The Latest Wow: How to Save a Sinking Ship
“I just learned that the human brain isn’t fully formed until the age of 24. I got married at 20 so, therefore, I wasn’t in my right mind.” This little gem—which activated my uncontrollable-laughter-impulse—fell straight from the lips of Anna, a client experiencing a bit of disillusionment in her marriage. Not at all unfamiliar territory […]
Finding the Right Someone
A relationship that’s right for us is one that sets our spirit free. Hey … Valentine’s Day is right around the bend, so it’s a good time to take a look at love—up close—and contemplate its meaning … just what the heck is it? Finding a solid definition of love is fuzzy. There are probably […]
Love Scored a Touchdown
The week of Thanksgiving is upon us and our thoughts turn to turkey, pumpkin pies, family gatherings and … football—ew! Sorry, football fans. I couldn’t restrain myself. To me, football seems … well … brutish. Don, my partner, who just so happens to be a former football coach (go figure), tells me I’m suffering from […]
The Latest Wow: “Get over it!” Really?
According to the late theologian Paul Tillich, “The first duty of love is to listen.” I rank listening right up there at the top of requirements for a well-running relationship. This includes love partnerships, parent-child relationships, friendships … you name it. Listening is a lot bigger than the mere act of hearing with our ears. […]
You Always Hurt the One You Love
Walls go up around the heart when we’re treated harshly. Eventually, bitterness replaces the tender love that was once there. Claire was starting to feel that way toward her husband, Joe, when she sought my help. “He’s constantly critical and demeaning to me!” she said. “It has to change! I’m too miserable to have it […]
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 […]
Apologies That Mean Something
Ever receive one of those hollow-eyed, flat apologies? You know … the mechanical kind that lack any substance. Yes, we all know what it’s like, and we all know what we want instead. Tracy and a few others do, and here are their stories. Read them here.
The Latest Wow: The Power of Love
Remember Beth? I mentioned her in an earlier post. She and Sam got a divorce several months ago but then decided to give it another go. In that post I asked her, “What made you change your mind?” She said, “I’ve discovered that anger fades a lot faster than love.” They’re living together now to discover whether the […]
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 […]