Ahhh! The Delaware beaches! So many things to love about them: our restaurants, the surf and the sandy beaches, the quiet of the off-season, the fun evenings on the boardwalks … oh, and hungry parking meters. Barely a day goes … Continue reading
Parents of teenagers sometimes tell me that they don’t feel appreciated by their kids. “Look at all I’ve done for them,” they say. “Why can’t they show gratitude?” As reasonable as this may seem, it contains a huge error. Gratitude … Continue reading
In marriage or any relationship, financial issues can sometimes become a source of, shall we say … discussion … when debating what to purchase or maybe just where to have dinner tonight. If these issues seem to repeat themselves, perhaps … Continue reading
After practicing psychotherapy professionally for over 40 years, one can’t help but notice patterns. Problems may take different forms, but the core issues often fall into just a few categories. Life doesn’t need to be as hard as some people … Continue reading
A Delaware Beaches reader writes that her father died almost 20 years ago. She considers herself fully recovered, but when something reminds her of him, the feelings come rushing back. She asks me if she needs medication to keep her … Continue reading
Rarely does a day go by that people don’t talk to me about their jobs. I believe that the best motivation for work is happiness and fulfillment. It’s true that fulfillment might not happen all at once, but the activity … Continue reading
The summer season often means up close & personal time with family. This can be good – or not so good – especially when it involves restless teenagers. My experience has revealed six basic techniques for dealing with teens – … Continue reading
Whenever I hear the old proverb, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there”, I always follow up with something like, “So you’d better be ready to deal with whatever’s down that road.” People often … Continue reading
I get a surprising number of questions in my office about whether older widowed people should remarry. The obvious answer is, of course, yes – if they want to. But some widows and widowers feel it’s disloyal to their late … Continue reading
I’ve written before about how aging parents can sometimes become manipulative; appearing to be more “helpless” than they actually are. Interestingly, reader responses were 100% in agreement, but many questioned how to tactfully approach the issue. Well, sometimes it’s all … Continue reading
People often ask me to explain what a psychotherapist does. Though I’m tempted to mumble something about secret handshakes, decoder rings and electric shocks, I go ahead and try to answer the question truthfully. And the answer isn’t mysterious at … Continue reading
A Delaware Beaches reader emails that she’s resentful over other people’s success. Rich people, TV stars, neighbors who are thriving in business … she feels they are all bringing her down with their accomplishments. Imitation may be the sincerest form … Continue reading