Wow oh wow, life has certainly changed over the past few weeks. Those of us who are fortunate enough to be able to practice social distancing safely at home have had some time to settle into doing the majority of things virtually. Distance learning has been quite the adventure for students and their parents. I’m
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Have you ever wondered what your child is really trying to communicate to you? Sometime it seems as if kids have their own secret language. I was talking on the phone the other day to a good friend of mine, and her young daughter was trying to tell her something. My friend kept repeating what
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It’s hard to know what to say sometimes. When a loved one seems to be suffering due to grief, anxiety, depression, or a multitude of other possible reasons, it can be difficult to find the right words. Saying the wrong thing might make them feel worse, and if you say nothing at all it might
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Every once in a while, a certain phrase is uttered on my couch: brutally honest. Often, it’s claimed as a point of pride as a client tells me that they believe one of the reasons they struggle in relationships is because they’re “just brutally honest, and some people can’t handle that,” (this is not a
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In this day and age, it feels impossible to avoid technology. The car is a computer on wheels; restaurant menus are giant scrolling TV screens; and everyone seems to be holding a tiny tablet in their hands at all times. On one hand: it’s pretty awesome. Technology allows us to do things we thought impossible
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Summer always brings with it an influx of new couple clients, and I’ve noticed that there seems to be a trend in what these new couples are bringing to therapy. Perhaps because summer opens up some free time and creates a sense that we should get things done that we’ve been putting off, I see
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I don’t actually want to spoil anything for anyone here, but lately it’s been difficult to avoid the topic of disappointment when it comes to talking about favorite TV shows ending. By now I’m sure most people are sick of hearing about how Game of Thrones came to an end, and there were very strong
Read morePeople who come to our offices for couples therapy generally enter the room for the first time with a list of things they want and need from their partners. The items on their lists vary, obviously, but a few themes stand out — more connection, more collaboration, more honesty, more support. Struggling couples come to
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“Listen with curiosity. Speak with honesty. Act with integrity. The greatest problem with communication is that we don’t listen to understand. We listen to reply. When we listen with curiosity, we don’t listen with the intent to reply. We listen for what’s behind the words.” Roy T. Bennett What is effective communication? Effective communication
Read moreCouple Therapy Sterling VA One of the most interesting things I observe as a couple and family therapist is how societal dynamics play out on the micro-level in relationships. Recently, I’ve been struck by the frequency with which I observe “whataboutism” on my couch, and I can’t help but notice that this is similar to
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