As many people in LGBTQIA+ relationships know, it can be really hard when you have unsupportive families. Discrimination is hard when it’s coming from anyone but there is a specific source of pain when it comes from family. Familial relationships can be complicated. You may love each other deeply but disagree on many things. It…
Alexandra and James* James is awake staring at the ceiling, feeling lonely and confused. Alexandra is beside him, facing away, sleeping soundly. He keeps replaying the evening over and over again in his mind. When did things go wrong? They went out for a romantic dinner with the intent of coming home and being intimate.…
Parenting is like a box of chocolates. You never know what kind of human you will be raising. Raising a transgender teen is nothing I ever imagined would show up in my box! For the first thirteen years of my child’s life, they identified as a cis female. My teen was a girly girl leading…
Neurodiverse romantic relationships include at least one or more neurodivergent partners. Neurodiversity refers to the variation in neurological differences that occur naturally in all humans, with 15-20% of people falling in the category of neurodivergent. The term neurodivergence is most commonly used with Autism and ADHD, but it also applies to people with Dyslexia, Sensory…
Dating can be difficult and at times you may want to give up. Research shows that fulfilling relationships and connecting with the meaningful people in your life are the keys to better health and increased happiness. Humans are social creatures. We crave connection with others, and we cannot discount the importance of social connections and…
National Domestic Violence Hotline If you’re in an abusive relationship, you are not alone. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 or TTY 1−800−787−3224. You can also visit the website. Most people try to avoid conflict at all costs. However, even in healthy relationships, things can escalate. It is hard to navigate through an environment…
You value transparency and open, honest, communication. So it boils your blood when someone appears angry but doesn’t admit it directly. Maybe they give you the silent treatment but then tell you they’re just tired. Or, they say something nice with a lack of warmth. It doesn’t seem authentic, but they get defensive when you…
Love always triumphs In the relationship between God and humans, love is the connecting energy. If that connection is established, the fact of the unity of all beings becomes a reality. As a result, love triumphs over all forms of anger and other unpleasant emotions. We bring about peace wherever we send love to others.…
When Deborah, 38, and Scott, 39, (*not their real names) sat on the couch in my office during a couples counseling session, they described their pursuer-distancer pattern. Deborah seeks more connection and affirmation than Scott is comfortable giving. When Deborah makes demands, Scott retreats because he feels criticized and unworthy. Deborah put it like this,…
While play can provide space for new beginnings and exploration, it can also give us the chance to be reminded of our “why” and gain perspective in the midst of the muck and messiness of life. While writing this book, I experienced one of the most intense seasons of burnout in my life. The convergence…
