16Jan

You Make Me Feel

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. -Viktor Emil Frankl, Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, author and Holocaust survivor So, you make me feel… Nope. Sorry. You don’t make me feel anything. This is a good thing! A more accurate statement would be, “When x happens, […]

01Dec

Crafting Gratitude — The Practical Side

Thanksgiving has just passed, and now I am counting the days until Christmas. I love Christmas, because I love giving (and getting) gifts. I love lit trees, delicious treats, and family traditions that have been celebrated and passed down for thirty plus years. And, yet, as I am getting older, I have come to love Thanksgiving […]

11Nov

Children and Emotional Distress

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 […]

07Oct

Domestic Violence (DV) — The Personal Side

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 […]

15Aug

Building Trust

Many couples (whether they are dating or in a committed relationship) spend so much time and energy whirling around in circles. They’re trying to understand each other, guessing if the other truly cares, wondering if they are committed… mostly just trying to figure out if they can trust each other. Part of the game is due […]