What? There’s a problem with independence? Our country was founded on this concept – we even have The Declaration of Independence. How can that not be good? Don’t get me wrong – independence is a wonderful idea in so many ways. But sometimes it can inhibit a healthy relationship. While individuals in a marriage certainly…
While that would certainly be my desire for you, far too many parents would have to answer a resounding “No” to that question. It may have been far easier to feel connected and functioning as a unified team before you had children than it did after. Some have referred to “losing that feeling of priority”…
Don’t be fooled! Those kids of yours are smarter than you may think. Oh, sure – they may look innocent enough, but they are shrewd. You see, with no training, those children somehow know how to take two seemingly intelligent adults and pit them against each other. They know and are competent at splitting us…
When my mother-in-law was alive, she was an incredible cook and a phenomenal hostess. If you were at her house enjoying dinner, you would want for nothing. She enjoyed serving people. But sometimes she could get so caught up in the preparations and making sure everything was just right that she had trouble enjoying the…
At first glance you may think, “Well, this doesn’t apply to me because my child has stayed away from alcohol and drugs. So I don’t have to worry about them having an addiction.” However, I am not talking today about substance abuse but about a very real addiction to electronic games. As one parent expressed…
Whether we are talking about a marriage, a work place relationship, or a friendship – most of us would, at least initially, think of disagreements as a negative experience. While I know that it often feels that way, is it really? Disagreements come in all shapes and sizes. Sometime we have minor arguments – such…
As you think about this, you may wonder, “Which relationships are you talking about?” To which I would say, “Any and all,” especially those that are most significant. A friend of mine recently helped his brother move to the middle of nowhere. His brother doesn’t want to engage with people and just wants to be…
We all know what habits are, patterns that we get into as to how we do things. They become routine, second nature, things that we can just “do” without giving them much thought. Some habits are beneficial while others can be annoying, sometimes even destructive. For example, if you are in the habit of leaving…
I just finished a session with a couple today that was frustrating for them and frustrating for me as well. Why? Because they are not all in. It won’t surprise you to know that I see couples who are having “issues.” All of them. This couple today was no exception. They have been separated for…
“Research shows that about 45 percent of youth in the U.S. now spend some time without a biological parent by late adolescence.” And for children from disadvantaged socioeconomic groups, the numbers are even higher. A sociologist from Princeton University states: “If we were asked to design a system for making sure that children’s basic needs…