Blog
It was summer and I sat on the floor leaning on the edge of my newborn daughter’s crib in tears. From the outside I had everything a new mom could wish for, a loving husband, a cooperative extended family, and presents from near and far welcoming our daughter into our world. On the floor of her bedroom none of that mattered, I was in pain
Many parents and teachers use Time Out as a way to discipline children. Are you certain that you are using it correctly?
I have been thinking about the time I spend with couples as their therapist. It is compelling to sit in a couple’s therapy session and witness how love can make a lot of us feel completely out of control. I see couples fight furiously and notice how each partner is completely oblivious to the fact that it’s not the money or the child that’s the issue. What they are really fighting about involves three very simple questions, Do you love me? Will you stay with me? How can I be sure that you won’t hurt me? When I witness this in a session I have the wonderful and sometimes energizing opportunity of letting them know that they are fighting for love.
The first two months of the year are always interesting to be a therapist. It is the time when everyone is taking a look at themselves and attempting to see things in a new way and/or trying to change something about themselves, which is what I do with others on a year round basis. My twitter feed was chock full of articles and messages about new this, resolve that, change now, and it fills me with both joy and frustration. The joy comes from feeling that everyone is out trying to get closer to their authenticity, which is my goal as a therapist, to assist others in finding their truest self. I also feel frustration because come February most of those hopeful souls will have already gotten back to old patterns and away from the stream of change and resolution. In the spirit of lasting change, here are my three steps on how you can make sure to stick to keeping those resolutions.
At the end of the day, the crowd broke into an uproar when we heard Oprah Winfrey proclaim, "Hi, everybody!" We had all been anxiously awaiting the Q&A of Oprah with Michelle Obama, the hostess of our summit.
Michelle Obama spoke of many things: self-value, self-worth, defining ourselves and handling criticism. She described how she chose her priorities and what she values most. But of all she described and shared, one line stuck with me. After Oprah asked her what she would be leaving the White House most proud of, she stated
Children and parents alike look forward to the lazy days of the summer months. We imagine happy moments in our family vacations. Children running and playing and getting popsicle mustaches. But right around the middle of July we find ourselves screaming, lecturing on the importance of being grateful for the time spent together, and overwhelmed with finding things to do. The following are tips and ways to manage these days of summer.
His little arms wrap around my neck and he tells me he loves. We tell each other that it is okay to have big feelings. We are the pair in the family that can feel happiness at a ten and anger at a ten. That day, I had been at a ten in anger and screamed at his father in front of him. I was taking the quiet moment in the evening to narrate what had happened that day. As he walked away to get into his bed I was grateful. He was six years old and had learned to accept his sensitivity and the lessons his emotions give him. At that moment I wondered, is that good or am I setting my son up for failure?
