Perfectionism, rejection, and invalidation may be the root causes of the emotional distress people experience. Invalidation induces invisibility as well as a sense of rejection. Validating other's emotions entails finding a kernel of truth in someone's emotions, perspectives, and experiences. Emotional validation is a core aspect of maintaining healthy relationships with others as well with self. Tune into the podcast for more information www.talkingwithdrtoy.com.

Perfectionism, rejection, and invalidation may be the root causes of the emotional distress people experience. Rejection sensitivity is literally painful in that "the brain responds to social pain in a way that is similar to the way that it responds to physical pain." Rejection sensitivity has been defined as "severe emotional sensitivity and emotional pain" induced by perceptions of rejection from others. The avoidance to experiencing rejection may severely impact individual's lives. Tune into the podcast via www.talkingwithdrtoy.com.

Perfectionism, rejection, and invalidation may be the root causes of the emotional distress people experience. Perfectionism gives the illusion of control and remains the culprit of much stress and anxiety. Perfectionism is a vicious cycle that is supported by unrealistic expectations, an unhealthy view of rejection, and riddled with rigidity. Eventually, it chips away at individual's self esteem, view of self, and the consumption leads to missed moments of contentment in present day living. Tune into the podcast via www.talkingwithdrtoy.com.

In my therapeutic work, what often lies beneath much of the emotional distress is the trio of perfectionism, rejection, and invalidation. The treat of the trio is that they seem to yield short term benefits, but the trick is the long term cost. The intersection of this troubling trio can softly kill the quality and quantity of life for many. Perfectionism may be considered as an illusion but it remains a reality for many, rejection literally causes pain, and invalidation cultivates the sense of invisibility and worthlessness. Tune into the podcast via www.talkingwithdrtoy.com.

Health and vitality are celebrated and a certain level of athleticism is even idolized in society. The media promotes an enriched lifestyle entails youth, strength, power, and able-bodied individuals. In reality, ageism, illness, and health issues are less highlighted and even buried as if these aspects disrupt the fantasy perpetuated by the media. These notions of health often develop into stigmas internalized by others who don't fit the media's portrayal. Unfortunately, this internalization often leads to shame and isolation. Tune into the podcast www.talkingwithdrtoy.com

October has been designated as Domestic Awareness Month. Similar to some sentiments of Halloween some individuals are living lives that resemble horror stories and lack safety within their own homes. Unfortunately, there remains so much stigma, shame, and embarrassment regarding domestic violence, that some literally take this secret to the grave. Startling statistics are evident that domestic violence is a common occurrence for some within this society and this requires not only awareness but intervention. Tune into the podcast via www.talkingwithdrtoy.com.

Community has been defined as, "A group of people who share a story that is so important to them that it defines an aspect of who they are. Those people build the shared story archetypes (characters) of that community into their sense of themselves; they build the history of those communities into their own personal history; and they see the world through the lens of those shared stories (Centre for Public Impact)." I really like this definition because it entails how community is integral to individuals' narratives and identities. Tune into the podcast via www.talkingwithdrtoy.com

Dr. Parham mentioned three powerful questions posed by Frantz Fanon regarding self-awareness and self-actualization. Who Am I, Am I Who I Say I Am; Am I All I Ought to Be? Sometimes life can become a tailspin where the goal is simply to survive. Pausing to even think about such questions may seem like a luxury that no one can afford. However, what are the consequences for the lack of self awareness and how may that affect one's life trajectory. Tune into the podcast via www.talkingwithdrtoy.com.

How are you and what have you done for self care this week? These are two questions I pose at the beginning of every podcast and to some it may signal checking off activities they've done to take care of their overall well-being. However, little time may be invested in really exploring aspects of the self and ways to connect with curious intentionality. Sometimes self-care may be defined as a prescription instead of a process of knowingness and connectedness with self. Tune into the podcast via www.talkingwithdrtoy.com.

According to Leech, there are certain tale tale signs that indicate whether individuals are establishing healthy interpersonal boundaries. Sometimes these signs are evident and at times they are very subtle to the point where the unhealthy patterns are persistent and chronic. Individuals may seem trapped in such relationships due to their own underlying and unaddressed issues. Tune into the podcast to learn some poignant questions to ask yourself and to identify "emotional hooks" that may keep you stuck and trapped. www.talkingwithdrtoy.com