Payment for Services

Amy Wood — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:10:03 +0000

thenewmainetimes: The Slow Season

Amy Wood — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:27:02 +0000

On Saturday I was one of eight women who braved a surprise snowstorm to attend a lecture at Kennebooks, a bookstore in Kennebunk. The speaker was psychologist and life coach Amy Wood, author of the book “Life Your Way.”…. There’s nothing sexy or innovative about her 10 principles; they‘re just good, commonsense advice that bears repeating. Stuff like making sleep and healthy food a priority, taking your time when making a decision, and focusing your attention on building on your strengths rather than trying to correct your weaknesses. Read More…

The Boomer Brief – How to Accomplish Anything

Amy Wood — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:05:12 +0000

It’s that time of year again for me and psychologists everywhere. The New Year is picking up momentum and our phones are ringing off the hook with calls from New Year’s resolution enthusiasts who haven’t been able to follow through on their good intentions. Read more…

Dealing with Difficult Relatives

Amy Wood — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:46:02 +0000

As a psychologist in December, I get a lot of questions about typical holiday concerns. Pulling off Christmas without running out of money, energy, and time is a big challenge for most of my clients. But what really piles on stress for people at this time of year is pressure to live up to pervasive Hallmark images of big, cozy get-togethers with extended family. Most of us know that those Hallmark families exist mostly on old TV shows, and we get that certain personalities, even when bonded by blood, just don’t mix. Yet we try and we try with prickly relatives because we’re conditioned to believe that if we’re related, there must be a way.

Well, I have good news for you. You may not be able to turn your family into the Waltons, but you can make gatherings with difficult relatives more bearable. These tips will help:

1. First, ask yourself honestly if you’re at least part of the problem. It’s easier to accuse others of being unreasonable than to look squarely in the mirror and admit that maybe you’re the one who needs to open your mind and lighten up. Could you stand to be a little less demanding or judgmental? Could you listen more and talk less? We all have irritating personality traits. Pinpoint your quirks and resolve to work on them.

2. Appreciate the context. Perhaps you have a certain aunt who is usually good-natured but has been ornery for the past few months. Before assuming that she’s suddenly become an incorrigible curmudgeon, consider that maybe she’s experiencing health, career, or relationship issues and could use a little encouragement this year.

3. Focus on the positive. Let’s say you have a cousin who complains incessantly, a brother-in-law who is always one-upping you, or a sister who talks too loud and too much. Chances are these people don’t mean to be offensive; they are likely insecure deep down and don’t know how to engage others. Give them a break by finding something, anything – what they’re wearing, a joke they told, the appetizer they brought — to compliment them on. No matter how irritating someone is, they are easier to bear when you view them through an optimistic lens. And because most pesky behavior comes from a desire for attention, your kindness might actually reduce the grating conduct somewhat.

4. Set appropriate limits. Yes, it’s important to be nice, but that doesn’t mean you have to listen to a boorish uncle drone on and on about his political agenda or stomach your harried sister screaming at her bratty kids for hours on end. Just because you’re invited to a holiday gathering doesn’t mean you have to stay the duration. As an adult, it’s entirely up to you to define the parameters that work for you. Smile, say thank you, and excuse yourself when you’ve had enough.

5. Avoid toxic situations. Most of us have at least one relative whose behavior is damaging to others. Maybe you have a nasty alcoholic in your family, or a pathological liar, or a foul-mouthed bigot, or an extreme manipulator. People who consistently behave in ways that are abusive usually don’t change no matter how hard you try to get along with them, and they should not be tolerated. Your option is to either calmly state your terms in advance, such as, “I’ll come for Christmas dinner, but I will leave immediately if you insult me or my kids” or simply decline the invitation if you know from past experience that you need to stay away to protect yourself.

6. Drop your guilt. The number one reason why people put up with impossible relatives is that they feel obligated. Tolerating behavior ranging from annoying to abusive in the name of preserving family ties or preventing hurt feelings will only drain your energy and allow the bad conduct to continue. When you set boundaries with difficult people, letting them know gently yet firmly what you will and won’t put up with, you give them a truly valuable gift: the opportunity to look within and contemplate how they can change if they want to see more of you

Boomer Brief: How to Get Real Help from Self-help Hype

Amy Wood — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:45:33 +0000

Everywhere we go – the internet, the book store, the grocery store check-out line – carefully crafted headlines fight to sell us on the implausible yet tempting idea that we can have, be and do whatever we want by next month, this Friday, right this minute. All we have to do is simply stop trying so hard and swallow some simplistic regimen. A vacation home, dream job, soul mate, ageless body or whatever else we’re after can be ours forever if we just read these three secrets or those five easy steps.

