“I promise this is the last time I will use… (fill in drug of choice)”. If you are in a relationship with someone who is struggling with addiction, you have most likely heard those words. You probably have believed those words time and time again, only to be hurt and … Read More
Relationships & Social Media
There is a deluge of information about the damaging effects of technology on relationships. A quick Internet search will pull up innumerable sources, from scientific journals to editorial rants, asserting that social media actually undercuts our ability to form healthy relationships. (For the record, I fully appreciate the absurdity of … Read More
The College Experience – Social Media & Anxiety
Experience is a great teacher. We learn though successes, we learn through mistakes, and we even learn from the internet. This summer, we are helping our students learn before their college experience. We have pulled together our experience in working with some of the brightest students, experience from working on … Read More
Foster Friendship with Your Spouse
While there are differing schools of thought as to whether your spouse can truly be your best friend, one thing is for certain…successful marriages are built on solid friendship. John Gottman, PhD, has studied both the masters and the disasters of relationships for more than 40 years. He figured that … Read More
How Have Your Early Family Interactions Shaped Your Current Listening?
We often intrinsically know whether we feel listened to and understood, ignored, dismissed, or misunderstood by another person. But how often do we intentionally think about our capacity to listen in relationships – whether that’s work, family, romantic, social, or spiritual – and how often do we reflect on the connection between our early family experiences and how they taught us to listen (or not)? Here are a few questions to help you explore how you have learned to listen (and what you expect from other listeners).
The Power of [Just] Listening Well
Recently I’ve seen countless examples of people who are hurting, struggling, confused or angry – and they feel completely alone. It seems like the cause for some of the isolation can be traced back to friends, family, or trusted confidants who have no idea how to just be present… how to just listen.
We’re busy. Our thoughts are going a million miles per hour. We’re used to having so much information flying at us, that to stop, press pause, focus, and just listen requires so much discipline.
Relationship Spark – Get Creative Together!
Is improving your romantic relationship high on your list priorities for 2016? One of the best things you can do for your relationship is to get creative and have fun together. We have an upcoming Spark! date night event to provide you with an opportunity to do just that. I’ll … Read More
The New Year Experience
There’s something invigorating about the New Year. Many of us have this sense of a “clean slate,” the turning of a page, a new opportunity, fresh air. Whether you set a New Year’s resolution (like 45% of Americans) or not, I think most of us would agree many times there is some sort of a relief when one year comes to a close and a new year begins.
First Things First: Elements of Healthy Relationships
We put ourselves in the unenviable position of trying to address our relational health by reacting to negative experiences; relational health becomes a process of reverse engineering, figuring out what not to do. My client’s question suggests a much better approach. To that end, I would argue that three conditions are required to foster and sustain healthy relationships
Student-Athletes: Tips on how to Stay Emotionally Fit During the Holidays
The holidays are typically an exciting time for students. This is a time for taking a break from rigorous academic schedules, spending more time with loved ones from far and near and eating traditional foods you’ve waited for all year long.
Most student-athletes have a very different outlook on the holiday season. The holidays can be a very stressful and sacrificing time for them.