Chuck Lorre produced a TV show called Dharma and Greg. I video taped (remember VCR’s?) the first episode. At the end of the show, I saw a blip on the screen and wondered what kind of subliminal message was just zapped into my brain. Freeze framing the blip, I saw Chuck’s first “Vanity Card.” The…
If there is troubling thoughts on your mind there is a circle time technique to carry out within the family dyad. Here is the method to use specific to my practice. 1- Find an object, such as a teddy bear toy. 2-Arrange to meet together at a certain time 3-At the gathering sit in a…
Engulfed by a Storm Those who have never been in a domestic violence situation are often perplexed as to how intelligent people become trapped and why they remain with someone who is abusive. In an effort to help provide clarity let us consider the dynamics of the following story: Imagine as if you are…
Positive parenting is a construct that we Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors seek to educate and to coach our parents as to the dynamics of such parenting. Parents come with multiple complaints of how their little ones are oppositional and defiant. With a nutrition background of 17 years, connections with a local Nature-path,…
Anger is a common and universal emotion, which is often referred to as a secondary emotion, because it serves to protect us from other vulnerable feelings. Clinicians and researchers believe that anger covers a primary emotion such as sadness, fear, or anxiety. Our behavioral therapists also believe that children and adolescents with anger issues are…
As a psychotherapist, I often meet individuals, couples and families who at first describe the relationships that matter the most in their lives as ‘very close’, ‘tight’, and supportive. But later, after understanding the issues that brought them to my office, I view them more as insular systems that nurture – or even demand –…
Let’s reflect on your past year: How many phone calls did you have from your son’s school? How many behavioral notes were written in your daughter’s agenda? How many parent-teacher meetings did not go your ideal way? For most parents, it is difficult to admit that their child may need therapy for their behavioral problems.…
Many of my clients have already discovered through long frustrating hours of trying to find a court approved anger management program,that there aren’t many actual “Anger Management Specialists” to be found. In fact, it is a highly specialized field. I have provided Anger Management treatment for the Department of Corrections for nearly twenty years and…
At the start, we all sign a marriage contract that few even scan or take the time to read. Would you enter a business deal or any other important relationship that way? No worries, as we all have many opportunities to discuss and add to this important document that can be the floor in…
We all have heard about kids being bullied at school and about the anti-bullying programs being developed to stop bullying. In fact, the month of October is dedicated to Bully Awareness and to stop bullying. However, do we really know how severe the problem is? Research shows that 1 in 4 children are bullied at…