All Episodes

We need a degree, certification, license, or other such credentials to do our jobs. We get nothing to help us learn to be good parents. What's with that? In this podcast, I'm sharing with you one of the hallmarks of effective parenting. For more examples, buy your copy of my new book, The Healing Journey: Overcoming Adversity on the Path to the Good Life on amazonbooks.com. Follow this link: https://a.co/d/0dxH5xOL
Blessings,
Dr. Jon

The most wonderful, curious, and confusing thing about parenting is what kids come up with. Each exchange is a challenge. Do you impart wisdom? scold? challenge? Or do you just go with it? My daughter, Rachel, asked me a question when she was 7 years old. "Who peed in your cornflakes?" Whoa!! What did you say? I was about to go off about her being disrespectful to her elders when I stopped myself and took a cleansing breath. Putting it all in perspective, I realized that she was right, as I was being unfair to her. Patients also say the darnedest things and it's our job as guides on their healing journeys to find teachable moments and shepherd them through the process. If I've piqued your curiosity, check out my new book, The Healing Journey: Overcoming Adversity on the Path to the Good Life. Buy your copy on amazonbooks.com. Follow this link: https://a.co/d/0dxH5xOL.
Blessings, Dr. Jon

There's a word you don't hear very often. When your brain is working as it is supposed to, it's shutting down often used but unhealthy neuropathways and shifting to new, healthier ones. Over time, these new pathways become engrained, and you are changing how you think, feel, and react. Andy had a lot of work to do to get unstuck, but he stayed with the process on his healing journey and is now soaring. Find more about his healing 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

Being grateful is not just a moment. It's a mindset. Having an attitude of gratitude can set the context for each of your days. I know. You are grateful for your spouse, for your job, for life. That's the big stuff. How about the little stuff? She really made an effort to put together a great meal tonight. Your little girl gave you a big hug and said, "I love you, daddy" just out of the blue. You hit all green lights coming home from work. Gratitude energizes you. Give it a shot. Make a habit of noting in your journal even just one grateful moment each day. It will help you launch from your stuckness to soaring. For more, buy my new book, The Healing Journey: Overcoming Adversity on the Path to the Good Life, available on amazonbooks.com. Follow this link: https://a.co/d/0dxH5xOL
Blessings,
Dr. Jon

Mindfulness is one of those funky words that only shrinks use. However, most of us know how to be present, to focus on your now. In Mentalligent Psychotherapy (MPT) this helps you set aside issues and redirecting your energy on what works to soar. Be mindful and embrace possibilities for soaring. Check out my new book, The Healing Journey: Overcoming Adversity on the Path to the Good Life. Buy your copy at amazonbooks.com. Click on this link: https://a.co/d/0dxH5xOL.
Blessings,
Dr. Jon

Sadly, or happily, all of us fail at something. Sometimes we fail often. I would contend, however, that there is no such thing as failure, only an arbitrary limitation of options. Continue finding options and your worst nightmare will be just another opportunity for success. Avery wants a relationship but she is having "boy problems" in her sophomore year of college. While giving up and becoming a nun is her go-to option, I help her avoid that one and find more options. No failure there. Buy your copy of my new book, The Healing Journey: Overcoming Adversity on the Path to the Good Life, at amazonbooks.com. Follow this link: ,  https://a.co/d/0dxH5xOL
Blessings,
Dr. Jon

We all know what being stuck is like. How about soaring? Birds with large wingspans fly on thermal updrafts with their wings out, catching the current and soaring up and up on it. Imagine. If you find yourself stuck in lunhappy, unhealthy circumstances, starting your healing journey might just lead you out of being stuck and onto soaring. In my new book, The Healing Journey: Overcoming Adversity on the Path to the Good Life, I teach you and give plenty of examples of how to soar, making the most out of your life. Buy your copy at amazonbooks.com. Follow this link:
https://a.co/d/0dxH5xOL.
Blessings,
Dr. Jon

