Being there for your kids - Positivity as a Source of Healing

Episode Date: October 9, 2026

Do you typically find yourself bogged down in what's wrong? Or are you in search of what's right in your life. Focusing on the positive can make a huge difference in affect, activity, and accomplishment. Amanda's healing journey from stuck in depression to soaring in positivity is chronicled in my new book, The Healing Journey: Overcoming Adversity on the Path to the Good Life. Buy your copy at amazonbooks.com. Follow this link: https://a.co/d/0dxH5xOL. Blessings, Dr. Jon

I'm Dr. John Robinson, and this is Teachable Moments. Let me ask you something. How often do you focus on the positive? It's easy to get bogged down on the negative. That's the actual definition of being stuck. That old Broadway song, Accentuate the Positive, comes to mind when I'm helping a patient get unstuck. Most initial therapy sessions start with a patient laying out all of what's wrong with her. Most people come into therapy wanting to be fixed.

Good luck with that. My experience shows me that with fixing comes a lot of leaking and thus more stuckness. With mental and psychotherapy, that is, MPT, after active listening, your patients stuck what's wrong with me discourse, you want to challenge her to answer your question. Thank you for helping me understand all that you've been through. Now, can you tell me what's right with you? Some patients will be put off by your directness. This is because MPT takes patients in another direction toward the healing process.

focusing on the negative increases her pain and hasn't worked for her in the past. Challenge her to adopt a new perspective, focusing on the positive. So, Amanda, how long have you had symptoms of depression? It was Amanda's first session with me and I wanted a baseline. Like, forever, she sulked, slanting her eyes toward me. Really? Wow, that's a long time. I paused to consider my words. Do you remember a time in your now 26 years when you were not depressed?

Well, yeah, well, not exactly. I guess I wasn't depressed before my daddy died when I was five. Ah, you're a daddy's girl. He used to tell me that he loved me to the moon and back. Amanda's features softened with the memory, and she smiled. So, you can think about your daddy and his love, and you get just a glimmer of happy, even now that you thought you had lost forever.

Of course, but then life comes crashing down around me, and I'm depressed again. But even now, you do have good days and bad days, right? I guess, Amanda hesitated, not sure. Tell you what, close your eyes and take a deep breath for me just for a moment. Just try the breath as a focus to relax. I want to help you remember something of a good day for you from this past week. Amanda followed my encouragement.

Anything come to mind? She was still for a short while before letting out a soft breath. I made it to work on time a couple days ago. That doesn't happen much. My boss told me, good job. She opened her eyes. Okay, good job from me as well. Tell you what,

can you take this coming week and log in your therapy notebook the moments each day that you felt good for me? Amanda came back the following week feeling proud of her completed behavioral prescription. Such seemingly little things can turn therapy momentum from feeling stuck towards soaring on your healing journey.

For more of Amanda's story, by my new book, The Healing Journey, Overcoming Adversity on the Path of the Good Life at amazonbooks.com. If my comments, stir questions of your own, contact me through my website at www.org, thereformykids.com, or email me at John Robinson,000 at bellsouth.net. I'm Dr. Jonathan C. Robinson, licensed clinical psychologist and author of Teachable Moments, building blocks of Christian parenting, and my new book, The Healing Journey, 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.