overcoming anxiety Archives - Regional Psychological Services

Dec 22, 2023 braccioj Blog, Podcasts 1320 am, Anxiety, anxiety and covid, arguing, being a better person, braccio, Christmas, christmas movies, coronavirus, dealing with covid, Depression, depression and covid, drug abuse, family and holidays, Love, Marriage, neurotic behavior, overcoming anxiety, psychologist, relationships, resilience, Self Help, SOCIAL SKILLS, substance abuse, succesful relationships, worry, worrying

Dr Braccio & Mike Austin of 1320 AM discuss how CHRISTMAS CAN BE A TIME OF JOY FOR ALL PERSONS

Christmas 2023 Christmas is a time of joy for Christians as it is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Christians believe he was sent to earth to die for their sins so they can have a life of eternity with him and persons they loved and cared for on earth. Whether a person is a Christian or not, and there are over 2 billion Christians in the world, Christ was a person who came to show love and empathy for all persons. I can love and respect Mahatma Gandhi, who was a Hindu, for what he represented without being a Hindu. Who can really argue against one of Christ’s great commandments of the New Testament, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”? Who can really argue with his statement that only a person without sin should cast the “first stone” of criticism of others. Whether he was God or not, he was clearly a man of peace and love. A year ago I was talking about movies such as the Hallmark movies and how they can be so enjoyable during the Christmas season. I still believe Christmas themed movies and novels that present persons falling in love and showing great human kindness are enjoyed by countless millions of persons. The Christmas Carol ,written by Charles Dickens in1843, is a perennial classic as we see Ebenezar Scrooge go from being a pitiless lover of money and hater of Christmas to becoming a good Christian trying to help Tiny Tim and his family have a wonderful Christmas. It is true Christmas can be very stressful for a large percentage of persons and that can distract from the joy of Christmas. A study by the American Psychological Association showed 38% of persons had stress during the holidays. Hopefully, you can reduce this by focusing less on gifts and more on demonstrating love and compassion for ourselves, family, friends, and others we encounter during this period of Christmas. Our goal is to try to better develop our sense of love and peace by emulating the thoughts and behaviors of the Prince of Peace and Love, Jesus Christ. The emphasis on Christmas is not gifts but love with emphasis on communication with family and friends who are in the spirit of Christmas and reflect love, caring, and sharing positive feelings. Let us all enjoy the joy of Christmas in 2023 and remember the billions of persons who live and have lived trying to emulate the loving and caring ways of Jesus Christ over the centuries. It is Jesus and what he represents we are celebrating this Christmas, regardless of our spiritual beliefs.

Nov 29, 2023 braccioj Blog, Podcasts 1320 am, Anxiety, anxiety and covid, arguing, being a better person, braccio, cheating, controlling spouses, coronavirus, dealing with covid, Depression, depression and covid, Divorce, drug abuse, fully licensed psychologist, iMovie, infidelity, Love, loveless marriage, Marriage, neurotic behavior, obsessive compulsive, ocd, overcoming anxiety, psychologist, rehab, relationships, resilience, Self Help, SOCIAL SKILLS, substance abuse, succesful relationships, successful marriage, worry, worrying

Dr Braccio & Mike Austin of 1320 AM discuss OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD) AND YOUR CHILD

November 28, 2023- As we previously discussed, Obsessive-Compulsive DISORDER (OCD) can be a torturous psychological condition for even the brightest and most talented of persons. The cycle of obsessive thoughts seemingly only reduced by compulsive behaviors in a never ending cycle ,if not controlled, can greatly disrupt the life of the person with the condition. It can be particularly devastating psychologically for children and adolescents who do not understand what it is and believe it is normal that they can overcome obsessive thoughts by believing the compulsive behaviors will satisfy or eliminate them. OCD can alter the personality of the person with anger and high anxiety when someone tells them to stop these compulsive behaviors they believe must be done. Common obsessive thoughts and resulting compulsions include dirt which leads to constant washing of hands, constant reinforcement that what they are doing is right, extreme orderliness with clothes or whatever, belief they must pray over and over again to be forgiven for some wrong from the past,present or future, believing the compulsive behavior can save a life or disaster, and the belief their obsessive thoughts and resulting behaviors are normal and necessary to avert whatever is the fear they are eliminating . An additional concern is that anxiety, depression, insomnia,eating disorders and even suicide ideation can be side effects resulting from OCD. The following are suggestions on how to help your child or teenager suffering from OCD: 1. Do not believe it is a mental health condition your child will just grow out of. 2. Seek out an experienced therapist in treating OCD. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in the form of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is considered the gold standard for mental health treatment. 3. Talk to your family physician or pediatrician to discuss possible medication. There are medications such as the SSRIs that have been helpful in the treatment of children and adolescents with OCD. They are usually used with moderate to severe OCD. 4. Family counseling can often be helpful so everyone is working together. 5. In a sensitive manner, parents need to help their children realize OCD is a mental health condition that needs to be eliminated as much as possible. Children cannot be allowed to believe the behavior is normal.

