No one likes being criticized. We cringe when we hear the words “We have to talk.” Sometimes we don’t even get a fair warning of what’s coming. It’s natural to get defensive. It’s even healthy to defend ourselves against an unfair character assassination that could devastate our self esteem. But if we value this friendship […]
You can’t teach “just say no” and expect good results. Prevention has to be experienced throughout one’s life. Perhaps you participated in a DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program through school. Typically, police officers talk to a class of students for an hour once per week for 10 weeks. DARE has a zero-tolerance agenda and […]
An internet troll is a person who deliberately tries to disrupt, attack, offend or cause trouble in an online social community. They may post offensive or hateful comments, display upsetting photos or videos, or subtly attempt to sway opinion with falsehoods. They may start quarrels or upset people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages. […]
Imagine that you are a fourteen-year-old who has a history of parental abuse or neglect, is struggling at school, has few friends and is vulnerable to peer pressure. You are in frequent conflict with your parents. Some of your friends are known to intentionally harm themselves and say that they find relief in doing so. […]
19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire on a Florida high school on Valentine’s Day, 2018. He killed 17 people. In an attempt to understand why this occurred, and how to prevent it in the future, many focus the debate on lack of gun control and mental illness. Could mental health treatment have prevented this? Nikolas Cruz […]
Chances are you either know someone with a substance abuse problem, or have a problem yourself. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 21.5 million Americans (aged 12 and older) battled a substance use disorder in 2014. There are more than 23 million Americans in recovery from addiction to alcohol and […]
Rob Porter, a White House staff secretary, is in the news this week. All White House staff are subject to a background check before being granted security clearance. The FBI knew of Porter’s domestic assault after interviewing his ex-wives and having access to police reports and a 2010 Order of Protection. The FBI passed this […]
Women who have experienced the pain of childbirth may say they’ll never do it again. Some people (more women than men) who divorce resolve never to marry again. Pet owners who experience the anguish of their pet’s death may grieve as intensely as losing a close family member. They may be hesitant to make another […]
In September 2016, Rachel Denhollander was the first woman to make a public allegation of sexual assault against former USA Gymnastics (USA Gymnastics) and Michigan State University (MSU) team doctor Larry Nassar. Nassar was accused of sexually abusing more than 140 children and young women. He was sentenced to 40-175 years in prison on seven […]
As a marriage counselor, I’m asked if couples are really helped by therapy. The truth in my practice is that I don’t know. I have not performed outcome studies. My perception of the outcome is skewed because couples who seek my help are motivated. Couples who have predetermined they want a divorce don’t often present […]