I remember hearing a story, many years ago, from a concerned mother about her very angry son. She recounted many outbursts, but one in particular has stuck with me because it showed how different people perceive anger. During an initial session, this elderly woman explained that she had been living with her son, his wife, […]
“The best security blanket a child can have is parents who respect each other.”- Jane Blaustone As a therapist I have observed and worked with many families who have been through separations and divorce. This process is never easy for the adults or the children involved, and can disrupt what was once a “normal” family […]
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” -George Bernard Shaw How many times have you heard “Talk to me for once!” or “I can’t communicate with you right now!” or “Are you even listening to me?” As a therapist in Orlando working with couples and families, I hear these […]
One of the most challenging experiences for a parent is learning how to help a child in emotional distress. A parent can feel overwhelmed and inadequate, when faced with the acute emotional distress of their child; especially when they try to respond by attempting to calm the child down or with problem solving…and it doesn’t work. Panic can […]
When I was in high school, one of my friends (let’s call her Laura) dated a guy who often abused her both physically and emotionally. She was tragically affected by domestic violence, but at the time I had no idea. All I knew was that her boyfriend (let’s call him Rob) did not seem very […]
Whether you watch football or just follow the news, you may by now have heard that the NFL has put new policy in place to crack down on players who commit acts of domestic violence. This policy comes on the heels of a domestic violence case involving Ravens running back Ray Rice. Rice has been […]
The next step in building your own sound relationship house is learning to manage conflict. I believe that conflict is part of every relationship, but it doesn’t have to be something that blows up or makes our relationship less enjoyable.
I could write a novella about drama I have personally experienced during past holiday seasons. I am definitely still learning how to prevent and diffuse interpersonal conflict, especially during the holiday season, but here are some things I have discovered.
Last month I wrote about damage control and managing conflict. I have found that many of my clients (and friends) have to deal with more interpersonal conflict and damage control than usual during the holiday season. This is because the holidays are a time when we are expected to spend time with family members. And, […]
In the practical blog on conflict I offered some simple steps to dealing with conflict. Now I want to talk about how I (and I think most people) handle conflict.
