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 me that he was only a...
Category - Relationships
Lisa Brookes Kift, MFT
#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...
Lots of Friends Yet Still Feel Lonely?
Loneliness is an epidemic and research has shown that it can literally make you sick. This is a topic close to my heart professionally as my therapy practice continues to be dotted with clients who don’t feel...
The Ebb and Flow of Marriage
Marriages change over time. Couples who are able to navigate the ebb and flow of their relationships have an advantage in doing better over the long haul. Consider for a moment how much you’ve changed in your...
Does Your Relationship Have a Strong Negativity Bias?
A common thread in my couples therapy practice with those who struggle to make change is a strong negativity bias. The needle on the “Geiger counter” of their relationship is bouncing up and down in the red...
The Emotional Crisis of an Affair and How to Heal
Dr. Richard Nicastro, PhD, explores the challenging work of post-affair recovery. The trust and hope required for healing to occur in the aftermath can be challenging to find in the transitional period for both...
Richard Nicastro, PhD
Ask Lisa: My boyfriend’s job is more important than me
I came across one of the questions which I could relate to my life while I was searching for – what to do if you have a busy partner. Actually I am in a relationship with a guy since 4 years now. We started off...
5 Soothing Tips for Making Up after Conflict
Not many people actually enjoy conflict. Whether it’s a fight with a friend, a rift with a co-worker, or a blowout with your significant other, conflict hurts. But the alternative is lingering grudges, endless...
Clinton Power
Removing Yourself from the Victim, Rescuer, Persecutor Triangle
Linda Graham, MFT and author of Bouncing Back: Rewiring Your Brain for Maximum Resilience and Well-Being, looks at the dysfunctional social dynamic of the victim, rescuer and persecutor triangle. Stephen Karpman, M.D...
Linda Graham, MFT
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...
