Emotional Maturity - What is it?
Maturity is generally recognized as a combination of age and experience; however, emotional maturity is a different animal. “Emotional maturity is when you do not rely on others to fulfill your needs physically, emotionally, or spiritually,” says licensed clinical psychologist Dara Bushman, PsyD. Being emotionally mature is an important therapeutic goal and it is an important ingredient to living a happy and meaningful life. But what does being emotionally mature mean? One of the founders of the Menninger Clinic in Houston, Texas, Dr. William C. Menninger, defines it as: The ability to deal constructively with reality The capacity to adapt to change A freedom from symptoms produced by tensions and anxieties The capacity to find more satisfaction in giving than receiving The capacity to relate to other people in a consistent manner with mutual satisfaction and helpfulness The capacity to direct one’s instinctive hostile energy into creative and constructive outlets The capacity to...