Who are You Playing For?

You may be thinking, “Playing what for?” So, allow me to ask the question a bit differently. Who are you living for? Now in this “enlightened” age, I might get a variety of answers – “I live for my kids or my grandkids;” “I live to hear the approval and applause from others;” or “I…

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Why a Phone Call?

I love the Progressive commercials with Dr. Rick who tries to keep his clients from becoming their parents. In one commercial he plays a voicemail that someone named Julie left for him. Then he asks the group what Julie did wrong. While they answer with a variety of suggestions, he states that she didn’t even…

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Who is in Control?

Walking down a side street in New Orleans, my wife and I came across a sign outside of a restaurant that was a tad unusual. While most would advertise their “great food in a fine dining experience,” this one was different. The sign stated that the food was disappointing, the drinks were not all that…

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How’s Your Date Night?

Now if your first thought is, “What date night?” then this might be a timely post. Depending on your season of life, date nights can look very differently. If you are young with no children or are empty nesters, you may find date nights fairly easy to put together. But if you are like so…

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How’s the New Year Going?

So, we are about a month into the new year and I am wondering how it is going for you? Did you make any resolutions? Set any new goals? Dream up any new things you would like to see happen in 2023? If so – how’s it going? For many the resolutions and goals have…

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What Do You Expect?

“I’m really frustrated because I arrived home, expecting dinner, only to discover that nothing had even been done, no effort had even been made to start dinner!” Why did this person expect dinner to be ready? It might be because every other night dinner has been prepared. Or it could be that the person grew…

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Are You Nearing Burnout?

Burnout has been defined as, “an extreme state of psychological pain.” “It’s a response to facing prolonged, chronic stressors that go beyond your ability or available resources to overcome.” Professor Michael Leiter of Acadia University in Nova Scotia states that burnout has three components – “overwhelming exhaustion, feelings of cynicism, and a sense of discouragement.”…

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Would You Like Some Help?

While those sound like good kind words; an offer to assist, to provide support – individual’s reactions often don’t seem appreciative. Why? I have found myself trying to carry an armload of stuff (probably too much stuff) to the recycle bin, and my wife says, “Would you like some help?” To which I reply, “No,…

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Are You on the Same Team?

I just finished a counseling session with a couple who talked about wanting to be on the same team, but then everything they discussed demonstrated that they are clearly fighting for their individual agendas. They are far from embracing a “team” concept. In a marriage we are two individuals who “become one”, creating a new…

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