When a child covers his or her ears when you speak, most of us think of it as cute. But when an adult evades, denies or ignores something significant, that’s where cute ends and denial begins. It’s the equivalent of … Continue reading
A Delaware Coast Press reader sent me a rather anxious email. He’s seeking “closure” from his girlfriend who recently dumped him. Closure is a vague but popular concept that hopes for a neat, painless ending along with the detached perspective … Continue reading
It’s a rare day when social media is not sputtering over horror stories about bad experiences with service providers. Since it’s my job to peek behind the proverbial curtain, when I look closer at some of the individual situations, sure … Continue reading
By the time you read this, the final notes of this year’s Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival will have faded away. Why does music have such a magnetic effect on us? From the amateur flailings of semi-sober karaoke all the way … Continue reading
In just a week, the high holy days of masquerade will be upon us. Rarely does a Halloween go by without people asking me about the psychology of costumes and disguise. Ancient mystical beliefs held that if you disguised yourself … Continue reading
Couples, families and friends tell me that they fight over money more than anything else. But when I look closer, it becomes evident that the fighting is less about actual money and more about personal expectations and priorities. If differences … Continue reading
A Delaware Wave reader emails, “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 … Continue reading
It’s a rare week in my office when couples don’t ask me how to make – or keep – a marriage happy. My first reaction is to remind them that they are on the same team; that they share the … 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 sense of escape as the “willing suspension of disbelief,” where, for ninety minutes … Continue reading
Occasionally, a parent or a spouse will tell me that their child or partner “needs help.” When I ask them why, they either don’t answer, or they say that they can’t get their loved one to “make sense.” Over the … Continue reading
Lately it has become fashionable to label people who have accomplished great things as being “arrogant.” The reason for this is best left to another column, but I suspect we wouldn’t be enjoying many of our conveniences and comforts were … Continue reading
Recent medical/psychological research and studies are finally suggesting what I’ve been saying for years: Much of the psychobabble surrounding fashionable labels like “ADD”, “ADHD”, etc. are nothing more than haphazard “diagnoses” of teenagers’ behavior, triggering a flurry of needless prescriptions. … Continue reading