This week Ariel Castro was sentenced to life in prison plus 1,000 years for kidnaping and physically, sexually and emotionally abusing three women over an eleven-year period. In spite of evidence of extreme abuse, he took no accountability for his actions. He created and maintained a world view in which he was “a normal guy.” […]

In my previous articles on finding true love, I made the point that dating is a number’s game and that you have to meet lots of people before finding the right match. So what makes for a good match? In western cultures we want chemistry, compatibility and commitment. Chemistry has to do with sexual attraction, […]

As a relationship counselor, I have been asked my opinion of online dating services, such as Match.com and eHarmony.com. Online dating services have revolutionized the dating process. It has provided a format to take charge of whom, when and where you meet others, rather than leaving it to chance. This is especially important in rural […]

As a Marriage & Family Therapist, people come to me for counseling to improve their relationships. As I reflect on the 20+ years that I have been a therapist, I would say those single women in their late 20s and early 30s comprise a large population of people who seek therapy. Why? They are unhappy […]

Whether it’s a friend who needs guidance, a family member in need of a boost, or a co-worker requiring motivation, we could all use more encouragement. We all want the best for our loved ones. But while our intentions may be good, our methods often provoke resistance or foster discouragement. Power and control seem to […]

Over lunch the other day, a friend discussed her concerns about her mother’s welfare. She laid out the following scenario: Her brother does not work due to a physical disability and has chronic pain, for which he takes large amounts of pain killers. Her mother loves him and wants to help, especially because he has […]

Did you know that DCFS (Department of Child and Family Services) receives, investigates and acts upon a report of child abuse or neglect every five minutes, child sex abuse every two hours, and the death of a child by abuse or neglect every day and a half? Unfortunately, up to 80 percent of abuse and […]

In my previous article on whether people can really change, I stated that people can change habits and behaviors but our personality tends to be rather fixed. But what about men who are either verbally, emotionally, sexually or physically abusive toward their partners? One of my professional roles is that of a domestic violence counselor […]

Life is filled with risk. If we do not risk, we do not grow. Fear often holds us back from risk-taking, but never taking a risk can be worse than the fear. Risk means taking a course of action whose outcome is unpredictable. We may fail, but there is also the possibility of success and […]

As one from a big city, I had never heard of Road Tripping until I moved to a rural area. Road tripping is a form of entertainment in which one drinks and drives on country roads. Apparently, this is an activity that people find fun and is done either alone or with friends. The assumption […]