The Needy Parent
In previous articles I have said that the marital relationship is the most important relationship in a family. [Blended families are a separate problem, because a parent’s loyalty and devotion to his or her children may be greater… Read More
The Insecure Parent
Several years ago a couple came for counseling, and they subsequently worked with me over a period of two years. They were middle-aged, fairly successful and had a very bright teen-aged son, who excelled at school and adored… Read More
Predictability & Anxiety
As a therapist, I have observed that most people who have anxiety complain of a low tolerance for uncertainty. Not knowing what’s going to happen in a given situation is liable to make them uncomfortable, anxious or even… Read More
PATIENCE
If you struggle to make smart decisions, please read on.
Venting
In a recent session with a married couple, the wife told me that her husband sometimes comes home from work feeling grouchy. He can’t seem to blow off enough steam, he just keeps venting. She tells him to… Read More
BELIEFS
Our beliefs determine our decisions, thoughts and behavior. A client of mine who suffers from anxiety recently told me that his positive state of mind can turn negative if the slightest thing goes wrong. Over several sessions he… Read More
Conflict # 64 – Perspective
In order to handle conflict effectively, we must be in a calm state of mind and body. That means we need to manage our own stresses, understand what triggers us to feel threatened, upset, unbalanced, and know how… Read More
Conflict # 63 – Now and Forever
If you attended public school in the United States, your school conducted monthly fire drills to help you respond in an emergency. The students knew exactly what to do when the buzzer or bell rang. And the staff… Read More
Conflict # 62 – Your Inner Language
In my previous articles you may have read about the mistakes made by virtually everyone when trying to resolve a conflict. Let’s look at one of the big mistakes. Actually a three-part mistake. First, assuming you know what… Read More
Conflict # 61 – A Hard Truth
In a previous article I proposed the idea that unhappiness often results from holding unrealistic expectations; that is, expectations not based on evidence or facts. Instead, such expectations are based on a number of misconceptions. Here are two… Read More
