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The skill set of emotional toleration (the ability to sit with and “tolerate” a range of emotional states) can sometimes be a wonderful ally in delaying gratification, practicing patience, and aiding with communication.

One of the more advanced expressions of emotional IQ, is the ability to take full ownership of emotions or behaviors that are ours to own, while simultaneously having enough strength and resilience to not “take on” what is not ours to own.

All long-term relationships are tasked with the challenge of negotiating problems as they occur in the relationship. Many of the problems are situational in nature, however some may be more perpetual.

No two relationships look the same, but there are several characteristics that can help you determine if your relationship is on the right track or if it needs improvement. Whether you’re in a new relationship, an established partnership, or still searching for the right person, it can be helpful to know what makes a relationship healthy.

In Jungian psychology, the basic assumption is that the personal unconscious (ideas, feelings, or attitudes outside of our conscious awareness) are a potent part of the human psyche.

Caring for yourself requires active participation. Self-care is not simply about reaching the point of exhaustion or depletion and then participating in behaviors which soothe.

In the realm of Cognitive Theory one of the basic tenants is that our thoughts often precipitate feelings. The theory suggests that when these thoughts are more pessimistic in form they can unintentionally create painful emotional experiences.

When you dare to try something new, speak up for yourself, or admit to a mistake, do you ever hear a voice in the back of your head telling you that you can’t do it? That you’ll only embarrass yourself? That it’s not even worth trying because you always fail?

Listening is a balance of hearing the content of what someone is sharing, as well as listening to the emotion surrounding what is being communicated. Quite often mis-communication happens when either one or both of these forms of expression are not entirely heard. When considering improving your communication skills, start with enhancing your overall ability to hear both content and emotion. This effort may include increased emotional awareness, availability, and presence.

Our spiritual lives and our psychological lives can be intimately intertwined. Often times, as one begins to develop, the other surfaces as well. These two forces have been the cause of ideological shifts and separations in the field of Psychology from as far back as its founders in Freud and Jung to more recent exploration by Psychologists Richard Alpert (Ram Dass) and Timothy Leary. The division has usually occurred between the practice (tradition) and the experience (atypical). You get to decide which side of the pendulum rings most true for you. Both perspectives probably contain invaluable wisdom. So, embrace the nuances and subtleties of our own unique psychological terrain, while continuing to reach for your own awakening and broadening reality.