A visitor to my website writes, “My wife of two years goes out of her way to control me. Everything from constant phone calls asking where I am, to ordering me to go to sleep when it suits her, or … Continue reading
A reader of this column tells me that she is frustrated with her teenage son. She wants to remind him that she encourages his independence but that he should at least listen to her opinions since she’s still paying for … Continue reading
Much of what people talk to me about in my office is about making it through life, day-to-day. Things can get pretty scary out there and people can get overwhelmed. From my experience I’ve come up with six basic things … Continue reading
A regular reader sent me an email asking for my perspective on an interesting psychological oddity, namely, people who don’t like to be treated well. Most of us want to be treated with kindness and respect, but she specifically refers … Continue reading
Memory problems are frustrating. People joke about “senior moments” while others worry about the possibility of dementia. Dementia is actually a disease of the brain, but normal memory ultimately has more to do with how you manage (or don’t manage) … Continue reading
Rarely does a social occasion go by that somebody doesn’t ask me what a psychotherapist does, and what actually happens behind the closed doors of a therapy session. I resist the urge to mumble something about secret handshakes, decoder rings … Continue reading
When facing an important decision about relationships and other personal issues, it’s often best to consider your own advice first. After all, who’s better suited to know what’s right for you than … you? Recently, I spoke with a friend … Continue reading
There are all kinds of myths about therapy. Some even believe all that feel-good nonsense they see on daytime TV, so they assume that their visit will be an instant cure for whatever ails them. Well, it’s not that easy. … Continue reading
People often tell me that they feel “used” because someone gets something out of being with them. Well, there’s nothing wrong with self-interest; every relationship, whether business or personal, should be mutually beneficial. However, the actual act of using somebody … Continue reading
It’s a rare day when Facebook and Twitter are not teeming with horror stories about bad experiences with service providers. But it’s my job to peek behind the proverbial curtain, and sure enough, when I look closer at some of … Continue reading
It amazes me how people can act like smart consumers in some situations, and like helpless pawns in others. Consider the way most of us handle the news — especially television news. I don’t care which news station you watch; … Continue reading
Dear Dr. Hurd, My “new age” friends are always telling me to “Go with my feelings and say what I feel.” But is it advisable to just blurt out whatever happens to pop into your head — right, wrong or … Continue reading