LovePong App Supports Couples

LovePong is an interesting application that supports couples in relationship. Promoted as a game for couples, it’s a highly interactive website in which two partners sign up to play. The free version provides communication challenges. For example, the first partner might get an assignment such as, “Acknowledge your partner for something you haven’t acknowledged him or her in a while” or “Communicate a pet peeve you have with your partner.” LovePong then guides you to respond in ways that are powerful, responsible and loving.  For example, communicating a pet peeve is a type of complaint. LovePong will guide you to communicate specifically – e.g., how often does this happen and how big a deal is this for you?  Further, it will ask whether there’s something from your own past that exacerbates this upset. For example, suppose your pet peeve is your partner leaving dishes in the sink. Further suppose that growing up, if someone left dishes in the sink you mother would throw a tantrum. So, “dishes in the sink” is a trigger that your mother is going to suddenly appear and start raving. No wonder it upsets you! So LovePong challenges you to own your part in the degree [...]

2014-01-30T23:36:13+00:00January 30, 2014|General Interest, Relationships|

New Year’s Resolutions

New Year’s Day brings with it the tradition of setting New Year’s resolutions.  These resolutions typically entail setting goals like getting in better shape and losing weight, eating healthier, procrastinating less, or making more money.  Of course, there is nothing wrong with setting goals and trying to make changes in our lives.  But as many of us can attest, by the second week of January, new exercise equipment languishes in the corner of the basement, we’re back to eating junk food, and we'e fallen back into the habits in which we've always engaged. Frequently, the problem in following through on resolutions lies not with the goals that we set but with our approach to achieving them.  A common approach is to set a very regimented plan on January 1st, giving little leeway for error or “slippage.”  The first week goes great, we’re following our plan exactly.  We’re eating well and exercising, getting things done as they come up, and being fiscally responsible.  But then something happens: Life.  We or a member of our family gets sick, we oversleep and don’t have time to make a healthy breakfast or get to the gym, or fun social opportunities arise.  Again, it is [...]

2014-01-13T18:36:31+00:00January 13, 2014|General Interest|

The Baby Blues and Post-Partum Depression

Accepting our struggles and getting support with them is a difficult challenge for many of us.  Thoughts that we are weak and fears of being judged often lead us to try to ignore our problems.  When we find ourselves in situations where social and cultural expectations are that we should not be struggling, the challenge of getting help can be even more heightened. Such social and cultural expectations abound when a woman becomes a mother.  “You must be so excited!” is just an example of the sentiment regularly conveyed to mothers of newborns.  But the reality is that many new mothers suffer from the “baby blues,” feelings of sadness following the birth of a child.  In fact, nearly 20% of mothers will experience post-partum depression.  Post-partum depression, also known as postnatal depression, is a serious mental health condition that often requires treatment.  Symptoms include: Loss of interest, motivation, and pleasure in activities, including self and family. Inability and/or lack of interest in caring for baby; Crying spells; Irritability; Fatigue, loss of energy, insomnia, and excessive sleepiness; Decreased concentration; Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, helplessness, or hopelessness; Thoughts of suicide or of harming others, often your baby. Obviously, such symptoms not only [...]

2014-01-13T18:38:05+00:00January 13, 2014|Post-Partum Depression|

Errors Are Just a Part of the Game

The cool, crisp air of autumn is upon us.  For the first time in two decades, we Pittsburghers can finally hear the crack of the ball off a bat somewhere other than from our couches as we watch other cities’ teams battle to be World Series Champions.  The streak is over.  The Pirates are a winning ball club again.  As Pittsburgh Pirates fans celebrate the Bucs first winning season since 1992 and anticipate playoff baseball at PNC Park, it only seems fitting to quote Fay Vincent, the man who was the commissioner of Major League Baseball the last time the Pirates made the playoffs: Baseball teaches us, or has taught most of us, how to deal with failure.  We learn at a very young age that failure is the norm in baseball, and precisely because we have failed, we hold in high regard those who fail less often – those who hit in one out of three chances and become star players.  I also find it fascinating that baseball, alone in sport, considers errors to be part of the game, part of its rigorous truth.” -Quoted in Ernest Kurtz’s ‘The Spirituality of Imperfection: Storytelling and the Search for Meaning’ “Part of [...]

2014-01-13T18:41:46+00:00January 13, 2014|General Interest|

Keep Breathing

Welcome to my blog!  I’m David Prybock, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist in private practice in Pittsburgh.  My intention with this blog is to share with you my thoughts, feelings, and experiences regarding therapy and psychological issues with the hope of assisting you in your journey. I will admit, this is my first foray into blogging, or engaging in any social media for that matter.  I don’t Facebook or Twitter, I never have.  I’m not even really sure what Pinterest is.  But despite being a novice, I get excited at the prospect of blogging:  “This will be fun,” I tell myself.  “I will have a venue in which I can more fully share my thoughts and feelings!”  But then other thoughts start to swirl in my head: “Will I do this right?  Will my entries have their intended effect?”  I suddenly find myself moving from an infectious, positive energy to feeling a pit in my stomach.  And then I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes from Gestalt psychologist, Fritz Perls: Fear is excitement without the breath. I check in with myself.  My chest feels tight and constricted.  My breath is shallow.  Sure enough, I’m not breathing.  And with that, [...]

2014-01-13T18:36:13+00:00January 13, 2014|Breathing, General Interest|
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