by Marcia | Nov 21, 2014 | Relationship Skills
Judy Small is an Australian songwriter who has now set aside her guitar to be a federal court judge. I first heard her music in the 1980s, when I was editing books. One song in particular caught my attention. At the time I was working with an expert on the...
by Marcia | Nov 18, 2014 | Workplace and Career
People who are struggling to choose a career or decide whether to leave bad jobs often ask me how I became a social worker and a therapist. Although my journey was unique in many respects, I think the searching process I went through is much the same for everyone....
by Marcia | Nov 14, 2014 | Learning
Did you know that your fingers talk to your brain? They help you process feelings and ideas much as your teeth prepare mouthfuls of food for digestion. In front of the sofa in my office there is a coffee table with a few things on it, including a geode, a huge pine...
by Marcia | Nov 11, 2014 | Healthy Aging, Living Well
When we think about being healthy, mentally and otherwise, we usually think in terms of food, sleep, and exercise. But there are many other components to good health, and one of them is opportunities to socialize. It’s not healthy to be lonely. The need for...
by Marcia | Nov 7, 2014 | Living Well, Relationship Skills
Therapists like to tell people to talk about their feelings. But why? And if it’s important to do this, why do a lot of people avoid it? One father earnestly told his child, “Nobody wants to know how you feel. They just want to know that you will act rationally.” If...
by Marcia | Nov 4, 2014 | Setting and Achieving Goals, Workplace and Career
We all have work we just hate doing. For me the worst thing is income tax preparation, and it happens every year. I hate adding up income and expenses. I hate wading through invoices and receipts. I hate paperwork anyway. And the whole thing takes up too much time. So...
by Marcia | Oct 31, 2014 | Childrearing
American families seeking mental health services for troubled children in the community today face a daunting challenge. Budgets are tight, resources are hard to access, and demand exceeds supply. Parents do well to become forceful advocates. Scarce benefits go to...
by Marcia | Oct 28, 2014 | Living Well
Did you know that exposure to the natural world is good for you? I bet you did even if you never thought about it until now. You don’t need a classroom to teach you this. As you move through each day, try asking yourself this question: how does nature inform your...
by Marcia | Oct 24, 2014 | Relationship Skills
Relationships are like house plants. If you want them to flourish, you must tend them carefully. You must fertilize and water them, give them sunlight, pinch off the dead parts, and supply fresh soil from time to time. To check on the health of your romantic...
by Marcia | Oct 21, 2014 | Relationship Skills
You have found this great guy or gal. This person is good-looking, and the sparks fly between you. Your relationship, shiny and new, is off and running. You both have stars in your eyes. Nevertheless, if you are hoping for a long-term commitment you will want to watch...
by Marcia | Oct 17, 2014 | Living Well
It can feel hard or easy to make a decision. Deciding that you want swordfish for dinner may be easy. Deciding whether to buy a new car or a used one may seem harder. It may be harder still to choose between going back to school and finding a full-time job. Whatever...
by Marcia | Oct 14, 2014 | Childrearing, Mental Health
You are worried that something is wrong with your child. Perhaps worse, you doubt your own ability to fix it, and so you are bringing your child to see me, a therapist. It seems only fair, under the circumstances, that I should tell you up front what I can do for you...
by Marcia | Oct 10, 2014 | Childrearing
Children as medicine? No, I do not mean “children and medicine.” I am not talking about how to raise them, and I am certainly not suggesting that you bring a child into this world so that you can heal yourself in some way. I have in mind the natural...
by Marcia | Oct 7, 2014 | Love & Marriage
The couples who come to see me are often people who fight about housekeeping. For the sake of argument, let’s assume that the plaintiff is the husband and the defendant the wife. Still, the roles are often reversed. Hubby Gerald argues that wife Sheila is impossibly...
by Marcia | Oct 3, 2014 | Living Well
These days more people have less and less money to spend. Living well doesn’t necessarily mean tolerating hardship. If you are creative, you can continue to enjoy your perks while knowing exactly where your pennies go. These tips will help you spend your money wisely....
