“There’s always been a question about which one is the cause and which is the effect. This study provides evidence that poor mental health can lead to casual sex, but also that casual sex leads to additional declines in mental health.” Sandberg-Thoma conducted the study with Claire Kamp Dush, assistant professor of human sciences at Ohio State. The research was published online recently in the Journal of Sex Research and will appear in a future print edition. One surprising finding... Read more
A great reflection by More2Life Radio contributor, Kim Cameron-Smith of IntentionalCatholicParenting.com So how do we keep our kids Catholic, then? We build a strong Catholic home culture and we love our children unconditionally. We respond to their legitimate needs with respect and tenderness. We parent with grace and authority, but never strident, rude, controlling coldness. This is a difference between authoritative parenting (clear expectations guided by warmth and acceptance) and authoritarian parenting (an expectation of blind obedience with threat of severe consequences for disobedience). ... Read more
In this tongue-in-cheek article, one of the founders of the Family Therapy movement articulates 14 things that people do to make life much harder than it needs to be along with suggested “exercises” for becoming even more miserable. It’s a lot of fun and educational to boot. Here’s an example… Be critical. Make sure to have an endless list of dislikes and voice them often, whether or not your opinion is solicited. For example, don’t hesitate to say, “That’s what... Read more
How do you stay connected to your kids when you travel? Here’s 7 things to do. Written to Dads but works for traveling Moms too! Your kids still need to experience your presence even when you are out of town. Here are 7 ways to extend your presence when you are traveling. Connecting with them in multiple ways can help your wife manage them better. 1) Obviously, plan phone calls, but do Face Time/Skype, and texting. They need to see... Read more
An excellent list of signs of mental strength. How do you measure up? Read more
No one wants to be bitter. It sneaks up on us. Bitterness is unforgiveness fermented. The more we hold onto past hurts the more we become drunk on our pain and the experience can rob us of the joy we can find in anything. Bitterness occurs when we feel someone has taken something from us that we are powerless to get back. We hold on to the hurt in an attempt to remind ourselves and others of the injustice we’ve experienced in the... Read more
Years ago, Mike Myers had a character on SNL called, “Simon.” The segment would often show Myers as a little boy in a bathtub cheerfully and guilelessly talking about his awful family life, which he took completely in stride and wrote off with the catchphrase, “Because nobody does childhood like the English!” I doubt anyone else remembers the segment, but as a family therapist, it stuck with me. Well, flash forward a few decades later and The Guardian gives us... Read more
I came across an interesting sermon by St. John Chrysostum (c. 347-407) titled, An Address on Vainglory and The Right Way for Parents to Bring Up Their Children. I’m not all the way through yet, but I had to share this bit for those of you who wonder whether Catholic parents should spank. I was stunned at what I read. If thou shouldst see him (your son) transgressing this law, punish him, now with a stern look, now with incisive, now... Read more
Toni Rossi interviewed Lisa and I on our new book, Just Married: The Catholic Guide to Surviving and Thriving in the First Five Years of Marriage. You can read the whole thing here, but here is a snippet. We hope you enjoy! “This is a generation that has a real fear about making marriage work, and they’re hungry to figure out how to do it so they don’t end up making the same mistakes they see everyone else making and... Read more
University of Denver family researcher, Dr. Scott Stanley, offers a particularly insightful perspective on the co-occurrence of three factors that don’t bode well for the future of the family, and society, as we know it. Although much evidence suggests that we are becoming a better world with increasing prosperity and health, I worry about some large, dark clouds on the horizon. Left unchecked, the trends on the horizon threaten to become a perfect storm in such a way that the... Read more
Faith on the Couch
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