By Katie Hrapczynski, Ph.D., LCMFT In my years of being a therapist working with couples, there is one dynamic that seems to rear its ugly head time and time again. It’s called the demand-withdraw cycle. Often one partner plays the “demander” (more colloquially and pessimistically considered the “nag”) and the other partner plays the […]
A Resolution of Impermanence by Elizabeth Brown
A new year has begun. For some, the start of a new year means creating new goals, habits, or resolutions focusing on things like health, love, family, friendship, or finances. I am not one who creates resolutions for the New Year or has specific goals I want accomplished by a certain date or month. I […]
Why I Dislike New Year’s Resolutions by Leslie Gunderson LCMFT
When I told my husband I didn’t have any New Year’s resolutions, he asked, “don’t you believe in self-improvement?” Of course I do, I’m a therapist, but self-improvement does not just happen over night once a year. I know that for myself and for the clients I have helped. I think the idea of setting […]
Faith
So I’ve written a number of posts in my mind as different things happen in the world, but I always stop when I realize those posts are more about what I think about something than meeting your needs as a client or blog reader. As a result: no posts. And so in the spirit of […]
A Hopeful Holiday Reminder by Elizabeth Brown Licensed Graduate Marriage & Family Therapist
We have entered Holiday season. It is one of my favorite times of the year. Holiday season means new decorations, giving, spending time with my loved ones, and feeling and spreading joy. I am fortunate to be able to embrace and enjoy the Holidays. While reflecting on my excitement for the Holidays, I recognized not […]
Mood Disorder vs. Winter Blues by Leslie Gunderson LCMFT
The days are shorter, it gets dark SO EARLY, and there’s a chill in the air. I love fall, and I love the winter holidays, but winter is rough. It’s common to feel a little down when winter rolls around and many people report that their mood declines in the winter months. But how do […]
Getting The Most Bang For Your Therapy Buck
by April R. McDowell, Ph.D., LGMFT Deciding to start therapy, whether it’s individual, couple, or family therapy, is often a big decision! Many factors are taken into consideration before taking this step, not the least of which is cost. Even though many people realize its value and the significant investment that it represents for themselves […]
Love, Age 6
This morning one of my six year-old daughters confided in me that she is having a problem at school. When I asked her about it, she said that one of her friends, Sam, isn’t talking to her anymore. In fact, he got in trouble yesterday because he put his fingers in his ears and stuck […]
Pain as a Gift?
It’s about midnight, and I can’t sleep because I’m thinking about pain. Today a person I know poured out her pain to me, and it was raw and real and I could feel it, see it. In that moment I felt like she invited me into it, and I accepted, and it hurt. I feel […]
Healing Relationship Wounds
I see a great many couples in my private practice. Lately, there seems to be a theme: couples who have been together or married for many years, who have “grown apart”. This feeling is usually expressed by one partner, while the other is caught somewhat off-guard, not realizing things have gotten as bad as they […]