Salee Reese

Wanted: A Gentle Caveman

          Knowing how to love a woman isn’t rocket science. Or is it? Over the years, as a counselor, numerous men have sought my advice about women. They want to know how to navigate the baffling pathway to a woman’s heart. Whether dating or in a long-term relationship, it’s not uncommon for a guy to […]

The New Normal?

The spectacle we call the debates has me in a constant state of revulsion and bewilderment. What happened? What has gone awry? We all have our theories and there’s probably an element of truth to most, but what concerns me is our apparent collective departure from courtesy and kindness. Call it good old-fashioned respect. Instead, […]

Real Strength

I like what Sydney Harris, the late American journalist, had to say: “People who are proud of being brutally frank rarely admit they are more gratified by the brutality than by the frankness.” Personally, I don’t think there’s anything admirable about stomping on someone’s dignity. It’s easy to be offensive and degrading. It’s much more […]

Ooooo … when love blooms!

Is your brain marinating in a cocktail of hormones and giddiness? If so, it’s probably love . . . new love! New love is the budding stage of something potentially profound between two people. And just as a flower bud is fragile, the same is true of love. Both must be treated with tender loving […]

Love is the Force

“I want her to know she can come to me.” Ben was referring to his twelve-year-old daughter, Madison. He sought my advice because 1) he’s concerned about her grades and 2) he realizes his approach is alienating her. When Ben talks to Madison about her grades, he doesn’t talk. He yells and puts her down. […]

How to Get Hippos to Eat Their Veggies (Not Easy)

According to Newton’s Laws, any force we exert will result an equal amount of force in the opposite direction. Somehow this principle escapes us when our child refuses to do something. My clients, Sara and Mark, are keen examples.  Force hasn’t worked–their efforts are backfiring when it comes to their seven-year-old son, Brendon.  “He just doesn’t […]