"5 Foolproof Ways to Ruin Your Holidays" on 12/14/16 8:30 PM BlogTalk Radio

Don't miss my next 25 minute BlogTalk Radio episode on Wednesday, December 14th at 8:30 PM EST

If you've been telling yourself a story about all the stresses, expenses, difficult relatives, ridiculous gifts, cards to send, the hassles of putting up and decorating the tree, Chanukah forgotten, cleaning the house, making flights on time, too much eating and drinking, getting too fat, cleaning up the house, no time for anything, then this episode is for you!

I'll give you 5 sure methods to make all the negative spin come true, individually, and as a couple. Enough chirpy info about how to do better! Let's look at how you can SABOTAGE any fun, joy or meaning!

Tune into www.BlogTalkRadio.com/SusanLager for live streaming, or for the recorded episode afterward, OR to join me live on the air with your own Grinch stories or ideas call into the studio at: 877-497-9046  I'd love to make it a conversation!

 

 

The Couch Caper and the Curse of Self Doubt

My trusty old couch

It was finally time after almost ten years, for me to part ways with my trusty old office couch. It was beautiful and comfy, but badly soiled and worn, as you can see, after being the repository for thousands of hours of client's struggles and triumphs. Oh, the stories this tired old couch had heard!

I'd spent months noticing how the cushions were getting more frayed and soiled, obsessing about whether I should have it re-upholstered, (and how would I ever do that?), or to just let it go, hopefully to a new home. Back and forth, decided and undecided I remained for months and months. Now the issue was less about the condition of the couch but my lack of confidence about the "right" decision!

I finally pulled the trigger, after days of measuring and re-measuring, (I'd bought a couch in the past I had to return because they couldn't get it in the door!) I found what I thought was a perfect replacement and made plans for the Salvation Army to pick up the old couch.  Before they arrived I was caught in yet another wave of self doubt: Did I measure correctly? Would it fit? Would the new one match or be comfortable enough? Did I really do my homework diligently about all this? Was it fair to just discard a couch that had served my clients and me so faithfully? (Does this kind of self-doubt feel familiar to you?) After several agonizing hours I decided to try to trust my perceptions and diligence, and move forward.  Unfortunately, I wasn't rewarded for the moment of decisiveness when the Salvation Army rejected the donation - "too worn." With the new one arriving the next day, should I keep the old couch if I had nowhere else to put it? More indecision, and I'm the therapist?

I finally broke the bad trance, deciding this issue wasn't about world peace, and that I should try to trust my perceptions, as I'm usually a very thorough person. Worst case scenario, I'd have two couches, one parked in the waiting room, and a new one in my office. I put a "free couch" sign on the old one, and within an hour a mother took down my number, exclaiming how perfect this old couch would be for her son who was moving into his own apartment. He wouldn't be put off by the optics of it, but would love the functionality, especially since it was a full size sleeper as well. Long story short, the new couch arrived the next day, fit perfectly in my office and looks beautiful, and the kid came the next day to pick up his new treasure.

I can only guess what fun he and his roommates will have, throwing down beers, imagining the therapy dramas his new couch holds. Hopefully, he won't doubt his own decision to give the old girl a new home just because she's a little worn out. And hopefully, next time I won't invite the curse of self doubt into what could be an exciting decision. Maybe? Maybe not.......

Tune into the Professionals Radio Network Wed. 11/30 3:00 for My Eight Minute Podcast!

Wanna find out more about my work at The Couples Center and how I came into this compelling profession? (My bizarre initial "inspiration"?). Then tune into the Professionals Radio Network on Wednesday, 11/30 at 3:00 for a live eight minute podcast at: http://bit.ly/2fiz1Mt              

It should be fun. Hope you can listen in!

Be a Happier Couple with EFT. Learn About it from the Experts on BlogTalk Radio 11/16 8:30 PM EDT

Have a happier marriage when you harness the tools of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Learn from the experts all about this powerful form of brief treatment aimed at helping couples transform their interactions from anger and distancing to connection and deeper understanding.

Tune into BlogTalk Radio Wednesday, 11/16/16 at 8:30 PM EDT at: http://tobtr.com/s/9608805 to catch the podcast live streaming, or listen to it afterward at your convenience.  Even better, call into the studio live with your questions or comments at 877-497-9046.  Hope you can join us!

