As a marriage and family therapist, the biggest hurdle that I see individuals and couples face in realizing the goals for their relationships is that they keep doing what they have been doing, in spite of having learned a better way. So, as the Nike ad says, “Just do it.” … Read More
Mourning the Loss of a Pet
Pet loss is often one of the most difficult experiences people deal with. It often takes people by surprise just how difficult it can be to “bounce back” after a pet’s death, or how hard the loss hits them in their day to day life. Whether it is a childhood … Read More
New Ideas for Resolutions
It can be easy to get stuck in the same routine where you make the same resolutions year after year. I can’t count the number of times I have promised myself to drink less caffeine! If you have tried the same few resolutions each year, why not try something different … Read More
Ignite Your Passion this Valentine’s Day with a Sex Talk
It’s never a bad thing to have a sex talk with your partner, but it does require a thoughtful approach to ignite the passion in your relationship. Passion is what most couples I work with want more of when they assess their sexual needs. They want powerful, compelling emotions with … Read More
Do Something Hard
It turns out, doing something hard might be good for your brain. This is the time of year when people tend to try and make and keep resolutions. Are you still looking for one? Try this one out: Do something hard. A group of researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital recently … Read More
Moving: New City, New Life
Moving is hard, but moving through this challenge can make you stronger and a more well-rounded individual. Whether the change is due to school, a job, or just wanting a fresh start, people are moving to new cities all the time. Even if it is a change you are excited … Read More
Love at First Sight: How Perceptions Impact Love
The old adage, love at first sight, may be more scientific than we originally thought. Author Erik Van Alstine, Automatic Influence, has researched the idea of perceptions impacting love. He argues that love is not a feeling first, it is first a perception. The feeling of love follows. What we … Read More
Good Pictures Bad Pictures
Some researchers are citing the age of 8 – eight years old!! – as the average age of exposure to pornography. And – that’s an average. Meaning that kids also encounter pornography at ages even younger than 8. Prior to the Internet era children typically didn’t discover porn until age … Read More
Couples Therapy: Experience Something New!
If couples are going to change, they are going to need more than knowledge about what they could do differently. They are going to need to risk doing things differently and have new, healing experiences. DH Lawrence wrote, The world fears a new experience more than it fears anything. Because … Read More
The Perfectionist Child
A little perfectionist likes order, rules, and thrives on certainty. Perfectionism can start at an early age and when parents or caregivers give these children the support they need, they will thrive. However, it can be challenging to teach young children how to to deal with the inevitable reality that … Read More
