Salee Reese

The Latest Wow: More Beautiful Than Leaves

A friend of mine, Patti, who helps me with my tech challenges, wowed me with something that caused me—without any reservation—to demand that she write it up for my blog. She did just that and here it is: I was gazing out my kitchen window the other day, captivated by the beauty of the changing […]

She Swallowed A Lie

Depression and dissatisfaction with your life may be direct feedback from your inner guidance system telling you that you’re not fulfilling your true nature. Branches on a young bonsai tree are wired down and shaped to conform to a fixed design. In time, the wires are no longer necessary. The bonsai will hold its forged […]

Untuck Your Wings

This is one of my favorite quotes: “O God, help me to believe the truth about myself, no matter how beautiful it is!”   — Macrina Wiederkehr, author of Seasons Of Your Heart Walking along a trail, you see an unusual and stunning butterfly. Perched on a small branch, its richly colored patterns and exquisite gracefulness invite […]

Life’s a Struggle, then We Live

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” This was said by Frederick Douglass, former slave, social reformer, and author. Frederick fought obstacles and won, and so did Diana Nyad, who at age 64 became the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida.  It took 53 straight hours with no breaks and no […]

Thoughts of Suicide

In my previous post, Banished from Her Mother’s Heart, I talked about Michelle, who was dealing with her mom’s rejection. In this post, I want to introduce you to Scott. Like Michelle, he marched to the beat of his own drum, and likewise suffered rejection, primarily from his dad. Scott’s gay, and his father couldn’t […]

Banished from her Mother’s Heart

“Your mother is good for you,” I said. “Her disapproval is forcing you to become immune to disapproving attitudes. Unbeknownst to her, she’s stretching you to become self-accepting and to believe in yourself.” Michele followed the beat of her own drum, and her family shunned her for it—especially her mother. Parental disapproval, at any age, can […]

A Girl Needs Her Dad

It’s doubtful that many fathers realize how important they are. I don’t question it. As a daughter, I have firsthand experience, and as a counselor, I’m reminded on a regular basis of a father’s immense impact . . . . continue Happy Father’s Day!  Do you have a favorite story to share about your dad? […]

A Boy Needs His Dad

From the moment a boy separates from his mother’s placenta, the journey with his father begins. It’s a connection as vitally important to his growth—from an infant to a man—as the umbilical cord has been to his development.  Continue . . . We can forget just how vitally important fathers are in the lives of […]

The Latest Wow: Fire Your Inner Critic!

I had a client tell me once: “Every time I put myself down, I’m affirming that my mother was right.” Click here to read about Dawn and Doug and how their childhoods were fertile soil for the formation of negative self-talk and low self-worth.

She Turned Me Into a Puppet … But Puppets Can’t Love

“She turned me into a puppet, and then wondered why I no longer loved her. The answer is simple—a puppet doesn’t have a heart.” “As men, we share a single purpose: to find that one special female who will kill us just slowly enough that by the time we reach 80, we’re already dead.” To read […]