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Hierarchy of Needs: A 2024 Take on Maslow’s Findings

One of the most influential theories in human psychology that addresses our quest for wellbeing is Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

While Maslow’s theory of the hierarchy of needs has served as a foundational guide for decades, the rapid evolution of society, technology, and our understanding of human psychology calls for a fresh examination of this timeless framework.

What are the 5 Attachment Wounds

How can I help Clients Release Abusive Cycles

Helping clients disentangle themselves from a toxic relationship is difficult but important work, especially when powerful “trauma bonds” continuously draw them back to emotionally or physically abusive partners in an unconscious attempt to heal past wounds. How can therapists guide clients toward a conscious awareness of what’s keeping their relationship toxic and emotionally transactional? And how can we determine if a trauma-bond dynamic can be repaired in a relationship? In this recording, learn a specific process to help clients recognize the spectrum of toxic relationships, heal the wounds that create trauma bonds, and rediscover their Self. You’ll discover how to: 

  • Map the five stages of the trauma bond so clients can recognize the patterns in their relationship, reduce shame, and build pathways for change 
  • Explore concrete tools to help clients reclaim and reparent the Self 
  • Use an experiential “cord-cutting” intervention that releases clients from toxic dynamics to open themselves to post-traumatic growth

Helping Clients in Toxic Relationships

According to Laura Copley, licensed professional counselor and owner of Aurora Counseling & Well-Being, all couples are affected by how early attachments inform their adult relationships. She spoke with us about how her own traumatic background led her to investigate these bonds, and how to best help individuals interrupt the unhealthy, even dangerous, relational patterns they can create.

30 Best Journaling Prompts for Improving Mental Health

In our vast arsenal of therapeutic strategies, using journal prompts for self-reflection can be a powerful practice that bridges the therapeutic space and the client’s daily life.

The journaling process involves the structured or free-form expression of thoughts, feelings, and experiences through written words. Using journal prompts enhances self-reflection and cognitive restructuring, leading to improved self-understanding and better emotional regulation (Smyth & Helm, 2003; Ullrich & Lutgendorf, 2002).