Does it feel like you are always walking through deep mud? Slogging along but not getting very far. Going in the same direction but not getting very far? Does it feel helpless? hopeless? Ya know, insanity is not just being bat bonkers. Insanity is also defined as doing the same thing over and over again, only to get the same results. Getting nowhere fast, huh? In my new book, The Healing Journey: Overcoming Adversity on the Path to the Good Life, I share with you many examples of people who are stuck,but finding new ways to get unstuck and to then soar. Do something new and get different results. Buy your copy of my book at amazonbooks.com. Follow this link: https://a.co/d/0dxH5xOL.
Blessings,
Dr. Jon

Things happen, ya know? We don't ask for the bad stuff. It just happens. For people with stress, anxiety, or depression, those things become a burden that weighs them down. What if we were able to convert that burden to a bridge. It would become a means to leave the past behind and forge ahead, soaring to t new tomorrow. Find April's story in my new book, The Healing Journey: Overcoming Adversity on the Path to the Good Life. Buy your copy on amazonbooks.com. Follow this link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CY9PQXMZ
Blessings, 
Dr. Jon

If you are living your life, not knowing that there is a problem, and you don't know that you don't know, then you are clueless. If they haven't already, hopefully a good friend, spouse, co-worker will let you know how your words and actions impact them. Then, with good motivation, you can begin your healing journey in therapy. Being clueless is the starting point of getting well. In this podcast, I share with you the 4 stages of any healing journey. Your therapist is your guide and helping you get there is your therapist's goal. Check out my new book, The Healing Journey: Overcoming Adversity on the Path to the Good Life. Buy your copy on amazonbooks.com. Follow this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CY9PQXMZ
Blessings, 
Dr. Jon

Being strong emotionally in relationships is mostly a blessing to both you and your partner, until it isn't. If you are the one always doing the right thing, always putting your partner ahead of yourself, always giving in, then that's not strength. That's sacrifice, but not the healthy kind. The curse of being strong becomes a blessing when you set healthy boundaries, balance self-care with other-care, divide up responsibilities and delegate. Find out more about turning this relational curse into a blessing in my new book, The Healing Journey: Overcoming Adversity on the Path to the Good Life. Buy your copy on amazonbooks.com. Follow this link:
https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Journey.../dp/B0CY9PQXMZ
Blessings,
Dr. Jon

Eudaimonia is a Greek word that captures "Self-Flourishing." When you are eudaimonic, you are embracing who you are, living in the moment, being self-compassionate, and finding the positive. What a great opportunity to enjoy your life to the fullest. Follow more of Shannon's story 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://www.amazon.com/Healing-Journey.../dp/B0CY9PQXMZ
Blessings,
Dr. Jon

AI, that is Artificial Intelligence, is here to stay. It's our job to use it wisely. I have resources to help you do just that. Don't let AI take control of you. Be you and stay in charge of how you use AI. When you, your kids, or others fall down that dark hole, understand your feelings and help others with active listening to climb back out of that hole. More on this in my new book, The Healing Journey: Overcoming Adversity on the Path to the Good Life. Buy your copy on amazonbooks.com. Follow this link: 
https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Journey.../dp/B0CY9PQXMZ
Blessings,
Dr. Jon
 

Did you know? While anger is probably the single most prevalent negative feeling, it is ALWAYS a secondary feeling. We can rant and bluster with the best of them, only to cover up what we are really feeling. The primary feelings are morel vulnerable and private. Yet, when they see the light of day, sharing these primary feelings can greatly increase emotional intimacy. In my new book, The Healing Journey: Overcoming Adversity on the Path to the Good Life, follow Bethany and Jake's discovery of emotional intimacy in their marital therapy. When attacked with anger, the journey starts with your response, "Wow! This isn't like you. What else is going on here? Buy your copy of The Healing Journey at amazonbooks.com. Follow this link:
https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Journey.../dp/B0CY9PQXMZ
Blessings,
Dr. Jon

     When something goes wrong in your life, it's easy to fix blame, either on yourself or on others. While you may be right, how helpful is the blame game? Usually, it just stirs up hard feelings. On this podcast, I encourage you to nix the blame game. Go away from awareness of your performance. Try becoming meta-aware. That is, look around the circumstances to understand context and perspective on what just happened. The blame game is a common pattern that mentalligent psychotherapy (MPT) addresses 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://www.amazon.com/Healing-Journey.../dp/B0CY9PQXMZ
Blessings,
Dr. Jon