Communication: Can you Hear me Now?

There’s no doubt that communication is essential yet very complex.  I work with a lot of couples in my private practice.  During the initial visit, someone will predictably say that communication is their biggest problem.   Can you guess which person says this the most?  You guessed it, the woman.  It has been observed that women want to talk about the relationship regularly to prevent any big problems, but men believe talking about the marriage all the time means there is a big problem!  According to marriage experts Pat Love and Steven Stosny, this gender difference in desire to talk is
Read More →

September 18, 2007 | by
Categories: Marriage.
Tags: acceptance, communication, listening, men, and women.

Hidden Keys to Helping Your Teenager

Most parents of teens will tell you their adolescent child is doing well if they have managed to avoid the “Three D’s”: drinking, drugs, and delinquency.  When you think about it, this is a backwards way of viewing the wellness of teens.  I recently ran across an interview with a well-known expert on child development that got me thinking about this.  Richard Lerner, a developmental psychologist specializing in adolescence has recently written a book that challenges the negative mindset about teens called “The Good Teen.” The mindset about teens of “at least they aren’t doing ____” sets us up to
Read More →

September 6, 2007 | by
Categories: Parenting.
Tags: adolescence, Parenting, and teenagers.