Marriage / Relationships

Simple Valentine

After Valentines Day, people often ask each other, “What did you do?” eyes wide with anticipation to hear the big reveal… “We spent a weekend away in the wine country.” “He bought me a sparkly, expensive necklace.” “We went to… Read more »

Ask the Therapist: Lack of Emotional Safety in Relationship

I read your article on “emotional safety” and it seems to be lacking in my recent relationship. I’d been dating a guy on and off for about a year. I’ve been trying to share this concept with him, but it… Read more »

Ask the Therapist: I’m in an Emotionally Abusive Marriage

I started dating my husband when I was 19 and he was 36. I came from a broken home where there was extreme violence and alcohol abuse, so I did not want to have anything to do with alcohol. He told… Read more »

Emotional Health

Avoid the Expectation Trap

Craig Harper, a coach and motivational speaker in Australia, explores the many ways you can be let down by others and  how changing your expectations can change your reality. Do people let you down? Have they let you down in… Read more »

#TheToolbox Best of Emotional and Relationship Health 2017

2017 is slipping by and throughout this year, I continue to enjoy tending to my online labor of love, LoveAndLifeToolbox.com.  This is my annual end of the year celebration of the “best of”  my emotional and relationship health content over… Read more »

Love Your Inner Child

Rick Hanson, PhD looks at the power of your inner child to shape your adult self-concept.  If you carry wounds from early in life, he offers ways to “love your inner child” to move towards healing. As long as you’ve lived,… Read more »

Therapy

3 Mistakes Couples Make in Relationship Counseling

Couples counseling can be a helpful tool for a myriad of issues, from significant disconnection and resentment to a desire to fill your toolbox with tools to manage things that might come up later.  Communication skills, conflict management, listening skills… Read more »

Premarital Couples: Invest in Your Marriage as you do in Your Wedding Day

Our society puts a lot of focus on the wedding day.  Many couples spend countless hours on wedding preparation considering where they will marry, who will come, what color the flowers will be, tasting food, contemplating wedding favors and other… Read more »

How to Make Couples Therapy Work for You

You are your partner are struggling.  Perhaps your disconnection is significant or maybe you feel committed to the relationship but see red flags that need addressing.  Couples therapy is not only for couples who can’t figure out how to make… Read more »

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