About Shocki, PhD, LMFT, LCSW

Dr Shocki has over thirty years experience in the behavior health field. He has founded and directs the Life Source Center, Inc., located in Plantsville Connecticut. Services include behavior health counseling dealing with relationship issues, persons struggling with various anxiety and depressive maladies and those individuals struggling to develop improved stategies to cope with the world around them. Dr. Shocki has also written a book entitled "Take Charge of Your Life or Someone Else Will" The book is available electronically free upon request at lifesourcecenter @aol.com.

Overcoming Barriers to Achieving Positive Change

This blog, along with previous blogs written, is based on issues from various patients I have worked with over the years. If you wish to no longer receive these blogs, merely e-mail me at lifesourcecenter@aol.com, stating “Do not email future blogs” and your name will be deleted from the mailing list.

In our previous blog, (Barriers to Achieving Positive Change) we looked at some of the barriers to achieving positive change in your life. Now we will examine eight strategies that will help to overcome those barriers. They include the following.

  1. Define how you would like to see yourself. Be as specific as possible as to what you want to accomplish. 
  2. Be aware of the existence of those red flags. Don’t let someone or something else define who you are or want to be.
  3. Be aware of a natural resistance to change. Unconsciously there is a resistance to changing behavior, even if it is positive.
  4. Implementing baby steps is critical. Defining and achieving small subgoals act as building blocks in reaching your ultimate goal.
  5. Setbacks are opportunities to learn and adjust.  Falling short may occur many times before achieving your ultimate goal. Resist being disheartened and giving up. 
  6. Self- affirm every day.  Be aware of the small things you accomplish every day and acknowledge them to yourself.
  7. Develop relationships with positive thinking people. They provide great role models by their attitude about life with all its ups and downs.
  8. Make the most of the time you have by living more in the moment. Be more mindful of the present and less obsessed with the past or unknown future. Aim for balance between the three.

 Readers are invited to comment, share thoughts, ideas or suggestions about this blog or any other previous blogs. Readers can e-mailing me at lifesourcecenter@aol.com or mailing me at Life Source Center, 710 Main Street, Plantsville Connecticut, 06479.