People often react badly when you say something they’d rather not hear. But it’s just as bad when you don’t say what they want to hear. The perfect example is an email I received from a reader: “Dear Dr. Hurd: … Continue reading →

We humans are imaginative creatures. On a moment’s notice, we can dig up convincing reasons to do just about anything. Take overeating, for example. We have perfected a long list of motives for eating to excess, over and above the … Continue reading →

A reader emails about her friend who is divorced from a man who was somewhat abusive and narcissistic. Her friend enjoys being with her new boyfriend because he is kind to her. However, the reader’s friend confides in her that … Continue reading →

There’s a saying that suggests that you should never do business with friends. I received an email from a reader who did business here locally with a friend, and now there are problems with the expensive item she purchased. The … Continue reading →

Feeling anxious or uneasy? A persistent feeling of anxiety can sometimes stem from mental conflict brought about by the presence of two or more contradictory ideas. You might not even be aware of the cause, but if the confusion is … Continue reading →

Everybody tells me that they love their kids. It’s natural, and it sounds very nice. But love, all by itself, isn’t enough. We have to pass a test to drive; we need accredited education to be a health professional, yet … Continue reading →

A reader emails me about disagreements she has with her friend. Their differences are on very fundamental levels, and she wonders if there is a point that two people reach when the gap between their values is simply too wide. … Continue reading →

Some of the best times I had as a kid were spent in the movie theater, escaping into the realm of fantasy. Professional filmmakers refer to that feeling as the ‘willing suspension of disbelief,’ where, for ninety minutes or so, … Continue reading →

I received an email from a reader who asks, ‘I’m not sure I can give proper advice to my brother. He’s gay and really loves our parents, who are slightly religious but don’t practice. They’ve made anti-gay remarks in the … Continue reading →

Unless you recently landed on this planet, you’re probably aware that text messaging is a quick and easy way to communicate using a cell phone. Abbreviated phrases are typed out and instantly transmitted to the recipient’s cell phone screen. For … Continue reading →

Several months ago I was sitting at a red light on Rt. 113 when a large pickup truck sped by — on the shoulder, around stopped cars — and ran the light. He never looked. He never slowed down. This … Continue reading →

Pop-psychology loves to tout that the purpose of therapy is to ‘deal with the past.’ I suspect that at least part of that comes from those feel-good authors who appear on Oprah, Ellen, and the rest of daytime TV’s vast … Continue reading →