Nothing worth having comes easy. A close friend of mine says this often and I have come to believe it.  In the same respect, I have come to learn that just because something isn’t “easy” does not have to mean it is always “terrible/hard work.” Working on a marriage or long-term relationships does require “work”, […]

You know that check engine light we all have on our cars? What if the next time yours came on instead of taking your car to the shop you took a piece of black, electrical tape and covered it up? What if instead of doing simple, required maintenance or perhaps even going further and having […]

My husband and I were recently reminiscing about a particularly memorable temper tantrum our child had in public years ago. It’s easy to smile about that experience now, but at the time, it wasn’t pleasant. Although temper tantrums are a normal part of childhood, they can be an overwhelming experience for parents, full of anxiety, […]

What is self-worth and how can I find value in me? If you were to look at the dictionary definition of self-worth it states, “the sense of one’s own value or worth as a person.” That’s great Webster! I appreciate the obvious, but I still have questions. Who defines you, and is this a learned […]

Most of us recognize the idea of homophobia-a fear or dislike of homosexuals; what might be a little less understood is the concept of internalized homophobia. This occurs when a gay person believes the negative stereotypes and beliefs some people hold about homosexuals, as true about themselves. This can have a profound effect on their […]

I met Angie 7 years ago. We are close friends and she told me I can share her story with you as she wants to help as many people as possible. Angie is gifted in intelligence, funny, honest, extremely artistic—she went to college on a full ride for her artistic ability—and has one of the […]

I am not sure if I watched a movie, read a book or just had my own misinformed idea of what OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder was before I began graduate school. Twenty years ago if you would have asked me to describe the behaviors of a person living with OCD I would have said […]

Think back to your childhood and try to remember something that made you feel proud.  How do you remember deriving that sense of accomplishment?  Was it handed to you through some kind of evaluative praise, or were you left to simmer in its glory through simply being recognized for your hard work and focus?  The […]

Are you ever amazed by the strength and resilience of others and wonder if you would be able to withstand the hardships you see others face? I think most of us have that person in our lives that we see get dealt blow after blow and seem to handle it with relative ease and grace. […]

A very close friend of mine recently hurt her leg. She wasn’t doing anything special—meaning no marathons, or weekend warrior events—just living life for the most part. Anyways, she somehow damaged a nerve and now has to attend physical therapy 2x each week. As I have watched her faithfully attend these sessions for several months […]