A Delaware Coast Press reader writes that he and his wife recently retired to a beautiful home by the beach. But in spite of that, he is not happy. It doesn’t have to do with anything specific; things are fine … Continue reading
I see many examples of spouses and partners who endure consistent and systematic meanness from their significant others. This pattern is more prevalent than you might think, and the clinical term for it is emotional abuse. There are a number … Continue reading
Will Rogers said: “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.” And it’s true. In my experience, much of this spending, buying and impressing comes from one thing: … Continue reading
Readers ask me if it’s possible to be a “rush-a-holic”, i.e., to be addicted to rushing or being in a hurry. I have to admit that that’s a new one, but I believe that it’s not the rushing itself that … Continue reading
“Do you crave Facebook likes?” asks Martin Graff, Ph.D., in a recent article and study. People say it all the time: “The attention I get from social media is important to me,” or, “I consider someone to be popular based … Continue reading
Clients often ask me if the children (or adults) in their lives are just looking for attention when they “act up” or become emotionally distraught. This is often true, but the goal isn’t attention as much as what I call … Continue reading
Living in a resort can be interesting when, at season’s passing, it turns back into a small town. One of the most common complaints I hear is, “Everybody knows your business.” It’s certainly a widespread feeling, but not really accurate. … Continue reading
A reader sent me an email in reaction to my column a few weeks ago about jealousy and cheating. She writes, “I liked your article about being suspicious and jealous of your husband or wife, even though there’s no evidence … Continue reading
In my many 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 … Continue reading
A woman I know admits that she constantly feels jealous and threatened by her boyfriend’s popularity with other people, especially women. She goes on to say that she tries to control her feelings, but nothing works. Even though she has … Continue reading
Recently, I posted a Peanuts cartoon on Facebook that said: “Worrying won’t stop the bad stuff from happening … it just stops you from enjoying the good.” The comments I received in reply to the post were even more interesting, … Continue reading
Blame and shame are not healthy motivators. People sometimes try to motivate you with shaming and blaming, and sadly, these methods are such a part of daily life that most of us take them for granted AND tolerate them far … Continue reading