Is your romantic relationship smooth and effortless? Or is there a constant sense of “walking on eggshells” and trying not to offend the other? Over 30 years of clinical experience have convinced me that truly good relationships do not require … Continue reading
Category: Life’s a Beach!
The Psychology of Loyalty (DE Coast Press)
People often ask me about the virtue of loyalty. The mental health profession generally falls into line behind widely accepted virtues as a measure of mental health, so is loyalty in fact healthy, wise and good? Many people equate loyalty … Continue reading
Be a first-class neighbor (DE Wave)
One of the highlights of my week is the quiet morning when I sit down with a cup of coffee and confront my glowing computer screen. It stares blankly back at me, and I know what it wants: The first … Continue reading
“Yes I Can – No I Can’t” (DE Coast Press)
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said it best: “We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done.” And it works both ways! If you underestimate your potential, or if you ignore … Continue reading
What’s Your First Impression? (DE Wave)
John R. Schafer, Ph.D. writes on psychologytoday.com: “Changing negative first impressions is difficult. A person who forms a negative impression of another person will be less inclined to meet that person a second time because that person has been judged … Continue reading
Being Alone Without Being Lonely (DE Coast Press)
I received several reader emails about my column from a few weeks ago where I wrote about an associate from my former practice in Washington, D.C. who likened resort dwellers to “outlaws.” I took it (and she meant it) as … Continue reading
The “Happiness Pie” is a Flawed Concept (DE Wave)
Two approaches to life, especially in the business or professional environment, characterize most human interactions. The first is the adversarial mentality; the second is the realistic mentality. The adversarial mentality rests upon illogical but (to some people) emotionally appealing ideas … Continue reading
Change Means Tradeoff, Not Always Calamity (DE Coast Press)
One of the silver linings around the otherwise dark cloud of summer’s end is the Labor Day Jazz Funeral just slightly south of Rehoboth on the Bethany Beach boardwalk. The New Orleans-style parade lays the season to rest, symbolically mourning … Continue reading
“Dropping By”…Benevolent or Boundary Violation? (DE Wave)
Clients often tell me about neighbors who drop in uninvited. Or children (or worse yet, adults) who can’t keep their hands off of your property. Do you have friends who call and expect you to be available to talk — … Continue reading
Lying’s a full-time job (DE Coast Press)
A local reader tells me that he has been unemployed for four years. He goes on to say, “My odds of finding a job seem to decrease as time passes. A friend has offered to compose a fake resume and … Continue reading
Expiration Date for Your (Grown) Kids? (DE Wave)
A local reader writes, “I’m hoping you can help out with my 27-year-old son. He was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) back in high school, and nothing has been the same since. He’s just an older version of … Continue reading
“I Can’t Live This Way”: Rediscovering The Power of No (DE Coast Press)
A Coast Press reader writes, “My husband and I (we have no children) have been happy for the last four years. But now, he has suddenly become Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He’s fine one minute, then in response to … Continue reading