When I was in fourth grade, which was approximately 1983, my teacher asked my classmates to raise their hands if their parent were divorced. I remember out of a class of 25 or so, that only about 2 kids raised their hands. Even then, I remember having compassion on my peers for how difficult that …
One of the biggest issues that brings couples in for therapy are their barriers in communication. When couples aren’t communicating well with each other it can leak over into all parts of the relationship. Communication barriers can lead to resentment and cause contempt to grow and trust to erode. Over time, even small issues become …
Core Values: The Foundation for Building Communication and Trust Read More »
Each time I meet with a couple who comes in for therapy they identify a presenting problem (or several) which is causing strain, conflict, disconnection, and dysfunction in their marriage. This usually means they are in a crisis. A crisis may be the result of one partner’s behavior such as infidelity, substance use disorder or …
Communication + Trust: The Foundation of a Healthy Relationship Read More »
Conflict in the home or workplace is part of our lives, whether we like it or not. I don’t think it’s realistic to assume that you will never have conflict with anyone that you have a relationship with. In fact, research shows that in any kind of conflict is not how often or how intense …
Quick and Easy Fixes: Healthy Communication Part II Read More »
When I was teaching fifth grade in Texas, I had a student who was failing my class because he would not turn in any of the assignments. The stakes were particularly high for this student because, at the time, Texas had a guideline that stated if students did not pass Reading and Math in 5th …
Quick and Easy Fixes: Healthy Communication Part I Read More »
When I first started graduate school, I would tell people that I was going to be a marriage and family therapist. Because part of me knew I had a good marriage and thought I did a good enough job at being a healthy family. So, it seemed like a natural fit. When I first went …
My husband and I were a young married couple when we took a group of high schoolers on an all-day canoe trip. We had dated about 4 years before we got married and had never done anything that required team work quite like this before. Up until that point in our marriage we thought we …
We Make These 10 Things a Priority Every Day in Our Marriage and Here’s Why Read More »
When my child was quite young, there were some things happening that made it clear that we needed to find a counselor for him. These were the days before I was a counselor myself. Once I started the search, I was almost overwhelmed by the possibilities. As a mother, I knew it would be important …
Sometimes I wish I had the energy of a child! My lack of energy is more noticeable the older I get! As I’ve aged, I’ve realized that I need more breaks than when I was younger. Even though children typically have a lot more energy than adults, highly sensitive children often need more frequent and …
So you found a therapist who you think might be right for you. What questions should you ask to make sure they are the right fit for your needs? What is appropriate to say or not say during the initial phone consultation?