Contagious Courage – Dr. D’s Guest blog

Have you ever noticed when you are around someone who is angry, your blood pressure starts to increase? Or when you are in a group of Negative Nancys, your grouch meter starts beeping? Do you have some friends who just make you feel happier when you are around them? If … Read More

Middle Ground Communication: More Guidelines

This is part 2 of a 4 part series. You can read the first part HERE More guidelines for finding middle ground in a relationship: No name calling Speak honestly and judiciously Name calling.  It is easy to fall into this pattern in a relationship.  Perhaps it is a familiar pattern within … Read More

Middle Ground Communication: Two Guidelines

This is part 1 in a 4 part series Opposites attract.  This is true in the realm of physics, but is often true in relationships also.  I sometimes sit with couples who are on opposite ends of the communication spectrum.  What once brought them together now divides. Having a place … Read More

Recovery from an Affair: Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a process. A lot of people believe that forgiveness is accomplice in the “snap of the fingers”. I hear people say, “forgive and forget” all of the time.  However, forgiveness can take hours, days, weeks, months, or even years.  According to Life Innovations, “Forgiveness is the decision or … Read More

Does someone I know have a gaming problem?

In 2007, statistics from a Stanford University, Harris Poll  and reported on youths addicted to video games. The poll showed 8.5% of youths (between the ages of 8 – 18) in the US could be classified as video game addicts. While another 23% of youths would say that they are addicted … Read More

Family, Ya Gotta Love Um

If you have family like mine, I’m talking about brothers and sisters here, sometimes they just make one want to scream. The stuff they come up with or the things they get into and then wonder why life becomes so hard. It would be funny, if it wasn’t so tragic. … Read More

Like to shop – a little too much?

Shopping can be a fun way to spend time with friends, prepare for the future, and keep up with the latest trends of the season; but when does liking to shop turn into having to shop to deal with stress in life? Some people find themselves enjoying shopping so much … Read More

Kids Talking Back?

I read an interesting article the other day and the question was posed: “Should Kids be encouraged to talk back to their parents?”  I thought to myself “no!” but then as I thought more about this simple question, I needed to think through my answer and give a more appropriate … Read More

Are you fully busy?

Last week I ran into a friend I hadn’t seen in quite a while. We began exchanging greetings and when I ask her how she was doing, she got about half way through saying “busy” and stopped. She corrected herself and answered that her life was “full.” This got me … Read More

Lonely Hearts Club

Valentine’s Day is upon us. Many people dread the appearance of cupid and his arrows along with the pink and red hearts, bouquets of flowers and boxed chocolates. (Personally, I think a holiday that includes chocolate is one worth celebrating.) However, there is the reality of the day itself to … Read More