"How Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Can Transform Your Marriage" podcast on BTR Wed., 11/16 8:30 PM EDT

Learn about Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), for couples in a special 45 minutes BlogTalk Radio episode on Wednesday, November 16th at 8:30 PM EDT at www.BlogTalkRadio.com/Susan Lager.  I'll co-host with Jill Fischer of www.Positive Couples.com, the major New England trainer of EFT, and Naomi Rather, of www.RatherCounseling.com, a therapist doing this work with amazing success in Newington, NH.

Find out how this brief treatment can not only save, but also transform your marriage. Call in live with questions or comments at 877-497-9046. We'd all love to have you join us!

OMG! I have Election Stress Disorder!

Just when I thought all the years of therapy had finally done their magic, and that I'd be free at last, I discover that my fatigue, nail biting,  cynicism, and catastrophic thoughts about the future aren't related to my crazy family upbringing, but about NOW, 2016 with this psycho election! The fact that I'm glued to the TV set, watching the pundits fight about whose crimes are worse, who's a wuss, who's really a psychothopathic liar, who's fingers should be on the nuclear codes, is not because I'm a glutton for punishment, but all manifestations of my new diagnosis: Election Stress Disorder! AND, to make matters worse, I am apparently in good company with half the planet!

As a psychotherapist always keyed into actionable, positive change attitudes and behaviors, this one really stumps me. How do we all feel more hopeful and impactful when every day new dirt gets dug up on our candidates of "choice," with Russia and Wikileaks playing their hand in events as well? This is a paranoid's wet dream! One candidate is clearly a Neanderthal, the other cast as a disingenuous double talker. And, speaking of double talk, no one ever answers a question directly anymore, but on both sides they all pivot constantly, (meaning: deflect, avoid, spin!) I pity the poor journalists who have to listen to this garbage day in and day out without losing their cool!

Maybe the only hope for all of us with ESD is to remember that nothing lasts forever, that most truths come out in the wash eventually, that Election Day is less than a month away, and that until then, we all can put our fingers on the "Off" button when we've had enough. (Now, gotta go watch the final debate....)

Technology Woes - (or "Wanting to Tear Your Hair Out Now!")

Today hasn't been a good day. Even though I woke up after a full night's sleep in a good mood, had an invigorating workout and a yummy breakfast, the rest of the day so far hasn't been the best. Try this on for size:

• I get an email saying my Eddie Bauer account has likely been hacked - "Look up the last six months of transactions on the card you use, put a fraud alert on all credit bureaus, and sign up for more identity protection!"  That, so far, has taken two hours.
• I get another email from my patient portal saying I have an important message from my doctor's office - "Sign in and read immediately!" (Am I dying, and they didn't tell me in person when I went in for tendonitis? Or maybe that cyst on my arm is leprosy?) I try to be compliant, and after five login attempts I get locked out. (Where did I put that username and password information)? I call several doctor's offices to see who sent me the mysterious message and why, and so far haven't gotten through to any of the offices that might use that portal. The offices I did reach don't use it.
• I go to my site to write an inspiring blogpost and am locked out for some mysterious reason during the first eight login attempts. It must be the "infected files" on the site five different security analysts can't seem to figure out. Now, here I am, mystery still not solved, writing a not-so-inspiring post.
• I try to write my next article for my subscription lists and the aWeber hosting site is upside down and sideways, no buttons working properly until I've made about ten attempts. Finally, I get the article out, realizing it's about two weeks late. Shame on me, I've been having too much fun avoiding the f#ck*#g internet this summer, and now I'm paying for it!

So, gentle reader, if you too have had days like this, know you're not alone if you have also felt like tearing your hair out when it happened. ("happens" is more like it). You experience what we call a "lack of agency," or an inability to intervene effectively on your own behalf. It creates a sense of complete helplessness, and that's not good!                                        

In my case, I can't WAIT to get to "work" to see my clients who have real problems, so I can hopefully have some effect somewhere today!

PS. If you don't do so well with stress, feel free to call me for an appointment at 603-431-7131, and know that I get it...