As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I have the opportunity to be involved in a fair amount of pre-marital counseling with couples. I am always excited to see couples make this a priority in their relationship steps because it tells me that they are being intentional about protecting the commitment that they are making to…
Have you ever been told that the problem with your communication is not what you say but how you say it? Most of us have heard that at one time or another. Because we may not choose the best phrase or words, what we say is misunderstood and our best intentions go by the wayside. …
I recently read a humorous article regarding technology and how comfortable people are becoming with everything from Siri – the female-sounding voice assistant, to that familiar GPS voice. Technology has certainly come a long ways in helping us – find directions, answer questions, check the weather, to even contacting our loved ones (what a concept). …
You have no doubt heard the phrase (maybe you have even spoken it), “rejection hurts.” Well a recent study has concluded just how true that may be. The results, published by the National Academy of Sciences, found that the regions of the brain that respond to physical pain overlap with those that react to social…
I own a 1985 Firebird, having bought it in July of 1985. It has been a great car with lots of memories. However, after about 20 years and nearly 250,000 miles, it was time to park it and get something that made a little more sense to drive in Colorado, and so I did. The…
Robin Roberts, the anchor for Good Morning America, recently returned to work after battling a life-threatening blood disease. She endured chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant, and months in the hospital and then isolation at home. She speaks with great respect about her doctor and his great care for her that included his tears but also…
I recently read a story about a couple in Oregon who were traveling back home from an out of town trip. They were using their GPS as they navigated an unfamiliar route. Nearing a small town, their GPS instructed them to turn off onto a little used forest road. This was a result of their…
In recent months I have had the chance to see the movie “Lincoln.” Aside from tremendous acting on the part of the star-studded cast, I was moved by the character of a man such as Lincoln. It is easy to make a statement such as that based upon the resistance he encountered as he worked…
Last Tuesday I shared with you the story of David and Kelly and the manner in which their marriage began. We looked at some pettiness and disillusionment on their part, but then began to examine some truths that they have since learned. There are two additional tips that I want to propose today that can…
Even after all my years of counseling couples and hearing just about everything imaginable uttered in my office, I am still often taken aback by issues that present themselves for disagreement. David and Kelly had only been married a few weeks when they were shopping in the quaint stores in Carmel, along the California coast. …