Have you ever met someone who didn’t seem to care what other people thought and admired him or her? Maybe you even thought, “I wish…
What’s for Dinner? And Other Ways to Focus on Your Own Needs for a Change!
It’s almost dinner time. The age old question surfaces, “What do you want to do for dinner tonight?” Ugh. There it is. We all know…
Yes Man, No Man
Do you remember the movie, Yes Man? It was released in 2008 and starred comedian Jim Carrey. It’s about a man, Carl Allen, living a…
The Power of Saying “No”
A statement I often hear from my clients is, “I don’t feel like I’m appreciated.” Feeling appreciated is one of the most rewarding, warm feelings…
Conflict Avoidance: Sink or Swim
When baby sea turtles are born, they begin their lives by struggling to get to shore by themselves. It’s a difficult time, and it’s possible…
Pathological Altruism: When Giving Causes More Harm than Good
Giving and putting others first is heralded as a loving act, a way to show how much you care for another person, a way to…
Assertiveness: Why Does It Matter, When Others Won’t Change?
Counselors spend a fair amount of their time teaching assertiveness skills, because people frequently come in with low self-esteem, feeling very disempowered. Often they grew…
Good Guilt: When Feeling Guilty Means You’re on the Right Track
Change is hard. When people come in for counseling, they want change, and often this requires that they themselves change their own behavior or their…
When You Lose It with Your Kids, the Problem Is Usually Boundaries, Not Anger
In the world of perfection parenting that we’re immersed in, many moms are worried they don’t measure up, a major reason being that they lose…
Is Codependency Keeping You from Who You Need to Be?
Relationships are wonderful and joyous and give our lives purpose and meaning. When they are going well, that is. When they’re not, they can be…
Overcoming Resentment
“Resentments are like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” You’ve probably heard the adage before, but since it’s so true, I thought…
The Importance of Boundaries in Our Lives
Whether you’ve been in therapy or not, you’ve likely heard people talk about boundaries, which are critically important to our emotional well-being. Boundaries, it is…
