It’s easy to be stressed these days. Even the simple act of taking a vacation can cause anxiety. Though you might just be visiting, stress management skills still have to be developed and maintained. Making the time to enjoy life’s … Continue reading →

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 →

In between the high-energy activities that characterize our summer beach resort, it helps to stand back and take a look at what matters (and what doesn’t matter) to you. In fact, this sort of self-reflection should be a part of … Continue reading →

We hear over and over that ‘money is the root of all evil,’ or that ‘money can’t buy happiness.’ So how come it’s such a major part of our lives? Couples fight over it so much that it’s one of … Continue reading →

People often ask me if anything annoys me about my job. I love what I do. But if anything gets to me, it’s when a client pays me good money to give advice, and then doesn’t take it — only … 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 or a line that two people reach when the gap between their values is … Continue reading →

TThe subject of spanking children is a perpetually unresolved debate. There’s a lot of emotion involved, but not a lot of reasoning. From a psychological point of view, there is in fact compelling evidence as to why physical punishment is … Continue reading →

One of the subjects that couples bring up in my office is how to make — or keep — a marriage happy for both parties. My first reaction is to remind them that they are ‘on the same team’; that … Continue reading →

If you’re reading this on the beach, I’m here to tell you that this is a great place to live. Shortly after I moved here, an associate from my former practice in Washington, D.C. likened resort dwellers to ‘outlaws.’ I … Continue reading →

A reader emails about her friend who is divorced from a man who was not a nice person. She enjoys being with her new boyfriend because he is kind to her. However, the reader’s friend confides in her that her … Continue reading →

A popular misconception about counseling and psychotherapy is that it’s all about the past. This probably stems from the clich image of the bearded Freudian psychoanalyst quietly dozing in his leather chair, and also the parade of insipid ‘self-help’ authors … Continue reading →

After my third book, ‘Bad Therapy, Good Therapy (And How to Tell the Difference)’ went on sale last year, I received a number of emails asking if bad therapy is better than no therapy at all. My answer is ‘No.’ … Continue reading →