THERAPY: 5 Myths Worth Talking About
Therapy has always held a certain mystique. Some patients lay down on a couch. Some analysts don’t say a word. The office is dimly lit. Secrets are uncovered in a seemingly endless treatment. Age-old problems evaporate and childhood comes alive. Sex takes on new importance. Right? Not exactly. Let’s take another look. Myth #1 …
HAPPINESS: What’s Getting In the Way?
What do we mean when we say “I’m unhappy”? or “I’m not happy”? And, what do we mean when we ask “How can I find happiness”? or “How can I be happier”? Happiness, as we know, is not necessarily jumping up and down with glee. And, it may not even be when we’re smiling. Most…
DEPRESSION: How We Talk About It
Google “Depression” and you’ll find a lot of articles that describe depression. Articles listing symptoms such as lethargy, persistent sadness, numbness, or amplified negative emotions, changes in appetite and/or sleep patterns, decline in ability to focus or to attend to work and daily responsibilities, and a retreat from socializing. Other articles about depression list solutions…
EMOTIONAL ATTUNEMENT: Strengthening Your Marriage
WHAT’S THE EMOTIONAL TONE OF YOUR MARRIAGE OR RELATIONSHIP? There’s a lot of chatter about what behaviors help strengthen a marriage or relationship. Much of that chatter points to the value of spending time together. We see numerous references to “shared values,” or “shared interests,” and “shared goals.” Couples who do things together are healthier…
Self-Esteem and Self Confidence
UNDERSTANDING FEAR OF FAILURE Do you feel self-confident? Do you have a decent amount of self-esteem? A little? Not so much? Depends on what we’re talking about? Well, what are we talking about? Are we talking about moxie, bluster, extroversion? Are we talking about pride, gregariousness, popularity? Are we talking about the absence of…
BOREDOM: Bored With Your Relationship?
EMOTIONAL SAFETY IS IMPORTANT: Emotional safety is important in healthy relationships. No well-functioning relationship can work if the partners feel frightened, afraid, tense, or expect the other to walk out the door any minute. And emotional safety is key to building trust, human connection and growth. It promotes intimacy, vulnerability and a durable sense of…
FEAR OF FAILURE: How It Works
Do you feel self-confident? Do you have a decent amount of self-esteem? A little? Not so much? Depends on what we’re talking about? Well, what are we talking about? Are we talking about moxie, bluster, extroversion? Are we talking about pride, gregariousness, popularity? Are we talking about the absence of shame, embarrassment, fear of failure?…
SEXUAL DESIRE: The Importance of Seduction
Struggling With Loss of Sexual Desire . . . Not interested in sex? Need to work very hard to feel minimally aroused? Is your partnership or marriage suffering because of the loss of sexuality and the lost erotic component? Loss of sexual desire is said to be a woman’s biggest sexual problem. This is true…
CAN WE WORK IT OUT: How To Decide?
DISCERNMENT COUNSELING HELPS YOU DECIDE . . . . Are We Compatible? Couples facing the question whether to try to repair the marriage or divorce typically ask the question: are we compatible? All Couples Fight: And couples certainly get on each other’s nerves. Living together is sometimes like a train wreck waiting to happen. Bad habits…
KISSING: Why We Stopped
WHY MARRIED COUPLES DON’T FRENCH KISS ANYMORE . . . . Oh How Delicious It Is! Slow sweet sexy kissing. Open-mouthed or closed-mouthed. Delicate little rose-bud kissing or long-stemmed, rain-drenched, full-bloom kissing. The feeling of desire, of compassion, of erotic connection. Sadly, Many Couples Report They’ve Stopped French Kissing Entirely. In my office, couples I tell…