It is a New Year and a great time for self-reflection, growth and making positive changes in our lives! It also becomes a great time to look at our relationships, and see how we can make them more satisfying and stronger. Often, when we reflect on how to improve our relationship we focus on our […]
Has your partner ever said to you “You’re being too sensitive”, “It’s silly to feel that way”, or “Don’t be sad, just cheer up.”? Often, responses like these to our partner’s emotions are said out of caring and a desire to make our partner feel better. After all, when we love someone, we never want […]
If you’re focused on your kids’ academics and sports, you may be missing the boat. More than ever, society defines success for our children as good grades, how many activities/sports they participate in, and even how many friends they have. Beyond participation, we’re taught they need to excel in order to succeed in life. Consequently, […]
by Meredith Keller & Debby Deroian Some emotions have a very bad reputation! Sadness, fear, shame and jealousy are all considered negative and things we ‘shouldn’t’ feel. We get the message we shouldn’t feel these things from society, from mass media and from our families (both when growing up and presently). The reality is that […]
by Meredith Keller & Debby Deroian Most every couple has experienced that argument in which you escalate one another until you are caught in a negative cycle of defensiveness, anger and/or hurt feelings. When couples get caught up in these types of arguments, the original issue has little to no chance of being resolved. These […]
Imagine a love story where opposites attract: the popular guy becomes drawn to the shy bookworm, or the rich sophisticated woman falls for the hardworking blue collared man. In the movies, the ending is always the same-the couple brings out the best in each other with their opposite qualities and they live happily ever after. […]
“You’re not my real mother, so why should I listen to you?” “I hate you! I wish my father NEVER EVEN MET YOU!” “If it wasn’t for you, my parents would still be together.” If you’re a step parent of teens, it’s likely you’ve heard statements like these at times. How can a (newly remarried) […]
One of you thinks spanking is necessary at times and the other thinks there’s never a justification to hit One of you thinks kids need a good amount of discipline and the other thinks kids learn best in a loving environment One of you thinks kids need to have chores and the other thinks kids […]
Here are three of the most popular myths about marriage: 1. I’ll never feel lonely again 2. If we have good sex, we’ll have a good marriage 3. My spouse should make me happy We assume that securing a life partner will ‘cure’ us of feeling lonely (and a host of other painful emotions). But […]
by Debby Derioan, Student-Therapist under the Supervision of Meredith Keller, LPC, ACS Our culture has shown us only two possible extremes for being a step-parent—effortless as in the Brady family from TV or torturous as in the wicked stepmother. Who doesn’t recall The Brady Bunch—the iconic television example of the happy couple who easily […]