“Yeah, right!” we seasoned Boomers say right back to all the quick-fix remedies competing for our attention. “Do you really think I’m gonna fall for that?” Read More…

US Review of Books

Amy Wood — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 01:11:34 +0000

Life Your Way by Amy Wood is the “real deal,” an authentic self-help book with an inviting professional style that is indubitably inspiring and downright rational—a pearl of practical wisdom among the swells of personal transformation writings flooding the information age. Furthermore, Wood’s personable tone, knack for story-telling, and succinct writing techniques are the perfect canvas for her educational background and trained experience as a psychologist with a deep understanding of human nature. In addition to her engaging composite representations of the “real life” obstacles she has helped her clients navigate, every chapter of her energized narrative is accompanied by actionable advice—via her “Apply the Wisdom” bullet points. No doubt, time-deprived readers seeking personal improvement are weary of yet another self-help book, yet another road map to self-realization that leads to nowhere. But, it will take readers no longer than the first chapter of Life Your Way to see that Wood delivers on her introductory promise…

By the time you close this book, you will have established specific expectations, goals, standards, and strategies for your continued growth and development that are simultaneously energizing, workable, and fit for the times.

Wood adds an abundance of clarity to the reality that making lasting changes in our lives is hard—always has been, and has only grown harder in our recent time of seemingly endless choices. And the conflict between our rational and emotional mindsets is addressed head on in Life Your Way with Wood’s wisdom, practically and a dash of grace. Even readers that have deemed themselves immune to self-improvement as a consequence of their overindulgence in failed quick-fix approaches to establishing a healthy sense of well-being are sure to achieve dramatic results with Wood’s fresh perspective, sage advice ,and practical tips. A truly empowering book!

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The Boomer Brief: Catching up with…Amy Wood

Amy Wood — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:37:46 +0000

Amy Wood is one of those talented women who can do just about anything. After spending the first part of her career in the high-pressure world of Chicago advertising, she shifted gears. That’s when she enrolled in Chicago’s Adler School of Professional Psychology – earned her degree – and became a psychologist! When she’s not working with patients at her Portland, Maine office, or training for her next marathon (yeah, she’s a runner, too!) you’re likely to find her outdoors enjoying the beauty of a New England autumn. We were lucky enough to grab her just as she came inside…

What are you up to these days?
I’m having lots of fun promoting my book and the Speakers Cooperative, a venture I just launched with two authors/motivational speakers. Read More...

Mind Your Own Business Radio – Dr. Wood discusses how to avoid the overwhelm of today’s world.

Amy Wood — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 20:24:41 +0000

Listen to Amy discuss her book Life Your Way on Mind Your Own Business Radio. Dr. Wood discusses how the world has become more complicated, and the importance of changing tactics to avoid the overwhelm of modern day’s many choices. To listen go to the link below. Amy speaks in the last quarter of the show:

http://www.mindyourownbusinessradio.com/myob10222011b.mp3

Parade Magazine: “Take Back Your Weekend” by Amy Wood

Amy Wood — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 16:59:28 +0000

Read advice from Amy Wood in Parade Magazine. “These days, managing your weekend is like running a marathon at a sprinter’s pace—with a stagger across the finish line on Sunday night. ‘Most people I work with aren’t enjoying themselves on the weekends,’ says psychologist Amy Wood, author of Life Your Way. ‘They’re drained by Monday morning.’

It wasn’t always this way. There was a time when those two days were truly a collective respite. We mowed our lawns on Saturday, taking a break to cheer at our kids’ soccer game (which was across town—not across state lines). Sunday mornings, we dressed up for church, after which we bypassed the mall and went home (thanks to blue laws, stores were closed). On Sunday evenings, we relaxed in front of the TV—and our coworkers did the same (no panicky 7 p.m. texts about Monday’s meeting).” Read More>>>

Author Q & A: Amy Wood in the Maine Sunday Telegram

Amy Wood — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 16:34:22 +0000

Author Q & A: The fix is in you: Maine psychologist Amy Wood has written a new self-help book that, rather than overpromise, actually empowers the reader.