Five Signs You May Need a Mental Health Check-Up

Let’s face it. Life comes in hard and fast at times. It leaves you scurrying from task to task and just hoping when you lay down to sleep that you’ve done enough and been enough to keep your head above water and your relationships intact. Time escapes from grasp and the feeling of being caught…

New Cycle for a New Year: Watch Your T.E.M.P.O.

Emotional cycles are the interactive elements in our relationships with family members, friends, and co-workers. Negative cycles start when we become triggered by a someone’s troubling tone of voice, facial expression, or remarks. Immediately, we will feel an emotion that often prompts us to get angry or anxious. We may feel a bodily sensation due…

Gratitude: Motivation & Practice

Hope for Humility & The Good Life As we gear up for a season with seemingly endless opportunities to receive gifts, I contend that one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself is developing a more robust practice of gratitude. Even though we like to believe that we do things altruistically for others most…

The Lost Art of Tuning-in    

One of my fondest memories as a kid in the early 70’s was tuning-in to AM pop radio stations on family trips. This was during the days before the availability of digital car radio tuners. To listen to music without static, I had to be skilled at “tuning-in” to the desired station as we traveled.…

Wordle, Walks, and Ways to Connect with Your Teen

When I was a teenager, I sat down to breakfast each morning and waited for my dad to pass me the sports page. The 20 minutes we spent talking headlines, him in his suit, me in my flannels and Timberland boots – it was the 90s – was critical to our relationship. It was just…

How to Ask Your Partner for What You Want

Have you ever been in the presence of your partner, longingly looking at them and hoping they will notice your desire for touch and connection? Have you ever heard your friends complain about how their partner never plans anything romantic for them? Why does it feel so hard to ask for what we want and…

Incorporating Emotional Health in your Family Routine

What exactly is emotional health?  It is the ability to identify, manage and communicate one’s emotions to those around you. It can take practice and even feel scary. Emotional health is important to maintain because it is a part of your overall health and wellbeing.  How can you promote emotional health in your home? Here…

Navigating the Holidays as Newlyweds

Talk About the Holidays Early It is probably not the best time to sort out details for a holiday the week or night before. Beginning to have early conversations about where and how holidays will be spent can take some of the pressure of these decisions later on. The earlier that you can begin to…

Back-to-School 2021

It’s that time of year again! The pool days come to an end, summer camp is no more, and it’s time to pull out the back-to-school supply list. While the list may tell you exactly what your child will need in the classroom, knowing what your child needs emotionally to return to school may be…

Holiday Cheer Amongst a Pandemic

Earlier this year, COVID took us all by surprise, forcing us to face unimaginable challenges and rearrange our lives. As the holiday season is upon us, we are once again faced with readjusting our traditions and expectations.  For many, the holidays used to mean gathering with loved ones, traveling, and socially connecting to spread cheer…