A reader emails me about disagreements she has with her friend. Their differences are on fundamental levels, and she wonders if there is a point that two people reach when the gap between their values is simply too wide. She … Continue reading
A recent Cornell University study asks, “Why do teens do stupid things?” And I say, “Well, not so fast.” Not all teens do stupid things. There’s nothing about being young that makes stupidity inevitable. It’s true that teens don’t have … Continue reading
I received an email from a Delaware Coast Press reader who has a 24-year-old son who has no friends (beyond those he has met online), no girlfriend, no driver’s license, no job, nothing. He’s quite good at condemning his siblings … Continue reading
There seems to be a lot of blame and shame flying around nowadays. But blame and shame are not healthy or effective motivators. People sometimes try to motivate you with shaming and blaming, and sadly, these methods are such a … Continue reading
How many times have we heard the adage, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Some might call it conventional wisdom, but as far as I’m concerned it’s just conventional – at best. To place an emphasis on … Continue reading
With the proliferation of TV shows centered around the paranormal, even skeptics might wonder if belief in the supernatural serves any purpose. Clay Routledge, Ph.D., author of “More Than Mortal” thinks it’s about meaning in life: “My research lab studies … Continue reading
Many of us are currently dealing with upended schedules, unemployment and loss of income. There are few more stressful situations than these. I see so many smart and well-meaning people in my office, and from time to time I’ll encounter … Continue reading
This is a stressful time for everyone. But a surprising number of friends and clients are using this unwelcome “leisure” time to accomplish things that they have been putting off for a long time. And much of this “putting off” … Continue reading
The current “stay-at-home” culture of our community has generated a few interesting comments in my office. The occasional couple is finding that all this “together time” isn’t as easy as they thought it would be. But the truth of the … Continue reading
In spite of the jokes on social media about overeating during this mandated “stay-at-home” time in our lives, one of the ongoing issues I address in my office is often the opposite: the issue of anorexia. Anorexia is generally defined … Continue reading
During these stressful times when many people are confined to their homes, Facebook and other social media become all-too-accessible pastimes. It’s easy to get caught up in the breathless nonsense, myth and unsubstantiated proclamations that seems to dominate Facebook – … Continue reading
In my years of clinical experience I’ve seen many human relationships that are not everything they could be. Marriages routinely end in chronic dissatisfaction and eventually divorce. More and more I see people treating one another poorly. I suspect that … Continue reading