Tips to Keep Your Relationship in Full Bloom
Flowers need water, light and the proper soil to keep them in full bloom. Relationships need the same nurturing and care but with different ingredients. In a recent article, Ashley Davis Bush, LCSW, psychotherapist, and author says that these ingredients can be found in one simple word, appreciation. Appreciation combines respect, love, acknowledgment, validation, and gratitude. With lives becoming busier, it gets harder and harder for couples to remember to water their relationships with... Read More
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Memory recall and information processing can begin to slow as people age. Words that used to come easily may need to be searched for as people enter their golden years. These and other cognitive deficiencies are normal signs of 
One of the most difficult aspects of a marital breakup is communicating with a former spouse. In the immediate aftermath of a separation, feelings are raw, and emotions can be overwhelming. Regardless of how long couples have been married, the trauma of a separation can cause a significant emotional wound. When individuals are feeling 
Children with social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties (SEBD) often exhibit speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN) as well. Clinicians and educators who work with these children have the challenge of identifying which type of treatments will best serve the needs of these special children. SEBD has been shown to be linked to communication deficits, but this relationship has not been fully explored. Gender, social conditions, intelligence, and relationship styles are factors that contribute to both SLCN and SEBD. Most children with these problems are not identified until they enter... 
As humans, we are wired to be connected. We are an interdependent species, which means we cannot survive alone. This is why relationships are such an important part of our lives and crucial to our well-being. This is also why dysfunctional relationships can take a toll on our self-esteem and quality of life. When was the last time you really took the time to examine your relationships? To do so, ask yourself the following questions:
How important is this relationship in my life?
How much trust do I have in this person?
How much do I invest in this relationship?
How much does this person invest... 
Back in 1976, Joseph and Lois Bird broke new ground. In an era when “free love” meant “sex right now because it feels good,” they dared to explore the importance of genuine emotional connection in their book “Sexual Loving.” Here’s a passage from page 239 of that book:
“Only one who, tragically, has never experienced love would question whether sex can be fulfilling when love is absent. Physically satisfying, perhaps, but never fulfilling. It can never reach the depths of what we are as human beings, and what we are capable of becoming. To climb the heights, sex education is not... 
Individuals who do not express anger can suffer significant mental and physical health problems. Suppressed anger can lead to stress, frustration, worry, and isolation. Bottling up angry feelings has been shown to cause numerous physical complications resulting from stress. Some research has even demonstrated a link between anger and depression. Depression itself can cause sleep problems, memory impairment, lack of concentration, appetite suppression, and other harmful physical issues. But until recently, little research has focused specifically on how anger suppression and expression affect the... 
Been lied to lately? Our natural tendencies to deceive are deeply embedded throughout our social experiences. Most of our lies are not geared toward outright deception (that's a different topic) but toward subtly exaggerating truths and opinions in our own favor. For those of us seeking more truth in our relationships, we are confronted with the near impossibility of measuring the honesty we offer others or desire from them. Our portrayal of self to others is a constantly moving target. No sooner do we post a status update to friends, than we are tasked with somehow hiding those words from friends... 
Symptoms of depression often first appear in early adolescence and are influenced by many factors. Puberty, co-occurring mental health issues, abuse, and other elements all affect a teen’s chances of developing significant depressive symptoms. Family functioning is one element that is particularly impactful on how children manage feelings and reactions as they age. Children who are raised by parents who engage in volatile and hostile disagreements learn to cope with their own emotions by internalizing or externalizing. The negative repercussions of witnessing abusive behavior can significantly... 
Whether or not we believe we should talk about sex with our therapist in treatment may have something to do with what we believe therapy is for or what the expected outcome is.
Are you going to therapy for a relationship issue? For a mental disorder such as depression or anxiety? To overcome trauma? Or because you are having a difficult time adjusting to a new situation? Therapy is useful for a multitude of issues, and no, sex may not be the most significant thing affected by a particular issue, but it definitely doesn’t hurt for the therapist to ask about it, to allow for the conversation... 
Healthy conflict resolution is essential to maintaining positive and constructive adult relationships. Individuals usually learn how to handle conflict in childhood. Children watch the way adults work through disagreements and model those patterns of behavior as they develop into adults and begin to form relationships with others. The bonds that children have with their caregivers also influence the way in which they address conflicts. People who have secure attachments with their parents and caregivers are often able to work through challenges with other people in respectful, affectionate, and... 
Are you a doormat? You are reading this, which is a good indication that you think you may be!
Are you constantly giving to others while rarely receiving anything in return?
Do people consistently take advantage of you?
Do you say yes when you really want to say no?
Do you over commit to your own detriment? Do you take responsibility for other people’s problems?
Do the people in your life expect you to solve their problems?
If you have answered yes to these questions, you are in danger of being a doormat.
When we struggle with being assertive, food often becomes a powerful coping... 
Expectant couples experience emotional highs and lows. The anticipation of becoming parents can cause excitement and joy. It can also lead people to worry about their new responsibilities. Financial stress and emotional strain can create conflict in marriages as couples face the challenge of entering into parenthood. After the birth of the child, new parents experience an overwhelming surge of emotions. The thrill of finally meeting the child, combined with the anxiety of caring for the newborn, lack of sleep, and tattered nerves, can cause tension between parents. Marriage and relationship education... 
I just finished a wonderful book by Peter Lovenheim called In the Neighborhood; The Search for Community on an American Street, One Sleepover at a Time. The author laments that we don’t really know the folk who live on our block. So he goes to his neighbors’ homes and spends the night, just like we did as teenagers. Each time he invites the adults to really “open up” about their lives and values. The one thing he avoids discussing is sexual intimacy—how sexual a relationship is and whether or not the partners are happy with their current level of intimacy. My own friends know I’m a... 