Nov 14, 2023 braccioj Blog, Podcasts 1320 am, ADHD, Anxiety, anxiety and covid, arguing, being a better person, braccio, cheating, controlling spouses, Depression, difficult children, Divorce, drug abuse, envious, envy, fully licensed psychologist, infidelity, Love, loveless marriage, Marriage, neurotic behavior, obsessive compulsive, ocd, overcoming anxiety, psychologist, rehab, relationships, resilience, Self Help, SOCIAL SKILLS, substance abuse, succesful relationships, successful marriage, worry, worrying

Dr Braccio & Mike Austin of 1320 AM discuss “DO NOT ALLOW PAST MISTAKES AND “WHAT IFS” RUIN YOUR PRESENT

11-14-2023- Learning from mistakes in the past is a good thing to do. Thinking about things that we might have done in the past and wondering how they might have turned out can be interesting and also a good thing. These thoughts become a problem psychologically when we become overwhelmed by mistakes and perceived mistakes we made in the past and relive them and cannot be happy in the now. The anxiety creating “what iffing”is a classic cause of anxiety and can also lead to psychological turmoil by not being happy in the present and thinking about all the wonderful things that the person believes would have occurred if they had only done certain things. Of course,no one knows how events would have worked out on a choice not made. One cannot allow self to be negatively impacted by the past. If you find past mistakes or perceived loss of opportunities are causing you psychological grief,the following are suggestions to be happy in the present and not relive real and perceived mistakes in the past. 1. You can never COULD HAVE,SHOULD HAVE,MIGHT HAVE or OUGHT HAVE. Live in the NOW and do what you can. 2. Learn from your mistakes and use them as lessons in learning what not to do. Do not focus on them and cause yourself emotional pain. 3. As appropriate,advise others how to not make the mistakes you have made. This is a good way to feel better about your mistakes. 4. Do not emotionally torture yourself by replaying verbal and social interactions where you feel you embarrassed yourself. Learn from them. 5. If you cannot do this on your own,you can seek a therapist to help you experienced in such matters to guide you.

Nov 10, 2023 braccioj Blog, Podcasts 1320 am, ADHD, Anxiety, anxiety and covid, arguing, being a better person, braccio, cheating, controlling spouses, Depression, difficult children, Divorce, drug abuse, envious, envy, fully licensed psychologist, infidelity, Love, loveless marriage, Marriage, neurotic behavior, obsessive compulsive, ocd, overcoming anxiety, psychologist, rehab, relationships, resilience, Self Help, SOCIAL SKILLS, substance abuse, succesful relationships, successful marriage, worry, worrying

Dr Braccio & Mike Austin of 1320 AM discuss HOW TO COPE WITH ENVIOUS PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE

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November 7, 2023

Last week we talked about the tortured life of the envious person. This week we are going to talk about how persons cope with the envious persons in their lives. Because we live in a competitive society where being number one or the best in their field is often the goal, it is not unusual there is a lot of envy in persons who do not reach that level of success. There also are envious persons who do not try to be number one but nevertheless are envious of hard working high achievers who they compare themselves unfavorably. Envious persons also can be envious of persons they see as greater or more successful. Because there is so much envy in the world, and envy is a part of every person even if to a minimal degree, it is important persons learn how to deal with envious persons. We do not need to worry about persons who are envious of us but do nothing more than being envious. With them, we can be positive and supportive of their positive traits and achievements. To those who are envious and we are not aware, there is nothing we can do. The problem is when persons are envious and try to undermine us in our lives,they can be just out and out sarcastic and mean to our face. They also try to undermine us when we are not around them and they are with others. Rather than being overwhelmed emotionally and feeling horrible because people are envious of us and try to undermine us, it is important we learn how to safeguard our self-esteem and confront such persons. The following are strategies to use to cope with the envious person who negatively impacts on us at whatever level in our lives. 1. Confront a person and stand up for yourself, and do not allow yourself to be bullied or treated unfairly. 2. Let the person know you are aware of their envy. Let them know you are not happy about it and are willing to confront them if they become sarcastic or try to undermine you in one way or another. 3. Try to talk to the person and indicate the behavior puts a strain on the friendship or whatever relationship there is, and that it could end it. 4. End the relationship with the person completely and recognize they are toxic to you and your life is far better without them in it. 5. If you must interact with them due to family, mutual friends, joint leisure activities etc., then keep your distance and always be on guard and willing to stand up for yourself as necessary. 6. As appropriate, ignore the person and let them say as they will with no need for any more interactions. 7. Be happy with who you are and what you have achieved,and never allow others to define you. 8. As felt necessary, seek out an experienced therapist to help guide you when dealing with envious persons.

Nov 5, 2023 braccioj Blog, Podcasts 1320 am, ADHD, Anxiety, anxiety and covid, arguing, being a better person, braccio, cheating, controlling spouses, dealing with covid, Depression, difficult children, Divorce, drug abuse, fully licensed psychologist, infidelity, Love, loveless marriage, Marriage, neurotic behavior, obsessive compulsive, ocd, overcoming anxiety, psychologist, rehab, relationships, resilience, Self Help, SOCIAL SKILLS, substance abuse, succesful relationships, successful marriage, worry, worrying

Dr Braccio & Mike Austin of 1320 AM discuss THE TORTURED LIFE OF THE ENVIOUS PERSON

