Surviving and Thriving After Trauma With a Partner's Support - BlogTalk Radio Show Tonight 2/27 8:30 PM EST

Don't miss my next BTR episode, "Surviving and Thriving After Trauma With A Partner's Support"
I'll be co-hosting with Michele Rosenthal, PTSD specialist and author of the critically acclaimed PTSD recovery book, Before The World Intruded.

We'll be discussing Michel's personal journey through trauma, and focusing on the strategies she used to help her overcome PTSD. We'll also be exploring the appropriate expectations and roles for partners in this process.

Call in toll-free 877-497-9046 at 8:30 PM EST to just listen, or to join us on the air with questions or comments.

Hope you can join us!

Tucking In

Have you ever spent a weekend in solitude, tucked in doing various kinds of self care? If not, I'd recommend that you try it sometime, especially if your daily life / work involves intense contact with lots of people, (like my work as a psychotherapist).

I seem to spend one weekend in an extroverted mode, going places and doing things which involve a lot of social contact, then the next weekend living like a hermit, attending to the long personal "to do" list. This weekend I barely went outdoors, except for a few hot tubs, and an excursion to bring out the garbage! Instead, I tucked in yesterday during the snow, reading and writing in front of a roaring fire, cooking, doing book work, having a lovely workout in my gym, and visiting briefly with family when they were here. I thought about going for a snowshoe hike, but that seemed like too much work in the wind and the cold.

Today was equally lovely - up late, a long, Pilates workout, writing letters, answering emails, doing laundry, petting the cat, and just hanging out!

If you can overcome some negative self-talk about behaving like a sloth, the whole idea of slowing down and "going internal" can be absolutely delicious. Everything in our world is geared to rushing around and packing multiple things into a "productive" day. I find it oppressive at times. I'd definitely recommend reconnecting with yourself in a quiet, caring way, with some regularity. Just remember to brush your teeth and get some exercise, and you'll be fine....... ;-)

PS.  For a fun read all about communication tools and skills, you can now buy a copy of my new workbook "Communication Problems Gone With Simple 5 Minute Fixes" available exclusively on the Store page of my website at: http://wp.me/P1ayQF-yV

Here Comes The Snow!

So far, about ten inches of fluffy white snow, lots of wind, freezing temperature, but the power is still on! Life in New England is never boring. Here we all sit, tucked in, waiting for at least another 1 1/2 feet of snow during the blizzard of 2013 as Spring is supposedly around the corner.

My brother-in-law Joe says, "Move to Florida and have other things to talk about except the unpredictable weather! Enjoy 80 degree sunshine almost every day!"
I say, "How boring! We love our tumultuous weather, and our ritual hand-wringing about shoveling, freezing our butts, losing our power, and cherishing our generators! Besides, if I moved to Florida, I'd be surrounded by traffic, people and buildings everywhere! We're New Englanders! We love our mountains, our forests, our ocean, our countryside, our changing seasons, our history, our lobster, our accents, our fireplaces, our N'oreasters, and even our "almost Spring blizzards"!

(Now, this weekend as my family heads up to Sunday River to tackle the slopes covered with a fresh two feet of snow, hopefully my adventurous spirit will prevail, I won't have heart failure being back on skis for the first time in ten years since my knee gave out, and I'll remember my own speech about how lovely it is to be wild in New England)......

Here's to the white stuff,
Susan Lager
PS.  Don't forget to get an early copy of my new book, "Become Relationship Smart Without A Lifetime of Therapy." I think you'll really like it! It's available on Amazon at: http://amzn.to/WBK83q

My new book is out! "Become Relationship Smart Without A Lifetime Of Therapy"

I am delighted to announce that FINALLY my new workbook, "Become Relationship Smart Without A Lifetime of Therapy" has been published and is available as a paperback on Amazon! It's a goldmine of tools and skills necessary for you to do better in any relationship. If I do say so myself, I think you'll LOVE it! (I do). Enjoy!

You can purchase it now on my CreateSpace eStore at: https://www.createspace.com/4077013

Or, you can get it on Amazon at: http://amzn.to/WBK83q

"Be A Better Partner With Self Awareness" BlogTalk Radio Show Using My New Book!

Tune into my BlogTalk Radio show, "Be A Better Partner With Self Awareness," Wednesday, January 30th at 8:30 PM EST. Call in toll-free 877-497-9046 to just listen or join me live on the air.

In this episode I'll explore the issue of how knowing one's own hangups can vastly improve any relationship.
Using some key tools from my newest workbook "Become Relationship Smart Without A Lifetime Of Therapy," I'll shares some vital questions we all must ask ourselves in order to be more conscious and loving in our partnerships. To get the book as a guide, go to: http://amzn.to/WBK83q

Don't miss this episode if you want to get a first peek at some of the simple, but very important questions you must start asking yourself to have happier relationships!

Down With The Flu

This photo tells it all. It's the way I've been feeling for the last two days, and that, even after a Flu shot!
What a shame with such grand plans for a weekend x-country skiing on an idyllic farm in Southern Maine! Four inches of packed powder, new snow on its way, and here I am, blowing my nose, sleeping all day and night, and thankful for my ability to keep down tea and chicken soup!

When we get sick, it feels horrible, but the bright side is that it forces people like me to SLOW DOWN,
WAY DOWN, and reevaluate how critical our ambitious little plans are in the big scheme of things.
It also gives our partners opportunities to nurture us with "holding down the fort," (dishes, laundry, shopping), as well as providing us with comforting remedies like Ginger ale, flu medicines, and in my husband's case, a big pot of chicken soup he learned how to make on his own!

So before the fever breaks, I think I'll take it all in and try to flow with the state of sloth, knowing it only comes around once in a few years!

Down With The Flu