Let’s just start off by saying there are usually many right ways to accomplish whatever, but many individuals still insist they’re right about pretty much everything.Admittedly, being right feels good. We’re like kids in the classroom, eagerly raising our hands when we know the answer. We love winning–being right!–so much that many of us are tempted to cheat […]
The most frequent reason given as to why individuals don’t leave unsatisfactory relationships is that they don’t want to be alone.We live in a couple world where many see even an unhappy connection as better than no connection at all. We’d rather have miserable Valentine’s Days, dissatisfied with whatever does or doesn’t happen, than have no valentine to […]
Valentine’s Day is one of the most celebrated/hated days of the year. With the focus on showing your love, things often get twisted, so adhere to these rules for couples who’ve been to a few rodeos:Don’t Do Unto Others…..Following the golden rule is a pretty good way to live, except not everyone wants you to […]
Dr. Carol “Our son Ethan is 3 yrs old and when my husband asks for him to give him a kiss or hug him he refuses. He will easily give me kisses and hugs though. It seems like they are already starting to butt heads. My husband tends to use an authoritarian style parenting. He will […]
Valentine’s is a day of big expectation and a certain amount of stress. This is sad because love is supposed to refresh, comfort and renew. But that often isn’t the reality for some. So, here’s a prescription– Ask What Makes Your Love Feel Loved A surprising number of people can’t accurately say what makes their […]
Even if you feel loved, you may not feel respected.While the term respect technically means to be valued, it also can mean being treated with courtesy and having certain rights, which is where the problems often come in. In the complexity of relationships, we need to both be respected and to respect, but that can be difficult.Parents talk […]
We focus a lot on resolutions at the first of the year–often the same ones every year–and after getting a gym membership and a personal trainer, subscribing to a diet service or promising ourselves we’ll live better lives in various ways, we often fail. Let’s admit it, sometimes we suck. We don’t tell our bosses […]
Our behavior is often influenced by our belief that others are watching, criticising and judging us. This anxiety often constricts and narrows our perspective. We don’t get to the simple choice of “what do I want to do here” because we worry about how we’re viewed by others.Don’t get me wrong–others’ matter a whole bunch. […]
The holiday season can be joyous and filled with fun. It’s supposed to be a big family time of the year, whether you go to church together or focus more on the secular side of things. Some families, however, have difficult times. Alcohol and togetherness can bring out unresolved issues and make getting together a […]
More than half of marriages fail and those are just the couples that made a legal commitment. Relationships are one of the hardest things we do on this earth. Sometimes they flourish and sometimes they don’t.Whether or not you’re in a troubled relationship, you’ll have noticed that lots of people have lots of opinions about […]