Subscribe to our page! 10-31-2023 Envy can be torturous to a person who constantly desires the good fortune they perceive someone else is experiencing and are very upset emotionally they do not have it. It is a case where a person does not look at the benefits and gifts they have in life but constantly compare themselves with others and do it in a negative way. They can be envious of someone they perceive as better looking, having better luck, having more wealth, having a better personality, coming from a better family, having a more attractive spouse, having a better circle of friends, or any other thing that someone could be envious. The result is that the person suffers a form of emotional pain because they do not have what the other person has. It can be positive if it inspires someone to try harder to achieve something. That would be a positive type of envy. But today we are talking about the type of envy that hurts the person emotionally, and from which some persons never recover in their lives as they constantly find things to be envious. It is the rather odd phenomenon of counting the blessings of others and underestimating their own. The end result is psychological hurt and frustration.The causes of envy are often low self-esteem caused by difficulties in one’s youth. They can relate to poverty or feelings of not being treated fairly at home and in life. There also are competitive persons who simply must be number one even in areas they clearly are not. It is not by accident that envy is considered one of the seven deadly sins. At its worst,envy can lead to mocking the person for their perceived superiority or one can use sarcasm and other passive-aggressive strategies to undermine the person that one has envy. Ways to overcome envy would include the following: 1. Count and appreciate your own blessings and achievements! 2. Develop a sense of happiness that others have their blessings. 3. Make envy positive by improving yourself in areas that previously caused envy. 4. never compare yourself with others except for self improvement. Love yourself! 5. Accept you are an envious person and determine to overcome it. 6. Make changes in your own life to help eliminate envy. 7. Seek and find spiritual satisfaction to help overcome worldly envy and be happier. 8. If you feel it would be helpful, seek out a trained therapist with a person who is experienced in helping persons with envy.

Oct 25, 2023 braccioj Blog, Podcasts 1320 am, Anxiety, anxiety and covid, arguing, being a better person, braccio, cheating, controlling spouses, dealing with covid, Depression, difficult children, Divorce, drug abuse, fully licensed psychologist, infidelity, Love, loveless marriage, Marriage, neurotic behavior, obsessive compulsive, ocd, overcoming anxiety, psychologist, rehab, relationships, resilience, Self Help, SOCIAL SKILLS, substance abuse, succesful relationships, successful marriage, worry, worrying

Dr Braccio & Mike Austin discuss HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS FOR DEALING WITH A DIFFICULT CHILD

October 24, 2023- A person is very fortunate who has not had a difficult child at one time or another during the period they were being raised. In my work with parents trying to learn how to deal with a difficult child, my point is not to find fault with parenting techniques that have been used up to that time, but rather to try to find the best way for the parents to be able to work with a difficult child in the here and now. An important thing to remember is that children do not misbehave simply because they desire to do it. There is a reason for the behavior. It can be a parent is too strict or too lax. There are many other reasons that the misbehavior can occur. The important thing is to try to learn why is your child being so difficult with you. If it is hard to determine from all the possibilities ranging from a child wanting to control the house to a child simply desiring attention and willing to accept negative attention versus no attention,do not worry. The important thing is to try the following strategies to help you and your child: 1. Recognize you are a parent and your job is to model good behavior and not allow you or your child to be rude or disrespectful. 2. Regardless of what has happened to the present, you need to set up boundaries on what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior. 3. Keep control of your own emotions and not allow your child to create a sibling-like relationship with you that simply devolves into constant arguing and disagreement. 4. Seek out when your child is behaving appropriately and praise them at that time. The goal is to encourage and reinforce appropriate behavior. Too often the parent says nothing when the child is behaving appropriately for the risk of beginning a conflict. 5. Reward good behavior when possible with compliments and potentially with desired activities or things as long as it is not simply a child being good to receive rewards. It is important to remember that when children behave as desired,we often do good things for them and see it as appropriate. 6. Have few rules in the house and enforce them with consequences that the child is aware of with no surprises. 7. As possible, have family discussions where there can be agreements on what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior, and what are the consequences for inappropriate behavior. When this occurs, and you and the child are aware their activities have led to the resulting consequences,they then must accept the consequences as their own making. Successful family discussions relating to appropriate behaviors are not simple to do but something to work on as a family over a period of time. What are acceptable behaviors by you can also be part of the plan. 8.. Take into account your own temperament and personality when dealing with your child. It is very possible the temperament and personality of your child are quite different from you and this leads to a lot of the bumping heads that is occurring between you. Try to use an approach that takes into account the needs of your personality as well as that of your child. Understanding these differences can be critical in developing good communication between the two of you. 9. Recognize situations where there are high risks of problems occurring and plan accordingly for how you will react to them. 10. Make sure you focus on the problem of the moment and do not bring in previous problems lest the discussion become one of a list of problems and not a resolution of a current one. 11. Seek out a therapist who can help your child behave more appropriately and potentially do family counseling. 10. Seek out an experienced therapist in family dynamics who can help guide you to be a more effective parent for both you and your child.

Oct 12, 2023 braccioj Blog, Podcasts 1320 am, Anxiety, anxiety and covid, arguing, being a better person, braccio, cheating, controlling spouses, coronavirus, dealing with covid, Depression, depression and covid, Divorce, drug abuse, fully licensed psychologist, infidelity, Love, loveless marriage, Marriage, neurotic behavior, obsessive compulsive, ocd, overcoming anxiety, psychologist, rehab, relationships, resilience, Self Help, SOCIAL SKILLS, substance abuse, succesful relationships, successful marriage, worry, worrying

Dr Braccio & Mike Austin of 1320 AM discuss BE PREPARED PSYCHOLOGICALLY FOR RETIREMENT

October 10, 2023:

