Most of us think we know about postpartum depression. We’ve seen the tragic news stories about mothers who take the lives of their own children. We’ve heard that women who suffer from it don’t feel love for or connection to their babies. And we equate depression with sadness, so therefore women afflicted by PPD are probably sad all the time,...[ read more ]
Imagine your surprise when it is discovered that the dysfunctions at play in various realms of your life can be traced back to having been raised by an alcoholic parent. This revelation may have come about inadvertently during couples counseling when delving into marital problems. Maybe the dots were connected when your boss chastised you for being unable to ever...[ read more ]
Today I noticed the first decorations signifying that the holiday shopping season is upon us. Not surprisingly this thought was immediately followed by thoughts of holiday gift giving, finances, and the logistics of celebration. For many parents and children, this year’s celebrations are impacted by divorce or separation, maybe for the first time. Change in the structure of the family...[ read more ]
5 Tips for Overcoming Social Anxiety in Real Life Situations Who can forget that frightful feeling we experienced back in adolescence when we had to get up in front of the class and deliver a speech, recite a poem, or audition for a school play? The sheer terror of seeing our peers' faces staring at us left us trembling. All...[ read more ]
The struggle of infertility can be all-consuming. Between running to medical appointments, tracking your temps, conducting hours of internet research, and trying to ignore that constant voice in your head that whispers “Is that a symptom of early pregnancy?” every time you feel an unexpected twinge in your body, it’s hard to fathom putting one more thing on your plate....[ read more ]
It is an age old rite of passage during one’s 20s until the mid-30s—that nagging sense that you are falling behind your peers, cohorts of the same generation who seem to, on the surface anyway, have it all dialed in. The first thing to understand, if you feel you are stuck in quarter-life crisis mode, is that this stage of...[ read more ]
The Gottman Method of Relationship Therapy is a specialized type of research-based intervention focused on assisting couples work through barriers of communication and conflict. Couples that opt to can engage in ongoing relationship counseling using Gottman tools. Over the past 40 years, Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman have been quietly revolutionizing the study of marriage, conducting research on what...[ read more ]
You are going through a challenging time. Maybe your boss is giving you a hard time, your significant other is not listening to your concerns, or your mother is nitpicky about everything. Talking to a friend is nice and helpful to get support, but you’re finding you’re really not moving forward with anything changing. Maybe you’re also worried that your...[ read more ]
No one plans to develop a reliance on alcohol or other substances. But too often, before you know it, you can feel out control or, at the very least uncomfortable, with your use. Abstinence and active participation in 12-step groups is the best choice for some, but it is not the only way to regain control. For many addressing...[ read more ]
When borderline personality disorder (BPD) makes communication difficult, following the SET method may help. SET stands for SUPPORT, EMPATHY, and TRUTH. It was developed by Jerold J. Kreisman, MD, and Hal Straus, the authors of I Hate You, Don’t Leave Me and Sometimes I Act Crazy. Why SET Works The symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD) can result in a BP (person...[ read more ]