Great stories tell stories that about brokenness and redemption. Yet, many of us are tempted to tell our story by only one chapter even when we know it's destructive to do so. This episode deals with some beginning ideas on how we can live fully and tell our life with... Continue reading

Maybe we pick too many battles and that directly leads to a less happy life. If that's true, we can reverse the trend by picking fewer fights. Do you have a process to determine if you are going to engage in a fight or walk away? This episode will help... Continue reading

Can you envision a world you'd like to be a part of? What are you doing to achieve that world? The Joe Martino Show · 147. Personal Responsibility and Change Download it in your favorite podcast player, or click on the Sound Cloud link above. Continue reading

Seeing our problems and difficulties with an accurate lens is one of the most important skills we can develop. Our temptation can be to ignore our problems or to elevate them to the level of an unconquerable monster. The Joe Martino Show · 146. Don't turn your problems into monsters... Continue reading

Seeing our problems and difficulties with an accurate lens is one of the most important skills we can develop. Our temptation can be to ignore our problems or to elevate them to the level of an unconquerable monster. The Joe Martino Show · 146. Don't turn your problems into monsters Download it in your favorite podcast player, or click on the Sound Cloud link above. Continue reading

If you haven't healed from your hurts, you are more likely to repeat the hurting. In a world that seems to move more toward violence to handle relationships daily, this episode is a call to live differently. The Joe Martino Show · 145. Avoid CRID by keeping people you disagree... Continue reading

In the last episode, I discussed the idea that our addiction to our anger is killing us. In this episode, I want to talk about ways we can let go of our anger and look to make long-lasting changes in our own lives and then the world. Experience the anger... Continue reading

Recently I read an article that talked about our addiction to anger and how it's killing us. I think it might be a little worse, I think it's poisoning our relationships. There is hope. This is part one of a two-part series. The Joe Martino Show · 143. Our Addiction... Continue reading

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine. I told him that all marriages are mortal. He immediately became offended and said, "No way! My marriage is not mortal!" I laughed at him and said not only was his marriage mortal but that if he didn't recognize that fact and act accordingly it would increase the chances that his marriage could become sick or die. Of course, this was met with more angst. We ended up having a great conversation. He may or may not comment on this post, I don't know. I am preparing to do a communications seminar for a church next month. This is part of my transition from Graduate student to counseling/therapeutic professional. We're going to talk about what I believe is the most important thing for a couple to focus on in order for their marriage to survive. We're going to talk about communication (6 principles guaranteed to improve communication in any situation) and we're going to talk about the mortality of marriage. Whether we want to admit it or not, our marriages are mortal. Everyone's marriage is mortal. It does not matter how much you want to say that you will never get divorced or that your marriage will never die. It could and we have less control over than we'd like to admit. I commented to my wife the other day that it seems every time I turn around I’m learning about someone new getting divorced. Some have been married for... Continue reading

I've been blogging for a long time. I have been part of numerous group blogs and I help administrate a few other blogs. Yet, the question kind of sits there like the proverbial elephant in the living room. Why blog? Blogs can be really great places to exchange information. Of course, they can also have a dark seamy side that no one likes to see. People will say and do things on a blog that they would never actually say or do in real life. People cannot read body language or tone on blogs so sometimes, there is great miscommunication. Nonetheless, blogs can also be places where valuable information is shared. That is my hope with this blog. I hope that this blog will be a place for people to gain information about mental health. I hope that this blog will be a safe place for people to ask questions. I hope that this blog will be a place where collaboration occurs. I intend to post regularly on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday's but I suspect as this is coming up to speed, there will be a few more rapid-fire-type posts for a few weeks. Let's journey together. Continue reading

Cost is different from price. When we teach ourselves to look at cost, we can be positioned to make better decisions in all areas of our life. The Joe Martino Show · 141. Price, Cost, Value Download it in your favorite podcast player, or click on the Sound Cloud link... Continue reading

Often boundaries will seem like the person enforcing them is mean. Even more often, what we do with boundaries can be very messy. A score of emails and a comment on the podcast page help shape this episode. Enjoy! The Joe Martino Show · 141. Are boundaries mean? Download it... Continue reading

Two things often hold us back from trying new things. Imposter syndrome and embarrassment from failure. In this episode, I explore why we struggle with those things and what we can do to overcome them. The Joe Martino Show · 140. Overcoming Two Obstacles To Getting Things Done Download it... Continue reading

Examining our own expectations of what we wanted to happen can be as important as how we experienced what actually happened. The Joe Martino Show · 139. Before, During, and After Download it in your favorite podcast player, or click on the Sound Cloud link above. Continue reading

Do you know your own core values? Can you articulate them? What does it mean to live them out? This episode deals with four questions that offer a framework to ponder our current life and our future. The Joe Martino Show · 138. Four steps to achieving life long growth... Continue reading

Someone once told that they believed the biggest stressor on marriage was kids. Often, a question I hear is, what does it mean to be unified? How do we parent during a conflict and be on the same page? How should we decide if we behaved correctly? What exactly is... Continue reading

How do we communicate in a healthy way when we disagree? Not talking is not working. We can do better by engaging in a healthy way. The Joe Martino Show · 136. Communicating When We Disagree Download it in your favorite podcast player or click on the Sound Cloud link... Continue reading

There is no growth or change without pain. There is no path forward that isn't hard. These three tools can help you make sure you pick the pain and the path that leads to the change that brings the most health and the greatest benefit. The Joe Martino Show ·... Continue reading

Change starts in honesty. So often, we lie to ourselves about where we are at in society. We refuse to do the work and then get salty when we fail to see the progress. It's time to change that. The Joe Martino Show · 134. First Things First: Change Starts... Continue reading

We often cannot control what happens to us, we can control how we respond. We might have to let the initial emotion pass through us without action and then move forward, but we almost always control how we move forward. We can only play the cards in front of us.... Continue reading

Commitment creates capability. Often people stop their commitment because they don't feel they have the capabilities. What if we flipped that idea? The Joe Martino Show · 132. What Are You Committed To? Download it in your favorite podcast player or click on the Sound Cloud link above. Continue reading

To effectively live well, we must take ownership of our own life. We have to both accept what has happened and look with a plan toward the future. The Joe Martino Show · 131. Own Your Life. Living Intentionally. Download it in your favorite podcast player or click on the... Continue reading

To effectively live well, we must take ownership of our own life. We have to both accept what has happened and look with a plan toward the future. The Joe Martino Show · 131. Own Your Life. Living Intentionally. Download it in your favorite podcast player or click on the Sound Cloud link above. Continue reading

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