Bullying in School: What Parents Need to Know – Missoula Therapy
When I was in the 8th grade, I went to “Music Camp” at Red Lodge, MT. I was an intense saxophone player, (understatement of the century), and so I was super hyped to get graded by the best musicians in the state. I thought about it all the time. Well, when we got to my dorm room, my parents and I, we immediately discovered it smelled terrible! We noticed there
On the Moral Lessons Learned During the COVID Pandemic – Musings in Missoula
From what I hear from our Missoula counselors, the pandemic feels like it is winding down. Or at least it is entering a low plateau on our roller-coaster of emotional responses. We’ve seen the real highs of concern as waves spiked and we’ve felt the joyous elation as numbers went quickly down and vaccines became available. Previous lulls, when numbers were low enough for us to ignore regular checks of
“Rapunzel” in Fairy Tales and Real Life – Missoula Therapy
Today we will be looking at the fairy tale of Rapunzel from a psychoanalytical perspective. We will be exploring some of the key themes in the story and how they might relate to real life experiences. What Is Rapunzel About? Rapunzel is a classic fairy tale that has been retold countless times. The basic story goes like this: A couple are expecting a baby. And behind their house is this
Connecting with Children Through Play
National Public Radio (NPR) published a story recently about “The 5-minute daily playtime ritual that can get your kids to listen better.” As a father of a three-year-old toddler, the advice resonated with me. In a way, it is part of what my wife and I have been doing all along. The idea that what we’re doing is ensuring that our kiddo listens to us—which she does pretty well most
Transitional Phases in Modern Parenting
I’ve written before about my evolving style of parenting, calling it “Daoist parenting” as I seek to implement principles of Eastern philosophy into my life as a father. As a long-time meditator, this has come somewhat naturally. I already try hard to pause, breathe, and open up to the world around me several times a day. Even if I’m just in my office working, I’ll naturally recall the need for
Trauma Bonds and How to Escape Them – Missoula Therapy
What is Trauma Bonding? Do you find yourself getting attached to people who mistreat you? Do you keep going back to relationships that are unhealthy for you? If so, you may be experiencing something called "trauma bonding." But what is trauma bonding? Simply put, trauma bonding is when we form an emotional attachment to someone who is harmful to us. This can happen for a variety of reasons, but typically