Do you stand over your child’s shoulder when they do their homework? Do you find yourself directing your kids’ every move? “Pick up this, clean up that, sit up straight, finish your homework, study hard, say thank you.” Do you spend a good chunk of your day obsessing about your children’s success, like will they…
You might find yourself feeling stuck, lonely, and helpless. When your husband yells at you, it can feel scary and alone. The fact you are reading this means you are looking for help and support to make things better, and that is a good sign. You say to yourself ‘Why is my husband yelling at me?’…
If I could go back in time, I would relive my adolescence…(said nobody ever). Can you imagine? Reliving those awkward years where your teeth don’t quite fit your face, your skin betrays you, and your prefrontal cortex is far from fully developed? No thanks. If you watched Disney Pixar’s “Inside Out”, which aired in 2015,…
Differences in a relationship are often seen as something negative, but they actually can serve a great purpose. They can deepen our empathy, respect, communication skills, and our resolve. Dr. John Gottman, co-founder of The Gottman Institute and author of many books on love, marriage, and relationships, says that we grow in our relationships by…
In Homer’s Odyssey, composed around the 8th century BCE, we encounter the quintessential masculine hero, Odysseus. A decorated veteran of the Trojan War, he finds himself “imprisoned” in luxury on Calypso’s island. Despite the material comforts surrounding him, Odysseus is inconsolable, weeping as he longs for his wife and son. Fast forward to the 21st…
Couples, like Dave and Tina, seek out sex therapy because both partners are frustrated with their sexual dynamics. Dave complains about the little sexual connection they have, and Tina fires back that she’s too exhausted. Dave gets frustrated, and Tina shuts down. Like Groundhog Day, the same conversation happens again a few weeks later. Sexual…
When I found myself a single father to two young children (3y/o son and 8 y/o daughter), I was forced to reassess what it meant to be a dad. I was well aware of the statistics around single parent households and wanted to make sure my kids had the same positive outcomes associated with two…
In the simplest sense, a boundary separates one thing from another. A fence is a boundary between two properties; our skin is the boundary between our organs and the outside world. A boundary is the line where one thing ends, and another begins. When we set a boundary with another person, we create some sort…
On a quiet January evening, David spotted the signs. His son, Ethan, a high school sophomore, sat at the kitchen table, his eyes glued to the light of his phone screen. Light flickered across his face, casting long shadows that seemed to echo the dark emotions hidden beneath his calm exterior. David’s worry deepened as…
‘In insecure relationships, we disguise our vulnerabilities so our partner never really sees us.’ Dr. Sue Johnson Will you be there for me? According to Dr. Sue Johnson, founder of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), most arguments in relationships are protests over emotional disconnection. Underneath the fights, partners are wondering: Are you there for me? Can…
