4 Ways to Disarm Critical Family Members
Re-posted from Recovery Help Now
by Vanessa Blaxland, MFTi.
We all have them. You know, that one family member that always has something negative to say about how you did this or that, or why are you this or that way. I’m sure just thinking right now about how this person gets under your skin is causing you to cringe. Now think about how you usually deal or react to this person. Do you sit there and take it, holding it all in? Do you yell and start a fight with them? Or maybe spend the whole get together using all your energy to avoid and stay away from this person as much as possible? All normal reactions but unfortunately they often leave you feeling resentful, guilty, anxious, and so on. Usually this person is your family member so unfortunately you have to deal with them more than you’d probably like. With this being the holiday season there is a good chance you will see them and they will continue on as they have, poking and prodding away. On a good note, there are few ways you can gear up and combat the criticism thrown your way to have a more enjoyable holiday.
Read the rest at Recovery Help Now.
Dealing with Critical Parents
Reposted from The Love Bug blog
by Gini Grey, transformational coach and counselor
If one or both of your parents has a knack for finding every flaw in your life, if they communicate through a tone of judgment and interrogation, and believe it’s their duty to expose your weaknesses and suggest course corrections; criticism is their main mode of operation.
If a friend treated you this way, you would most likely end the friendship. Since it’s your parents who are critical, you most likely want to hang in there and find a better way of relating. It’s not easy to deal with critical parents. A part of you loves them dearly. Yet another part of you cringes in their presence each time they take out their big red marker to correct your life.
Here are some suggestions for easing the pain when spending time with your critical parents.
Read the rest at The Love Bug.