BE PREPARED PSYCHOLOGICALLY FOR RETIREMENT

I have learned in my work as a psychologist over the decades that persons when getting ready to retire, often do it with planning about their physical and financial conditions. Without a doubt,these are important areas to evaluate when you consider retirement. The problem is too often persons do not think about what the impact retirement will have on them psychologically. For example, a job is more than something a person simply spends time at. No,a job impacts a person’s self esteem, friendships, and image to all persons they meet and interact with. Being a farmer, psychologist, bookkeeper , physician , governmental worker, factory worker, radio broadcaster, etc., is a major part of who they are. When they retire, they become a “retired person” and people see them as such. This can be fine for many persons, but many others do not realize the importance their job had on them in relation to status, levels of friendship, levels of authority and the constant interaction and challenges in the workplace. One needs to prepare for such a radical change to their lives. Even persons who did not like their jobs can miss the relationships and interactions that were meaningful to them on a day to day basis. I have known and worked with many persons who were not prepared for the significant changes that occur in their life after retirement. The “golden retirement years” can be depressing , lonely, and demoralizing when the person feels isolated,bored and even without purpose. They can even feel guilty at their failure to feel fulfilled with their retirement . A recent AARP study found 57% of retired persons say they had not prepared psychologically for retirement. The following are some suggestions to help a person be psychologically ready to retire: 1.Make sure you want to do it and are ready psychologically. 2.Do not let age be the primary retirement determinant. I will be 80 years old this week and have never thought a day of retiring. 3.See retirement as a new phase of your life with new goals and challenges. 4.Look for new dreams to be fulfilled. 5.Join new groups and rekindle old friendships. 6.Enhance family and spousal relationships. 7.Complete desired educational goals you desire to complete. 8.Meet with a therapist experienced in dealing with mental health of persons preparing to retire as well as retired persons. 9.Further develop your sense of spirituality and purpose in life.

Aug 31, 2023 braccioj Blog, Podcasts 1320 am, Anxiety, anxiety and covid, arguing, being a better person, braccio, cheating, controlling spouses, coronavirus, dealing with covid, Depression, depression and covid, Divorce, drug abuse, fully licensed psychologist, iMovie, infidelity, Love, loveless marriage, Marriage, neurotic behavior, obsessive compulsive, ocd, overcoming anxiety, psychologist, rehab, relationships, resilience, Self Help, SOCIAL SKILLS, substance abuse, succesful relationships, successful marriage, worry, worrying

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL TORTURE OF OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR(OCD)

August 29, 2023 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder(OCD) can psychologically torture a person with a constant cycle of obsessing on an act or thought,having severe anxiety about eliminating it and completing a compulsive act or thought to relieve the sometimes debilitating anxiety. While the OCD sequence can relate to a seemingly almost endless list of thoughts and behaviors,they very commonly occur with extreme cleanliness and hatred of dirt or germs,hand washing,hoarding,keeping things in a rigid or symmetrical manner, numbers, and making sure over and over again you have locked the door or turned out the lights. A good example is the person constantly washing their hands and can only relieve the belief their hands are not dirty by constantly washing them again and again in an endless cycle. I remember a house hoarder who could no longer put things in his house buying another house to reduce his anxiety! An important thing to remember is that everyone has some activities they are very concerned about completing and getting them right. Wanting to have an orderly room or clean hands would be reasonable things for a person to desire and do. It becomes a problem when the OCD symptoms begin to interfere in the life of the person and the resulting anxiety and attempting to resolve it with rituals and time consuming activities and thoughts impact negatively on a person’s life that a person meets the diagnosis of OCD. It also is important to note that OCD symptoms can overlap with anxiety , ADHD, and depression to name a few. It is not unusual for a person with OCD to have additional diagnoses. Over the years, I have talked to many persons with OCD and can verify the condition can really be torturous for the person psychologically. I have talked to persons who are so concerned about food in a restaurant that they will pick through it with a fork and knife to make sure there are no bugs or other forms of dirt in it. Others who will not go to a restaurant out of utterly unreasonable fears of food contamination. Additionally, I have known persons so obsessed with how safe the air they are breathing or the water they are drinking that they are never comfortable with them to the point they are always checking them. This negatively impacts on their ability to function in all areas of their lives…If you feel you have OCD or some of the symptoms are growing and interfering with your psychological well-being,now is a good time to obtain an evaluation by an experienced psychologist in OCD and and also talk to your family physician or pediatrician to take back control of your life. .

Apr 19, 2023 braccioj Blog, Podcasts 1320 am, Anxiety, arguing, authoritative, braccio, Depression, iMovie, keys to marriage, Love, loveless marriage, Marriage, neurotic behavior, overcoming anxiety, Parenting, psychologist, relationships, Self Help, succesful relationships, successful marriage, worry, worrying

Dr Braccio & Mike Austin of 1320 WILS discuss DIAGNOSING ADULT AUTISM Spectrum Disorder(ASD)

4-18-2023 Subscribe to our YouTube page Autism was not added as a diagnosis until 1980 into the DSM-3. I was already functioning as a Full License Psychologist at that time! The definition has evolved into the current DSM-5. Over these years since 1980,diagnosis and treatment have been overwhelmingly related to children. This is changing as more and more persons are being diagnosed by Psychologists and Psychiatrists experienced with Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD) Diagnosis. In our office we have been consistently getting more such referrals the past few years. In 2020,the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that 2.4% of the adult population has ASD. it appears this percentage will continue to increase as our society becomes more knowledgeable on the condition. Many high functioning adults with ASD have not been diagnosed because they have been able to mask their symptoms or have never been challenged in their life -space beyond their limited social skills when compared to the average person. Common characteristics of ASD would include the following: 1.Having difficulty understanding what others are thinking, or feeling. 2.Finding it hard to develop friendships or preferring to be alone 3.Becoming very anxious and awkward in social situations. 4.Appearing rude, blunt, or not interested in what others are saying. 5.Finding it hard to express feelings appropriately in social settings with groups or individuals. 6.Taking words, statements, and idioms literally. 7.Having certain routines that are consistent day after day. 8.Not understanding the rules of social interaction and saying inappropriate things with no awareness they are inappropriate. 9.Obsessive amount of time spent on a specific topic, and only wanting to study all about it and discuss it with others who may have no interest. 10.Doing repetitive actions over and over again such as rocking in a chair, tapping fingers or putting hands consistently through the hair. 11.Speaking in a noticeably monotone or hollow-like tone…A problem with appropriate diagnosis is that other conditions relating to anxiety,depression,OCD and cognitive impairment have a number of the same symptoms. It also is true many persons with ASD can also have an additional diagnosis. We have found this to be particularly true with ADHD,anxiety disorders and OCD.

