There’s no doubt that holidays can be over commercialized. Black Friday starts earlier than ever in the quest for the right gift at a bargain price. But let’s take a step back and examine our innate personality traits that contribute to our being either a natural giver or a natural taker. It turns out that […]
Imagine that your partner tells you that they are not happy any longer. Maybe they suggest a separation or break up. It is human nature to become highly anxious in the face of rejection, and unfortunately to behave in ways that can make the situation worse. Highly anxious people tend to be aversive in their […]
While on vacation in Phoenix last week, we drove through a business district. I noticed a storefront sign that read “The Divorce Store.” I did a double take. Did I really just see a sign advertising a store that sells divorces? What? Really? How does that work? So I did some research. And sure enough, […]
I saw a news article: “Funeral home offers drive-thru viewing parlor for those mourners who don’t want to come to a dead stop.” My initial reaction was horror. What? Drive thru funerals? How impersonal is that? Have we become such a “fast food society” that even mourning is expected to be quick and efficient? I […]
In honor of Halloween, I want to reprint parts of a story I saw in our local newspaper entitled A Haunted House by Steve Repp: There was this old house in town that just had the look of being a mysterious place. I always thought it would be interesting to see the inside but there […]
In my work as a Marriage & Family Therapist, I often tell couples that in order to have a successful relationship, one needs three basic skills: the ability to soothe your own anger, the ability to calm your own anxiety and the ability to give and take love. Relationships suffer when any of these three […]
If you’ve ever experienced intense, gut wenching sadness or paralyzing fear you may wonder what possible function these emotions serve. Why do we have emotions and are they really good for anything? Surely we could do without them. Generally speaking, emotions guide us through life. Our fight or flight response is rooted in our emotions […]
According to the US Department of Labor, 26.5 percent of Americans volunteered in 2012. What makes someone serve food at a shelter, care for stray animals or visit nursing homes? Compassion. Human suffering is often accompanied by acts of compassion from others willing to help. Compassion is defined as the emotional response when perceiving suffering […]
Most companies frown on office romances, yet it is a common practice. A surprising number of couples meet their mates at work. According to a CNN survey, 40% of participants have had an office romance, and 66 % didn’t feel the relationship needed to be kept secret. Co-workers often have more time and opportunity to […]
As a psychotherapist, I entered the field of psychology because I wanted to help people. I want to believe in the goodness of humanity. I wouldn’t disagree that I can be naive at times. I want to believe in others even if lied to repeatedly. However, I am reminded periodically of the fact that not […]