Madonna – we all know her: A wildly successful musician. When I was younger, I remember reading a quote, originally from a 1991 Vanity Fair piece on her life, and it’s stuck with me ever since: “And all of my will has always been to conquer some horrible feeling of inadequacy. I’m always struggling with…
Are routines and rituals both needed for a healthy family environment? As human beings we all begin and end things each and every day. Mealtime, chores, work, school, and many more activities. One of the most important endings of a day is mealtime and putting our kids to bed. Both are a time to reconnect…
How does trauma impact our relationships? Trauma alters the nervous system. The experience of threat and danger has changed the way that survivors interact with and perceive the world. They experience feelings of being hyper vigilant, anxious, confused, fearful, irritable, and emotionally detached. Their minds and bodies have been rewired by their traumatic experiences to…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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…