by Marcia | Jan 16, 2015 | Mental Health
Most people come to see me for help not with serious mental illness but with problems dished out by the school of hard knocks. On a first visit we scope the territory, I set up a mental database, and we set goals for our work together. No matter what the issues are,...
by Marcia | Jan 13, 2015 | Love & Marriage, Relationship Skills
Sometimes the people we most want to attract are not ready for friendship or for a romantic relationship. Sometimes it seems as if the other person runs away the minute you reach out. Going after him or her almost feels like the child’s game of peekaboo: now you see...
by Marcia | Jan 9, 2015 | Childrearing
In the process of childrearing it’s easy to get sidetracked by day-to-day concerns involving school and home, but it’s important to step back and look at the big picture from time to time. What should your primary goals be as a parent? Try this mission statement on...
by Marcia | Jan 6, 2015 | Relationship Skills
What emotion packs the biggest wallop? It’s anger, of course. When someone gets mad, we all watch out for yelling, hurtful words, and violence. Anger pumps people up, but observers often feel as helpless as if they were watching a volcano erupt. Before we look at...
by Marcia | Jan 2, 2015 | Living Well, Setting and Achieving Goals
New Year’s resolutions? Ugh. We’ve all been there, done that. It can be fun to read them years after the fact—all the good intentions most of which never got off the drawing board. To make changes that stick, of course, you need to do more than make a list in...
by Marcia | Dec 30, 2014 | Relationship Skills
We all long for independence even as we crave acceptance by other people, but our bodies and our psyches demand that we set limits as part of taking care of ourselves. Saying no sometimes helps us protect ourselves from threats. Often, though, we’re afraid that other...
by Marcia | Dec 26, 2014 | Relationship Skills
Did you ever find yourself at a party or in a public setting standing next someone you’ve never seen before and wishing you knew how to break the ice? It can be an awkward moment, especially if you know who the other person is but have never been introduced. Maybe...
by Marcia | Dec 23, 2014 | Healthy Aging, Living Well
Unlike an autobiography, which simply tells a life story, a memoir taps into universal truths and lets us find echoes of them in our own lives. In the movie Shadowlands, a university student remembers his father’s saying, “We read to know that we are not alone.”...
by Marcia | Dec 19, 2014 | Relationship Skills
What will happen if I flirt with this gal or guy? Could the nerd who winked at me online be The One? Should I give this chick another chance on a second date? How fast is too fast to hop into bed or move in together? Everyone wants to love and feel loved by someone,...
by Marcia | Dec 16, 2014 | Learning, Living Well
Creativity is a fundamental part of human nature, something to which all of us can lay claim. Okay, you did not ghost write War and Peace, create the first flying machine, or paint Guernica. But everyone experiences wonderful imaginative leaps in daily life at least...
by Marcia | Dec 12, 2014 | Living Well, Setting and Achieving Goals
Habits have lots of virtues. They add comforting structure to our lives and help us counteract chaos. They give us a safety net by letting us go on automatic pilot in times of crisis. In novel situations we rely on habits just because we gravitate wherever possible...
by Marcia | Dec 9, 2014 | Relationship Skills
All of us have a deep-seated desire to be understood and accepted as we are. Nothing conveys respect and appreciation more than effective listening. Do you know how to listen so that other people feel heard? Practice these tips. They can work magic if you use them...
by Marcia | Dec 5, 2014 | Living Well, Setting and Achieving Goals
During the recent Thanksgiving holiday, I took ten days off. For a full week and a half I would leave my daily responsibilities behind, I thought. I was going to rejoice, kick up my heels, and indulge in carefree play! As my holiday started, though, I found myself...
by Marcia | Dec 2, 2014 | Childrearing
Speech is not as important to children as it is to adults. Children have a smaller vocabulary than grownups and don’t depend on words to express their feelings. If you’re a parent, you need to look at the big picture to know what’s going on with your kid. Therapists...
by Marcia | Nov 28, 2014 | Love & Marriage
Romance and companionship are easiest to find when we are young, but opportunities are still there for older folks if you know where to look. The wider you cast your net, the more likely you are to succeed. The educational system, from high school through university...
