Author Archives: Dr Joseph Russo

About Dr Joseph Russo

Born and raised in Woodland Hills, California; now residing in Laramie, Wyoming (or "Laradise" as we call it, for good reason), with my wife Cindy, our little schnauzer, Macy Mae, and a cat named Markie. I hold a BBA from Cal State Northridge and an MBA from the University of Nevada at Reno. My first career was in business, for some 25+ years. In 2007, I shifted gears and entered the helping professions as a mental health counselor. I earned an MA in Educational Psychology and a Doctorate (PhD) in Counselor Education and Supervision. In my spare time I enjoy mentoring young and not-so-young business and non-profit executives as they go about growing their businesses and presence. I also teach part-time at the University of Wyoming, in both the Colleges of Education and Business.

On Fear, Anxiety, and That Sense of Being Overwhelmed: Working Hard to be a Failure

Posted on October 18, 2017 by Dr Joseph Russo

I have been reflecting on a couple of therapy sessions I had today and upon the homework I’d given my clients. It all began when my first client revealed their feeling of being overwhelmed. Then, later, another client expressed the … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Counseling Concepts, General Musings | 1 Comment

Re-Reading Seneca

Posted on October 9, 2017 by Dr Joseph Russo

Glancing through a book I have on the life of Lucius Annaeus Seneca (or, most simply, Seneca), I am reminded of all that this great Stoic has to teach us in the modern day. Born nearly 2,000 years ago, this was … Continue reading →

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Smile and the Whole World Smiles Along

Posted on October 5, 2017 by Dr Joseph Russo

This post will be about smiling. You know – the opposite of frowning. In fact, I am smiling as I write this. My wife says I have an impish smile. I think she has a radiant smile. But I know … Continue reading →

Posted in General Musings | 1 Comment

Fair Fighting Rules

Posted on September 29, 2017 by Dr Joseph Russo

I am often asked, “What is fair in the fights my husband and I have?” Let’s face it, every invention of man must carry some rules to help define it. Think of the operating manuals you get with the coffee … Continue reading →

Posted in Counseling Concepts, General Musings | 2 Comments

Enantiodromia – Moving to Extremes

Posted on September 22, 2017 by Dr Joseph Russo

Enantiodromia – or, how to play on the see-saw all by yourself. This article examines a number of subjects including Carl Jung’s notion of enantiodromia, cognitive dissonance, with a little Rogerian incongruity thrown in for good measure. As always, let … Continue reading →

Posted in General Musings | 1 Comment

Depression Could be A Physical Reaction to Stress

Posted on September 9, 2017 by Dr Joseph Russo

Some theorists in psychotherapy have long held that depression is choice. To some extent, they are right insofar as attitude is a key determinant to overall mental health and well-being. William Glasser, pictured here, posited that depression could be recast … Continue reading →

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Walk around naked at home? Do you swear? Turns out, you’re probably pretty smart!

Posted on August 27, 2017 by Dr Joseph Russo

Intelligent people are more likely to swear and walk around naked at home, according to a new study. Quizzing about 1,000 people on 400 typical behaviors, researchers at the University of Rochester found that extroverts are prone to telling dirty … Continue reading →

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:-) What? Are you stupid or something?

Posted on August 14, 2017 by Dr Joseph Russo

Smiling emoticons in work related e-mails portray low competence, according to a new study. This was simply too good not to put up on my blog immediately. The paper, published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science on July 31st, also suggested such … Continue reading →

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Circles of Competence

Posted on August 13, 2017 by Dr Joseph Russo

In the professions of counseling and executive mentoring we often speak of our scope of competence. What that means is this: we know what we can do and work to expand that scope, but we also understand what we cannot … Continue reading →

Posted in General Musings | 1 Comment

Most of us are Amateurs

Posted on August 13, 2017 by Dr Joseph Russo

Most of Us are Just Amateurs I am borrowing this from Brain Food and wanted to have it up on my Blog for posterity. I intend to use it in my work as both a counselor and executive mentor, for … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Counseling Concepts | 1 Comment