Feb 8, 2023 braccioj Blog, Podcasts 1320 am, Anxiety, anxiety and covid, arguing, being a better person, braccio, cheating, controlling spouses, coronavirus, dealing with covid, Depression, depression and covid, Divorce, drug abuse, fully licensed psychologist, iMovie, infidelity, keys to marriage, Love, loveless marriage, Marriage, neurotic behavior, overcoming anxiety, psychologist, rehab, relationships, resilience, Self Help, SOCIAL SKILLS, substance abuse, succesful relationships, successful marriage, worry, worrying

Dr Braccio & Mike Austin of 1320 AM discussTHE JOYS OF BEING A FATHER-subscribe to our YouTube page!

02-07-2023 Today is a shout-out for the joys of being a father. There are few things more joyful than being a father. Whether the father believes from a spiritual perspective a child was sent from God for them to raise to be a good human being, or from a secular perspective nature has provided them a child to raise to be a good human being,the joy of being involved in bringing a new human being into the world is breathtaking and as exciting as it can get. Even sometimes the majesty of seeing a child being born can cause sheer amazement. Even though the mother carries the child, the father is clearly directly involved in the process and what joy when the father sees a child for the first time! While there will be many tears along the way in trying to best raise their child, the choice of being a father and raising your own child can overwhelm anything negative. What a wonderful life-role it is to be a loving father with children. What joy to see a little baby laughing with you or a child thinking you are a strong hero or running to the door yelling papa to hug you when you enter the home from work. I must add,what I say here is impacted by the fact I am the father of two remarkable children. With that said,I believe there are countless fathers around the world who equally love their children and greatly enjoy or have enjoyed raising them until they are successfully launched into their lives.

Feb 1, 2023 braccioj Blog, Podcasts 1320 am, Anxiety, anxiety and covid, arguing, being a better person, braccio, cheating, controlling spouses, coronavirus, dealing with covid, Depression, depression and covid, Divorce, drug abuse, fully licensed psychologist, iMovie, infidelity, keys to marriage, Love, loveless marriage, Marriage, neurotic behavior, overcoming anxiety, psychologist, rehab, relationships, resilience, Self Help, SOCIAL SKILLS, substance abuse, succesful relationships, successful marriage, worry, worrying

Dr Braccio & Mike Austin of 1320 AM HOW TO RAISE SUCCESSFUL CHILDREN- Subscribe to our YouTube Page!

January 31, 2023 In an age where there is so much competition for the attention of our children, it is important that good parenting take place through monitoring and screening all the input coming in from all directions. This occurs when parents are aware of what is needed to help their children be as successful as they can be in all phases of their lives. The following are the types of traits and skills that need to be reinforced and modeled to have the best opportunity for our children to succeed: 1.Honesty. 2.Self-control. 3.Confidence in self. 4.Curiosity to learn. 4.Perseverance. 5.Positive mantras to live by. 6.Empathy and understanding of others. 7.Optimism versus pessimism. 8.Ongoing honest and sincere encouragement and affirmations for positive behaviors and attitudes. 9.Consistency in rules,routines and expectations. 10.Help develop authenticity on who they are as they grow and develop. 11.Learn to celebrate success of others and not be jealous. 12.Always try again, after the many failures everyone encounters in their lives. 13.Accept their own mistakes and do not blame others. 14.Trying to do your best is being successful. 15.Be reasonable in self expectations. 16.Take time to smell the roses and enjoy the quiet moments of thinking and spiritual development. 17.Make time to help others in a way that can have a positive impact. Just one smile can change the course of another person’s day. 18.Help develop strong personal interaction skills. 19.Reasonable use of computer usage. 20.Encourage positive and supportive friendships. They are critical to a person’s future success. They fuel and reinforce each other in their successful lives.

Jan 24, 2023 braccioj Blog, Podcasts 1320 am, Anger, anger control, anger management, Anxiety, arguing, being a better person, braccio, cheating, Depression, Divorce, fully licensed psychologist, Hypnosis, iMovie, infidelity, keys to marriage, Love, loveless marriage, Marriage, meditation, neurotic behavior, overcoming anxiety, psychologist, relationships, relaxation, Self Help, succesful relationships, successful marriage, worry, worrying, yoga

Dr Braccio & Mike Austin of 1320 AM discuss Dr Braccio & Mike Austin HOW TO HELP A LOVED SPOUSE/PARTNER TRYING TO OVERCOME UNREASONABLE ANGER

