Memorial Day Honored

The Fallen's Holiday and the Ease it Comforts and Provides.

Is it possible that we forget the meaning of the Memorial Day holiday?  Despite abortion and non-abortion rights, despite "taking a knee," despite political elections and party divides; despite gun control, despite countless other significant impacting events and issues that affect our local and national well being; this day has power and meaning.  This power centers at ...

More About the Elephant in the Room - If the kids are happy you will be happy.

Yeah You Have a Tone Deaf Voice!  Sing 2 Your Kids anyway! 

During the past several weeks I started a conversation addressing The Elephant in the Room and the adolescent and children as they affect relationships.  I have been providing couples counseling (or marriage and family therapy) in the Los Angeles area for the past several years.  What I have realized during this time is that couples are genuinely unaware ...

Your 1st Therapy Session and Soon Thereafter - Part 5 and 6

So we have been focusing on the article 7 Things You Should Know Before Your First Therapy Appointment.  What is interesting and expected is that these seven items (referrals, phone consultations, treatment progress, discomfort and emotional invasion, discussion of significant and life altering topics, advocacy and speaking up to therapist, and termination) often overlap and are discussions of topic over multiple sessions.

Frequently, what benefits the client is a mini-discussion on therapy and how therapy sessions are like one's birthdays. We should not expect to have surprize birthday parties with 500 people each year of your life.  Some of your best birthdays might be small intimate events that were unexpectedly magical. Also, meaningful birthdays...

Are Elephants in the Room Affecting Your Life - Kids, You and the Phone!

On an earlier blog (April 27) we addressed children's sleep schedule affecting your marriage. As previously stated, there is an elephant in the room which I have often noticed but is seldom discussed during therapy - Children. Over the course of the past several weeks the discussion in effective ways to raise happier children; which means cultivating a happier marriage during the childbearing years, is important as it relates to not just to your well being and successful marriage. The managing of or creation of happy children is vital in...

Your 1st Therapy Session and Soon Thereafter - Part 4

So this Monday’s blog is focusing on item # 4 of the article 7 Things You Should Know Before Your First Therapy Appointment.  The purpose of breaking this article into seven separate discussions is for its circulation to be broader through repetition, while reaching people as they enter into treatment (possibly for the first time).  If receptive, this article is not only insightful for new clients but it is useful as a refresher for people who are returning to analysis. Moreover, for the analyst this discussion provides as a reminder about connections, rapport building and ...