Marty Nemko's Blog, page 184

How to Brainstorm Effectively

Brainstorming is often considered the first step toward developing a solution, whether at work or personally. But too often, it doesn’t lead to anything that was worth the time it took to brainstorm. Perhaps my Psychology Today article today will help.

Using the Right Words of Emotion

The three major emotions are “happy,” “sad,” and “angry."  But using a more nuanced word may help you get what you want. My Psychology Today article today helps you do that.

When You Feel Like a Mere Cog

My Psychology Today article today offers some ways that a person might find work meaningful even if s/he is a mere cog.

On Kissing: Thoughts and questions

A kiss can mean so much or so little. My Psychology Today article today offers thoughts and questions about kisses, platonic and romantic.

Thoughts and Questions Evoked by Attending a Memorial: How to live, how to die

As we get older, we go to more memorials, a reminder of our place on the conveyor belt and that we better do it while we can.

I attended a memorial today. It evoked some thoughts and questions that may be of value to you. That's my Psychology Today article today.

When You’re Underpaid: Questions to ask yourself

A client today appropriately complained of being underpaid. My Psychology Today article today includes the key exchange we had about it.

Beware the Power-Point and Brownie-Point Ploys

Some people use ploys to gain power over their partners. Psychology Today has published many articles on one such ploy: gaslighting: in which one partner manipulates the other into questioning their sanity.

My Psychology Today article today alerts you to two other such ploys: the power-point ploy and the brownie-point ploy.

Before Retiring: Advice before you hang it up

My Psychology Today article today is for the person who has spent some time in an organization and decided it’s time to retire: for health reasons, fatigue of the accelerating BS, or the altruistic sense that it’s a younger person’s turn, someone who could probably do more good.

Making the Most of Counseling’s Final Session: Advice for client and counselor

The client says, “I think this will be our last session for a while.” (S/he appended “a while” to soften the blow.)

Or the client doesn't state it overtly but by implication, for example, “Now, as I’ll be sallying forth without training wheels, thank you for helping me accept myself.”

My Psychology Today article today offers thoughts on making the most of the final session.

How to Address Challenges in Counseling's Middle Sessions: Advice for counselors and clients

The first counseling session is often easy for both counselor and client. It’s all new, challenges haven’t had time to emerge, and hope prevails. The final session may also be easy. Sure, it may be hard to say goodbye, but final sessions are normally devoted to summarizing past takeaways, with no new painful efforts to unearth the hidden within. But middle sessions, perhaps sessions 3 through 6, can pose particular challenges. My Psychology Today article today addresses them.