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January 24, 2023

Anger is a normal emotion someone feels when frustrated or feeling some level of mistreatment or misunderstanding. Anger can be helpful when protecting self or others from danger and unfair treatment. When someone has problems controlling their anger and relationships suffer or even end,then a person has unreasonable anger that must be controlled. For clarification,I am not talking about anger that results in physical abuse,or ongoing bullying,demeaning and sarcastic treatment. Loving persons cannot be around such abusive persons. We are talking here about when spouses/partners show unreasonable anger and want you to help them overcome an anger problem they acknowledge and want to overcome. Both need to recognize anger is often a secondary emotion that results from such things as fear, depression, jealousy, low self-esteem, high anxiety, substance abuse, family issues, societal expectations,and employment issues. Once the two of you have figured out the causes of the unreasonable anger, the following things can be done to help your loved one overcome it: 1.Identify the triggers for the anger and replace them with healthy ones. 2.Actively listen to what bothers them to fully understand it. 3.Always try to be as calm as possible. 4.Change the focus of a discussion that is going nowhere. 5.Allow them emotional space as needed when they are working out their anger. 6.Set boundaries for what you will accept and not accept that both of you understand and agree. 7.Make supportive statements. 8.As needed, strongly support them to seek professional help from an experienced therapist in anger management. 9.Support sought for spiritual growth and support. 10.Make sure in the process you look after your own emotional well-being. 11.Do not become co-dependent if the person does not change and you continue over and over again to put up with the anger they choose to not overcome. This is especially true if the anger is directed at you.

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Dr Braccio & Mike Austin of 1320 AM discuss HOW TO EMOTIONALLY WEATHER THE DEATH OF OUR LOVING PARENTS

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There are few things in life more emotionally painful and harder to get over than the death of our loving parents. I personally have lost both parents and think of them and our experiences together on a regular basis since their passing 41 years and 24 years ago respectively. Even for those who had rocky relationships with their parents,the loss is still very significant. The person in effect is an orphan losing their life giving parents who not only brought them into the world but often raised and loved them unconditionally up until their deaths. While grieving is a very personal thing,the emotional pain is intense and loaded with emotional minefields. The following are suggestions on how to emotionally deal with the death of loving parents: 1.Take care of your own emotional needs. Be aware your emotions will be on an emotional roller coaster. 2.Crying and emotionally letting it all out is fine. 3.Do not let anyone but yourself determine how you will grieve and how long it will last. The course of grieving is totally unique with each person. 4.Talk and reminisce with family and friends about your parents. 5.Find ways to remember your parents with memories and physical momentos of theirs. 6.Set up future family get togethers as positive anchor points to remember your parents as a family. 7.Be open to asking for emotional support. No one is a totally self-sufficient island. 8.As you feel appropriate,seek out support groups for grieving to interact with persons experiencing similar grieving experiences. 9.As you feel appropriate,seek out an experienced therapist familiar with parental loss grieving.

Jan 13, 2023 braccioj Blog, Podcasts 1320 am, Anxiety, anxiety and covid, arguing, being a better person, braccio, cheating, controlling spouses, coronavirus, dealing with covid, Depression, depression and covid, Divorce, drug abuse, fully licensed psychologist, iMovie, infidelity, keys to marriage, Love, loveless marriage, Marriage, neurotic behavior, overcoming anxiety, psychologist, rehab, relationships, Self Help, substance abuse, succesful relationships, successful marriage, worry, worrying

Dr Braccio & Mike Austin discuss HOW TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF A PERSON YOU CARE FOR IN SUBSTANCE ABUSE RECOVERY

1-10-2023

Substance abuse is a problem for millions of Americans. Over 110,000 person died of drug overdose in 2022. Fentanyl is the number one cause of deaths in the United States between the ages of 18-45. These numbers do not include alcohol and other drug related deaths and problems that plague the country. It destroys not only the lives of the persons with the addiction, but impacts all those around them who love and care for them. We want to help persons in sobriety to end the addiction and return to the person they were and can be. Many of us are aware of situations where parents have had children taken away from them or must submit to supervised visitation restrictions due to addiction. Most of us know of persons who have lost jobs and had marriages destroyed. Or persons who have worn out their welcome to family,children and friends by constant lying,running around with other addicts,stealing and asking for money that leads to continued drug use. Additionally, addictive persons lose all sense of right and wrong and can get involved in illegal activities they never would have without addiction. Sadly,this can lead to criminal records and often times of incarceration. While this bleak view of addiction is sadly accurate, when a person is in sobriety and overcoming the addiction,it is important we offer as much support as we can to those we love and care for. While it is important for the person without an addiction to try to understand the causes of addiction, my point here is to give basic suggestions on how someone can be supportive of the person in sobriety and needing all the support available: 1.As appropriate,let the person know you do love and care for them as human beings. 2.Sincerely support their sobriety efforts with encouragement. 3.Call them for general discussion and talking about things other than just sobriety. 4.Let them know everyone needs help at times. 5.Let them know they are not alone. They can call you any time. 6.Invite them to events with family and friends and even just with you to get them away from loneliness and temptation. 7.Recognize in your own mind that addiction is a disease and not a mental health defect. 8.Check in regularly even if just with a friendly message of hello. 9.Be aware and sympathetic to the temptation to return to using and being around other users is tremendously powerful when feeling isolated with not much hope. 10.Always give hope and indicate now is the beginning of their lives. The past is a memory. 11.Let them know you are proud of them and their efforts. 12.At times,just listen.

