Navigating divorce is difficult. There are many causes for divorce. A few of these are: Affairs Grown apart/fallen out of love Addiction Incompatible Divorce becomes even more complex when there are children involved. Many times, parents become bitter and angry towards each other and it is hard to treat each … Read More
Experiencing Positive Change in Your Relationships
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
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
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
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
Codependency and How to Care for Yourself
Codependency can simply be described as helping others while harming yourself. Have you ever found yourself in a relationship where you felt as if you were going “crazy?” Have you ever found yourself excessively worried, preoccupied or even obsessed with your partner’s problems? Codependency involves reactions which are unhealthy forms of … Read More
Abusive Relationships: Recognizing Control Tactics in Conflict
Navigating conflicts is really a part of all relationships, including healthy ones. But a hallmark of an abusive relationship is when conflict is less about disunity and difference of opinion and it’s more about one person controlling the other. When an abuser engages in an argument, the goal has nothing … Read More
Compassionate Responses in a Socio-Political Climate of Fear and Division
In light of the recent presidential election, there are a lot of polarizing views right now regarding our socio-political climate and the state of the country…many of these may touch a nerve for you. In light of the current climate of fear and division, consider a couple action steps… Self-care: … Read More
How to Negotiate Where to Spend the Holidays as a Newly Married Couple
Wondering where to spend the holidays as a newly married couple? As the song goes, “Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house we go.” The question this year is, “To which Grandmother’s house to go?” One discussion I encourage pre-marriage and newly married couples to have, especially this … Read More
The Lions’ Den: A Survivalist Guide To Holidays
Why do you need to be a survivalist during the holidays? We love to be with our family, but we hate the conflict. We can’t stay away and have to brace ourselves before walking into holiday family gatherings. It can feel like entering a lions’ den. Walking through the lions’ … Read More