The White family overwhelms my office with noise and activity from the first moment they arrive for family therapy. The three boys, aged 6, 10, and 13, immediately begin to argue over who sits where. Pouncing on one another’s laps, they push and poke. The youngest one screams as though he has been mortally wounded. […]
6 Tips for Breaking the Blame Barrier
Hardly a day ever goes by when I don’t hear someone blaming someone for something. It is one of the most common–and one of the most frustrating patterns that confront couples and families. Blame can destroy a good marriage, wreak havoc on our friendships, and put innocent kids in the middle of their parents’ arguments. […]
10 Tips to Manage Stress More Effectively
Countless research studies have underscored how anxiety and depression correlate significantly with an individual’s sense of control or lack of control over his or her own destiny. The same thing is true when it comes to stress. In fact, given our mortality combined with our lack of control over so much of life, stress goes […]
We Are Only As Sick as Our Secrets
“Anything will give up its secrets if you love it enough. Not only have I found that when I talk to the little flower or to the little peanut they will give up their secrets, but I have found that when I silently commune with people they give up their secrets also–if you love them […]
Confronting Your Ghosts of the Past: How to Assess Your Relationship
“In every conceivable manner, the family is the link to our past, the bridge to our future.” -Alex Haley If you were one of the lucky people, raised in a happy loving family, you’ve most likely emerged with many of the skills and strengths necessary to form lasting healthy relationships…and you are probably NOT […]
Drowning in Love: What’s Too Much of a Good Thing?
Definitions of smothering love: To express your love for someone too much; to cover someone or something completely; to insulate, to overwhelm. Parenting is one of the hardest jobs around. Especially here, especially now, in our rapidly moving, constantly changing modern world. Most parents seek out this job willingly and joyfully with the best of […]