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Dr Braccio & Mike Austin of 1320 AM discuss STOP OVERSHARING INAPPROPRIATE INFORMATION IN SOCIAL INTERACTIONS WHEN FEELING SOCIALLY AWKWARD AND SOCIALLY ANXIOUS

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January 4, 2022

Let us begin by eliminating the narcissist who always wants to share information with an often seductive and always deceitful purpose in mind. The oversharing of persons who have social awkwardness and social anxiety has nothing in common with the self-serving communications of the narcissist. In fact,I have often found persons who are socially awkward and socially anxious are very sensitive and caring persons…A common problem for the socially awkward and socially anxious person is to overshare information in an inappropriate manner that makes the other person feel uncomfortable and makes them afterwards upset with themselves about how much information was inappropriately shared. This happens when someone may be anxious when the conversation does not seem to be going anywhere and they feel the need to fill it in with information that may go far beyond what would be appropriate in such a situation. For example, if in the checkout lane at the grocery store and someone asks you how you are and you start talking in detail about all the problems you are having with your spouse. This would not be appropriate. To do this with a co-worker or acquaintance would be worse. Persons do this often without thinking about possible negative consequences in relationships or making other persons uncomfortable when sharing too much about themselves. This information can even be used against them. Some persons also do this too often when trying too fast to move along a relationship and turn the person off. Another reason persons do this who are socially anxious is they worry about how they are being perceived and feel the need to be liked and wrongfully believe this can be best done by giving what they erroneously believe is an authentic presentation of how they are feeling. Being authentic is quite different from sharing information that is not appropriate. If this continues happening to you over and over again even when you start picking up cues they are uncomfortable with all the information you are sharing,this can become a big problem with the quality of your social interactions and even friendships. If this is a problem you are having, and it is more of a common problem than you might think, the following are suggestions on what to do to limit oversharing inappropriate information: 1.Think before you speak. Always have in mind what are appropriate and inappropriate things to say. 2.If in doubt or anxious about where a conversation is going or if there is silence, simply have some questions to continue the discussion rather than rambling on giving too much information. 3.Slow down the pace of the conversation when you are speaking to have more control over what you say. Too often,persons ramble on because of the need they feel to continue the conversation. 4.If using social media, think before you send messages to better determine what is appropriate to say or not say. 5.If you realize you are entering into a conversation that is going the wrong direction, shift the conversation and try to talk about something else. 6.Keep a journal of your conversations and see if there is a pattern to who and what you overshare and when you do it. You can use this information to help you not do it any more or at least begin to make it occur far less frequently. Your journal is a link into yourself to try to analyze and find why you are sharing the information with persons and start better monitoring the information you share at a global level. This will over time hopefully lead to a new communication style with persons. 7.You are far better off to feel awkward in a conversation and not overshare than feel guilty for what you said. 8.Talk to family,friends and persons you trust and ask them when they feel you have overshared information that could be seen as inappropriate and/or negative for you. 9.If you feel the need,seek out a trained therapist who can role-play with you on conversations you have had where you feel you have overshared information and learn techniques to overcome this problem.

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Dr Braccio & Mike Austin of 1320 AM discuss MAKE 2023 THE YEAR WE BECOME WHO WE BELIEVE WE CAN

December 30, 2022- Too many persons,including psychologists,believe personalities are more or less set in adults and even adolescents and do not change. I do not accept that view at all. If someone has a vision of who they want to be and will make the necessary changes,they can do it. I have seen it in many persons I have worked with over the years both as a psychologist and one traveling the road of life. While Rome was not built in a day,making fundamental changes in self requires hard work. For example,one does not go from being deceitful on a daily basis to stopping in one day. The same is true of the person who is sarcastic and hurtful of others. The chronic inappropriate flirt and philanderer also do not change overnight. However,change can occur with a strong beginning if the person declares those behaviors are not only who they are not but are toxic to them as persons. Step one is to determine who you want to be and know you can be that person. That vision of yourself is always in your mind and your thoughts and actions are directed to being that person. Who we are and how we behave are the most powerful tools we human beings have to determine who we are and the course in life we will take to that end. Whether small or major character remodeling,use 2023 as the launchpad to be who you choose to be for the rest of your lives. Go for it with super gusto! Your future begins now.

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Dr Braccio & Mike Austin of 1320 AM discuss how to ENJOY CHRISTMAS WITH THE WARM HAPPY OUTCOMES OF CHRISTMAS MOVIES

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We know that Christmas is the celebration by Christians that God sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to earth to die for us so we could have the opportunity for an eternity of happiness with him in heaven. Christmas also is a time that is very stressful for many persons due to costs, family pressures, and just a lot of seeming chaos with so many expectations on persons. The American Psychological Association reports that 38% of respondents in a study reported higher stress during the holidays. With that said, movies about Christmas teach us the lessons of Christ with examples of love, sacrifice,family, unity,kindness and happy endings during the Christmas time. The classic of Scrooge becoming a loving and caring person in the CHRISTMAS CAROL is representative of the best of what Christmas can mean in terms of love and finding purpose in life. Current movies, as strongly represented by the Hallmark Movies,give so much joy to persons who are looking for purpose, love,positive relationship outcomes,and meaningful relationships. They may be quite predictable, but the Hallmark Channel has clearly found a market with millions of persons watching them. I must admit for years I have enjoyed watching them during this time of year with my wife. I also believe from a mental health point of you it is good therapy for people to see examples of happy endings where individuals and families find each other, reunite and persons fall in love looking forward to a lifetime of happiness together. This is a form of therapy that can be helpful for all of us. Let us enjoy the birth of Jesus Christ and the love he represents,regardless of our beliefs,as a time to watch good feelings movies during the season of Christmas. Be joyful and seek spiritual renewal and happiness in your life! For those who also want some joyful positive music between uplifting movies to add to their Christmas spirit,my classical favorite is JOY TO THE WORLD by Mario Lanza and my pop favorite is IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR by Andy Williams. Find and play yours!

