by Christine Hammond on June 23, 2017
The mistrial of the sexual assault case against Bill Cosby has reignited old stereotypes about rape and abuse. Some new acquaintances of mine, who were unaware of my vocation, commented their satisfaction of the outcome siting several reasons. Rather than argue my position, I chose to listen to a barrage of ignorance and blame casing…. (more…)
by Christine Hammond on June 21, 2017
Ever wonder how a narcissist charms superiors into granting them a promotion while simultaneously taking advantage of co-workers? Despite the rages with co-workers, their rise to the top occurs in record breaking time. So how are they able to pull off this feat? Their tricks are not new; rather they are inherently intertwined within the… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on June 13, 2017
“Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!” Sir Walter Scott wrote this famous line in his poem titled Marmion about the Battle of Flodden (1808). (Interestingly enough, it is often misattributed to William Shakespeare.) His poem recounts a love story that survives despite a web of deceptions, manipulations, mischaracterizations,… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on June 11, 2017
The word “Narcissist” has its origins in Greek mythology. Around 8 A.D., there is a story about a beautiful hunter named Narcissus who was exceptionally proud. In order to expose his arrogance, Nemesis (a longstanding rival and the origin of the word nemesis) drew him to a pool of water. Narcissus, upon seeing his reflection… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on June 11, 2017
Abuse has a pattern similar to addiction. Once the abuser has utilized an abusive method for a long period of time, the victim develops a tolerance to the abuse so it no longer has the same effect. This aggravates the abuser who then escalates. It should be noted that there are seven primary ways a… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on June 10, 2017
The other day, a client came in describing his wife’s behavior as Borderline Personality Disorder. He had numerous examples of how perfectly she fit the profile and how he had been traumatized by her behavior. For example, she was fearful of his abandonment and in desperation would rage anytime he mentioned separation. Yet every time… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on June 8, 2017
They appear at just the right time: a broken family torn apart by divorce or death in desperate need of emotional security and starved for normal amounts attention. Enter the narcissist, hidden by a veil of perfection, who immediately endears themselves to every family member (pets included) navigating the personality differences with ease. They are… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on June 1, 2017
A popular acronym for fear is false evidence appearing real. However, for the person experiencing this emotion, the evidence seems very realistic and eminent. These fears can paralyze a person for moments or even a lifetime if left unattended. They are dominant and determinate factors in daily decisions, thoughts, actions, behaviors, and other emotional responses…. (more…)
by Christine Hammond on May 30, 2017
People with Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) can seem to be overly responsible at first. But given time, their ability to escape responsibility becomes clear. After all, everyone has the same amount of time in a given day and while OCPDs seem to be more productive when compared to others, in reality they are less… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on May 27, 2017
For many, high school graduation day rightly marks a transition from childhood to adulthood. No longer acting like a child, this new adult is properly equipped to embrace life and move forward with excitement and determination. Unfortunately, too many graduates fail to make this shift and thus drag out the transition well into their twenties…. (more…)