Relationships take a lot of work. One of the first things that couples often report letting go of is spending quality time together (and that means without the kids). Having a date night ends up being one of the last things on the list. People are busy and it is easy to let things with […]
Top 5 Regrets of the Dying
Determining the regrets of the dying is helpful for putting our priorities in perspective in the present. Recently my 5 year old daughter brought something important to my attention. Here is how the conversation went: Me: Bye, I’m going to work. Lucy: Dad, why do you always have to go to work? Me: Because I […]
6 Ways to Use Your Phone to Improve Your Relationship
I often hear couples complaining that their husband or wife is more in love with their phone than with them. It is easy for any of us to get sucked into the exciting world of our screen and miss out on the real life that is happening right in front of us. It is definitely […]
7 Tips for a Long Distance Relationship
Anyone who has been in a long distance relationship can attest that the challenges are different than in other relationships. It can obviously be very difficult when you are not able to see, hold, smell, or just be with that person. The good news is that technology makes it possible to engage with your partner […]
Traveling With Kids
I recently traveled to a couples therapist workshop for work which required me to fly. It had been awhile since I had flown by myself and something just didn’t seem right. I realized I wasn’t traveling with kids! I have two children who are 3 and 5 and have traveled with them to visit family […]
True Love is Not True
Many people make the mistake of thinking that their relationship should be easy. I know I have. There is this idea of love that makes people think that everything is just going to fall into place. We feel that our partner will meet all of our needs and fix us in a way we haven’t […]
Pregnancy: Just Not Feeling that Glow
There is a subversive message for couples that are having a baby. This message makes it sound like women must feel amazingly awesome all the time during pregnancy. Men must be so filled with excitement about the new baby that they won’t even think about what they need anymore. The Expectation for Pregnant Parents is […]
No Free Beer for Parents
Being parents sometimes feels like running a marathon that never ends. It is wonderful, terrible, invigorating, exhausting, fulfilling, and draining all at the same time. The difference is that there is no finish line. There is no crowd cheering at the end. No band playing. No free food and beer. No one patting you on […]
Your Partner Isn’t Trying to Hurt You
Lisa and Jim (not real names) were in my therapy office falling into the same pattern again. Lisa was frustrated because she had been fixing a light in their living room. She asked Jim for help to reach something. He ended up taking over the whole project. She felt so hurt and angry about this. […]
Taking Care of Your Injured Spouse
I was playing basketball in the 35 and over men’s league. In the fourth game I tore my ACL and needed surgery on my knee. It was disappointing, but after processing the emotions of not being as young and vibrant as I once was, I started feeling like it wouldn’t be too big of a […]