by Michael Padraig Acton | Oct 4, 2024
If you’re looking to deepen your understanding of domestic violence, whether as a gatekeeper or an abusee yourself, consider enrolling in my Domestic Violence CPD Credential Course hosted by the Mental Health Academy. This course provides a practical approach to...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Feb 28, 2023
Last year, I was honored to be interviewed by Attachment Styles and Life Transitions Coach and Mentor, Michelle Cappelli Gordon. Michelle wanted to ask me about the first book in my Power of You series, Learning How To Leave. Here is the...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Feb 15, 2023
Last year, I was honored to be interviewed by Attachment Styles and Life Transitions Coach and Mentor, Michelle Cappelli Gordon. Michelle wanted to ask me about the first book in my Power of You series, Learning How To Leave. Here is the first part of the interview...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Apr 4, 2022
Running a business is really hard. What they don’t tell you is that it can cause severe stress and anxiety, and can drain us mentally to the point of depression. This is in even the most laid back of people. People will talk about you, compare you to others, use you;...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Feb 26, 2022
This article on male domestic abuse in elite sport was edited 4/5/22 following tragic death of Dwayne Haskins One in seven men are the victims of domestic abuse. That means there will be an average of two men in an NBA roster – or seven in a full NFL roster...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Jan 28, 2022
Gaming disorder has now been given its own definition in the latest iteration of the World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD). The ICD-11, which became effective this month (January 2022), highlights three characterisitics of...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Dec 23, 2021
If you’ve been dumped at Christmas, the most important thing to remember is that Christmas is a religious date and a time for families to get together. Consider that a relationship breakup can be magnified at this time. At the same time, despite all the...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Nov 8, 2021
Commonly held ideas about toxic relationships are that they cause people a lot of harm and unhappiness over a long period of time. I would add that although a toxic relationship is one where the partnership is generally not working, it may seem to work some of the...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Sep 30, 2021
How do you know when you are in a dead-end relationship? This is a very good question because all relationships go through bad patches. I guess you may use the word ‘dead’, though, when you aren’t getting anything from the relationship any more....
by Michael Padraig Acton | Mar 21, 2021
Who falls in love quicker, men or women? Trust me, there is zero gender significance when it comes to falling in love and who does this quicker. Over the past thirty years, I have had to work fast and furious with people that fell in love, hard and fast, of all...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Feb 21, 2021
The passing of Nikki Grahame has sent shockwaves throughout the country. Michelle Heaton has openly talked about her fear of not knowing the “right thing” to say or do towards the end of her dear friend’s life, and parents of children with eating disorders feel...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Feb 14, 2021
Active listening is a key skill that will help you to support a friend experiencing relationship problems. All therapists learn to use this tool. It is the ability to listen without interruption but listen for key issues that repeat or may be significant. Don’t...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Dec 7, 2020
Diagnosing our friends, family members, colleagues and celebrities with psychological disorders may seem a harmless pastime but there are good reasons why we should all avoid this kind of armchair psychology. Mental health diagnosis should only be attempted by a...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Jan 7, 2019
Learn about the ways in which 10 celebrities ended their toxic and codependent relationships. The #MeToo movement has raised awareness of the oppression – of women and men – within the Hollywood industry and the workplace in general. One insidious form of oppression...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Jul 16, 2018
Codependency anxiety is the apprehension a codependent personality feels at the potential of being abandoned by their partner, friend, work colleague, sibling, parent or other significant person. The narcissist, anxious of being abandoned, plays on this feeling by...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Sep 29, 2016
Loneliness strategy (Teddy) Image Copyright: linux87 / 123RF Stock Photo And solitaire’s the only game in town And every road that takes him Takes him down And by himself it’s easy to pretend He’ll never love again Neil Sedaka/Phil Cody...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Jun 11, 2016
Forgiveness image copyright: olegdudko / 123RF Stock Photo If you have suffered a severe trauma – child abuse, rape, domestic violence, codependent relationships, the betrayal of a long-term partner, the violent loss of someone you love – your whole world will...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Jan 16, 2016
Loneliness image copyright: artter / 123RF Stock Photo Loneliness knows no boundaries and, considering the devastating effect it has on people from all walks of life, there is scant research in the psychology that lies behind this feeling of isolation and despair. If...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Sep 15, 2015
Self-harm is found in both genders, in all age groups, in every social class and across ethnic divides. But why do people deliberately cause themselves injury? The question has more than one answer, but there are two myths that need to be addressed from the start:...
by Michael Padraig Acton | Jul 15, 2015
Is the fun-loving comedian you fell in love with turning into the immature clown? Has your partner’s sexy confident manner become oppressive and overbearing? When exactly did the qualities of attraction you most admired about your significant other become those...
