeff, you've really got a handle on what's wrong in your life. Let's talk about what's right. Yeah, but Jeff started, but paused, looking confused. I then guided him through a mindfulness exercise. On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the most depressed you've ever felt, what number would you give yourself right now? Oh, probably a two, he concluded. I got to remember to be more mindful. Now, give me the one thing you remember from today that helped you sore. That one's easy.

Starting point is 00:02:14 My son hugged me and told me he loved me before going off to school. At 17, you know, that's pretty rare and special. So, make time to cherish those moments amidst your hectic days. I concluded the session by reviewing his list of gripes and noticing that his comments were peppered with negative extreme references. Between sessions, I challenged him to catch himself when a negative extreme escaped his mouth and replaced it with a modulated reference. I gave him a few examples, and he found modulating words for himself. In my new book, The Healing Journey, Overcoming Adversity on the Path of the Good Life, you can follow Jeff on his healing journey. Mindfulness, positive psychology, and cognitive behavioral strategies are the tools of mental intelligence psychotherapy that light the way

Starting point is 00:02:59 on your journey. Buy your copy on Amazonbooks.com. If my comments stir questions of your own, contact me through my website at www.org.com or email me at John Robinson 0.0.000 at bell-south. I'm Dr. Jonathan C. Robinson, licensed clinical psychologist and Christian author of Teachable Moments Building Blocks of Christian Parenting, and my new book, The Healing, The Healing, Overcoming Adversity on the Path of the Good Life. Blessings, Dr. John. Teachable Moments, Building Blocks of Christian Parenting, is available online at AmazonBooks.com and in local and national bookstores. More on Dr. Robinson at TMC-P-I-N-C.com.

Being there for your kids - Bummed Out?

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