November 20, 2021

Think about it: when you’re in a good mood, you might give your partner the benefit of the doubt. It’s easy to show generosity when they make a mistake, even granting them forgiveness more readily. Let’s face it, our moods greatly affect our communication. If you are in a bad mood, you are more likely to perceive what our partner says negatively. This point is illustrated by Laura’s bad day and her negative interaction with Ron when she returns home... Read more

November 13, 2021

During our couples counseling session, Alyssa, 53, spoke about the betrayal of her first husband that ended her divorce and the lingering effects of infidelity. Even though her second husband, Ethan, 57, has not given her reasons to lose faith in him, she finds herself being jealous and suspicious of his actions. Alyssa put it like this: “When Ethan doesn’t return my text or phone call right away, I track his location and automatically think the worst – that he’s... Read more

November 7, 2021

One of my clients, Carolyn, a 35 year old accountant, has difficulty trusting Bob, 38, because her parents’ marriage ended due to infidelity and broken promises.  She started dating Bob after a brief courtship and often reacts with fear and suspicion when he gets home a little late or there’s even the slightest inconsistency in his story. If he receives a text or phone message from a female co-worker, she finds that jealousy rears its ugly head and she usually... Read more

October 31, 2021

During a recent counseling session, Karen and Joshua, in their late thirties, spoke about their finances, and explained how their debt was causing stress in their relationship. Since they are both self-employed and were paid sporadically, it was easy for debt to build up and most of their discussions about money turned into arguments over the past few years. Married for over a decade and raising two children, they had drifted apart and the last thing they wanted to talk... Read more

October 20, 2021

During a counseling session with Teresa, 46, and Jeff, 49, they described a negative pattern of relating that usually starts with Teresa demanding Jeff finish projects around their home or plan a vacation with her. In both cases, he feels pressured because he owns his own business and has difficulty taking time off from work. Teresa put it like this: “I try to be patient but it feels like our home and family life always come last since Jeff works... Read more

October 10, 2021

During a recent couples counseling session, Kylie, 36,  spoke about her frustration with her husband, Tim, 35, who she feels distances himself emotionally and doesn’t show empathy when she’s upset very often. They’ve been married three years and she’s concerned that if she doesn’t feel closer to him, it will cause them to split up because she feels lonely in their marriage. Kylie reflects: “Tim is a good husband in many ways but he tends to go into a shell... Read more

October 2, 2021

Molly was thirteen when her mom remarried and she now has two biological siblings and two step-siblings. When we met recently she shared her frustration about her stepdad, Kyle’s role in her life. Before her parents’ divorce, she only had to accept discipline from two parents and now she finds that both of her parents and her stepdad expect her to follow their directives and conform to their rules. Molly put it like this: “I don’t hate my my stepdad,... Read more

September 26, 2021

Hi Terry, I’ve always been a worrier and at age 25 was diagnosed with GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder). My worries tend to be excessive and I  ruminate about all of the things that might go wrong in life. All of this anxiety makes it difficult for me to sleep some nights and I often wake up a couple of hours early and have trouble going back to sleep. Most of the time, I blame myself when something goes wrong and... Read more

September 18, 2021

One of my clients, Jessica, 38, began dating Dave, 42, after meeting on an online dating site six months ago and she is beginning to question whether or not they have a future. During the first couple of months of dating, she was elated because Dave is handsome, charming, and has a good job as a high school teacher. However, recently, Jessica is noticing that Dave tends to make critical comments about the work she does at an advertising agency... Read more

September 11, 2021

While all couples need some sense of autonomy and closeness, many couples are chronically disconnected and dissatisfied with their degree of intimacy. The most common reason why couples develop serious difficulties is because one or both partners withdraw and go into the “silent treatment” mode due to feelings of hurt, anger, and resentment. In a recent landmark study of 14,000 participants conducted by Schrodt, women are usually (but not always) the ones who demand or pursue and men tend to withdraw... Read more


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