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Dr Braccio & Mike Austin of 1320 AM WILS discuss HOW PARENTS BUILD AND RESILIENCE IN THEIR CHILDREN

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In the aftermath of the COVID 19 pandemic with the loss of personal interactions in the school setting and with family and friends,multitudes of young persons have not only suffered academic loss but also suffer to one degree or another with anxiety,depression,PTSD,phobias,poor resilience,poor emotional strength and general fears about life and their future. In such an environment,it is essential parents work as hard as they can to built emotional strength and resilience in their children to not only address problem areas but help them develop life skills to overcome them. Parental behaviors to this end would include the following: 1.PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING. 2.MODELING STABILITY THROUGH GOOD PROBLEM SOLVING WITH RESULTING RESILIENCE . 3.CLOSE COMMUNICATION WITH SCHOOL PERSONNEL AS NEEDED. 4.COUNSELING AS NECESSARY. 5.CLOSE CONTACT WITH CLERGY CONSISTENT WITH YOUR FAITH. 6.TUTORING SUPPORT AS NEEDED. 7.SHOWING UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. 8.DEVELOPING STRONG FAMILY COMMITMENT AND ATTACHMENT. 9.ENCOURAGING HEALTHY FAMILY AND OTHER SOCIAL INTERACTIONS. 10.EXPLAINING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REASONABLE AND UNREASONABLE BELIEFS AND CONCERNS. 10.HELPING BUILD RESILIENCE TO LIFE’S PROBLEMS THROUGH EFFECTIVE PROBLEM ANALYSIS AND SOLUTION.

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Dr Braccio & Mike Austin of 1320 AM discuss OLDER PERSONS(65 AND OLDER) AND DEPRESSION

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No one is immune from depression. It impacts everyone to one degree or another in one’s lifetime. The problem with persons 65 and older is that they are often having to deal with issues that younger persons do not. Most specifically, it would include problems with their physical and mental abilities, loss of a spouse, family location,loss of employment, lack of mobility,death of friends, poor memory,loss of status and accepting mortality… Not that all of these things happen to one person at the same time or that they always cause depression. But over time they do tend to occur in some combination with most persons as the cycle of life progresses. The following are important things to do to help alleviate the sadness and depression that can occur in older persons due to the issues mentioned above: 1.Exercise and keep as physically fit as possible. 2.Have regular medical check ups to make sure you are physically as healthy as possible. 3.Seek out counseling as necessary to help you with the changes of life that occur in your aging process that cause you depression. 4.Accept changes that can cause depression will occur and plan accordingly as best you can. 5.Finely hone your spiritual and/or internal resources to help you find purpose in your life from what you have experienced and what you intend to experience in the latter stages of your life. As always,make each day count. 6.Continue to be as involved as you can in church and any other activities. 7.Cultivate and keep in contact with friends you have known over your lifetime. Talk to persons you may not have talked to for decades. 8.Become more communicative with your spouse,family and persons close to you. 9. Resist isolation. Be as active as you can. 10. Do puzzles and any other intellectual activities to keep your mind sharp…Aging is a process we all go through as we live our lives. The important thing is not to have great fear and resulting depression but do whatever you can to find meaning in your life through maximal physical, intellectual and emotional involvement. As you age do not focus on the disabilities or limitations you have but rather focus on what you can do to make as much impact as possible on yourself and others. The road of life can be difficult but it can always be meaningful and something to look forward to. GO FOR IT WITH GUSTO!!!!!!

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Dr Braccio & Mike Austin discuss WHY THE AUTHORITATIVE PARENTING MODEL IS THE BEST

November 1, 2022

The primary parenting styles would be authoritative parenting, authoritarian parenting, permissive parenting and uninvolved/neglectful parenting. The obvious problems that are caused by the controlling authoritarian parent are low self-esteem,anger impulse problems,substance abuse,conduct disorder and high levels of anxiety and depression. The problems resulting from permissive parenting are that the child never learns the rules of life,how to deal with reality,can be spoiled,and very difficult to deal with with all persons they encounter. The problems with the uninvolved/neglectful parent are low self esteem,conduct disorder,substance abuse,poor academic performance,and juvenile delinquency. The positive and most promising parental style is the authoritative. In this style,the parent tries to adapt parenting to needs and wants of the child from infancy until they are launched into adulthood. The hallmarks are a loving environment with respect, tolerance, firm recognized limits,good citizenship,good communication,always ready and willing to listen to the ideas and concerns of the child,and a willingness to say no and be consistent in parenting. The children from this parenting style have the best opportunity to have a successful life with positive self-esteem without higher than expected levels of anxiety and depression. The chances are also very good for solid academic performance and good citizenship. An important thing is the child is always involved in the process. They are aware of the consequences if they choose to break rules because they have been part of the process in making them. The parent cannot always be right,but in the long run there is little doubt the child will understand their parents did the best they could. There is nothing simple about raising children. Even the best plans do not work all the time. As a brief recap,the successful authoritative parent includes in their parenting the ingredients of love, caring,being able to say no,understanding,reasonable expectations and always ready to discuss issues and concerns.

Tag: overcoming anxiety