The Integrated Life Blog | The Integrative Heart Healing Center - Part 3

3 Things to Do When You Want to Leave Your Relationship

Posted on by Karen Moore (formerly Karen Pierce)

If your spouse were stuck in the relationship with you–would he/she be stuck ON you?

The infatuation stage is over. You feel as if you found your soulmate and made him/her yours. You married and enjoyed perhaps another year of bliss. Then it hit the fan. That person who so completely filled you up now seems to be so different, and so annoying. Or you’ve been married longer term and you can’t stand the person sitting across the breakfast table from you, and you can’t wait until the kids leave home so you can make your exit.

If you could save your marriage and be happy would you?

Putting aside here that there are some good reasons to leave a relationship and we’re assuming that those conditions are not present in your relationship. Conditions like ongoing physical or emotional abuse, serial affairs, addictions, or safety issues all of which have proven to you to […]

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9 Steps to Extreme Self Care: A Valentines Gift To You

Posted on by Karen Moore (formerly Karen Pierce)

“Give of Yourself!”
“Don’t Be Selfish!”
“Look out for Others!”
“Don’t think of Yourself First!”

Sheesh! No wonder these kinds admonishments we heard as children can serve to keep us feeling guilty if we focus on taking care of ourselves well.

Cinderella gave everything of her time, energy, and attention to her step-mother and step-sisters, in addition to wearing rags, and sleeping by the fireplace! Was there more for her to give? I suppose she could have bled on the hearth, too.

Ultimately, one way to look at it is that for Cinderella’s selflessness she was rewarded by getting the cool shoes, the handsome prince, and the grand slam major cool ride. (I guess you could say Cinderella really started early transformer technology with the pumpkin to carriage capabilities!) But one unspoken message here could be: “Look what happens if you’re a doormat!”

Old McDonald was a workaholic and had lots of stock he could sing about […]

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3 Reasons to “Man Up” For Holiday Joy

Posted on by Karen Moore (formerly Karen Pierce)

Picture this–I’ll call them Lisa and Jeff. Lisa and Jeff have been married three years and have Carrie, their nine month old daughter. The holidays are approaching, and they. are. dreading. it. already.

With a look of despair Lisa tells me: “His parents (who live in another state) want us to come for all of Christmas week, go to Christmas Eve church service, and have Christmas Day with them. Jeff and I are arguing about this a lot, and we’ve gotten where we hate holidays anymore! We don’t want to feel this way, but I think my parents should be able to see Carrie at Christmas, too!”

Lisa barely got the last sentence out when Jeff cut in with: “We saw Lisa’s parents for the 4th of July AND Easter, and I think my parents deserve to see Carrie sometimes for the holidays, too!” He looked at me,  “We can’t get past this!” They […]

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Magnetize and Attract Your Spouse

Posted on by Karen Moore (formerly Karen Pierce)

Hello!

Magnetize Your Spouse

Today we’re talking about how to keep the attraction mojo going on in your relationship.

Have you ever been in a heated argument with your spouse and you just can’t understand why the argument leads to the same place, same frustrating feelings, the same thoughts that you’d “be better off not exposing yourself to this level of aggrevation, upset, or discord”, and “maybe it would be better to get out of the relationship because this is just too painful to keep repeating”? You probably really love this person, or have in the past, but you didn’t expect to have these kinds of arguments, experience this level of misunderstanding, and feel this alone in this relationship.

So you both turn away from each other.

You’re not alone. This is a common reaction.

What can you do to avoid the repetition of this cycle, and magnetize your spouse instead of repelling and being […]

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How to Cope: Desist, Resist, Step Away!

Posted on by Karen Moore (formerly Karen Pierce)

Robin Williams

Robin Williams’ tragic death, and war and world events in the Middle East have sent people into a tail spin. My phone has been busy with clients seeking solace and advice for the situational depression they are feeling. Mr. Williams’ death has seemingly been the straw that broke the camel’s back for some. Some are afraid that USA will experience an invasion and are worried, anxious, and ill-at-ease. What to do? How to cope?

Evil hates beauty, and lightness, and generosity. Fear, anger, and hate feeds evil. One only has to allow themselves to watch all the violence on television, listen to others’ negative viewpoints or emotions, or read all the darkness present in the world in a newspaper to spiral downward in emotion and have doubt, fear, and depression take over.

The world needs strength, joy, lightness, generosity, kindness, gentleness, and most of all, love shared, acknowledged, and […]

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