Tag Archives: therapy

What You Shouldn’t Say to Your Husband

“Woman’s Day” recently published an article about the nine things you should never say to your husband. First on the list was lying about your experience during sexual intimacy. That is a big no-no. The second is to tell them that they are just like their father. The third is asking when they are going to find a new job. The fourth is bringing up how your mother had warned you about something your husband would do. The fifth is telling your husband that you will do it yourself, when it comes to a task or chore…in other words, acting … Continue reading →

Be Nice!

Posted on by

Why is it that divorce makes us forget how fragile our children are? I firmly believe that in most cases our kids are more resilient than we realize, but when it comes to their parents, that’s not the case. We seem to be a society of fragmented families, so many people get divorced now. It doesn’t have to be all bad, sometimes a divorce was very necessary and everyone, including the children, is better off because of the divorce. So why are we still so bitter? I was listening recently to a friend recount her boyfriend’s interaction with his ex. … Continue reading →

When Teens Don’t Share Everything

Some recent events that have unfolded in my home have opened my eyes to some truths that while they may not be easy to accept, they are part of raising teenagers. It is the belief that your teens will share everything going on in their world. I guess I really thought I had the market on this one but apparently not. One of the things that both my husband and I have strived to do in our home is to create a safe, secure refuge. That means our children can trust us, even when it means telling us the hard … Continue reading →

Learning How to Listen

While we might think that communication is a skill we naturally develop, that isn’t necessarily true. Some of us could actually use a class on how to effectively communicate. A few years ago when I was pursuing a degree in education, I took a class on communication. I was surprised to learn some of the things that I struggled with. I didn’t realize how much I interrupt people and I also didn’t realize how the tone of my voice came across sometimes. There were times in the past when my husband would say that I was talking “down” to him … Continue reading →

Communication – A Two Way Street

Communication is a two way street. It involves talking and listening. Sadly some people only seem to recognize the first part. They spend a lot of time talking but very little listening. Even when they are listening they may hear the words but they are not really taking them in. Why? Because they’re too busy getting defensive or already planning what they’re going to say next and just itching for the opportunity to jump back in and put forward their opinion. A common complaint from some wives is, ‘He never talks to me. He never tells me what’s going on.’ … Continue reading →

Responding Instead of Reacting

One of the hardest times to connect to your spouse is when they are acting unlovely. Yes, it is hard to love the unlovely. You almost get this sense of entitlement and say to yourself, “I don’t deserve this treatment.” No one deserves to be treated poorly. Yet not one of us could claim to be without fault in this area. We all slip from time to time and granted, it may last longer than other times but we are all guilty. I always know when things at work are stressing my husband out because he tends to take it … Continue reading →

Talking to Your Tween

Times have drastically changed since the years I was in middle school. While I’m sure there was the occasional pregnancy that was certainly not a common issue. In fact, I remember my first kiss being in middle school and the big deal was that he used his tongue. Oh to go back to those more carefree, innocent days. Okay, they weren’t exactly innocent but they were pretty darn close compared to what middle school tweens have to deal with today. One of the mistakes that some parents of tween children make is that they think conversations about certain topics such … Continue reading →

On the Same Wave Length

Are you on the same wave length as your spouse? Can you read the signs and body language without them saying too much? Yesterday we had such a situation. In the early afternoon I went out to my husband in the garden and said, ‘What are you going to do this afternoon?‘ He mentioned a few things that needed doing and asked me what I planned to do. I also mentioned a few things I needed to get to. The trouble was it was such a beautiful sunny day I didn’t feel like being stuck inside doing them. However I … Continue reading →

Photo of the Week

Posted on by

I’ve been looking around for a great photo to start off with as I write about great photographs and why they’re important to me. I am a believer that we all like specific photographs for a certain reason that’s personal, but that’s not always explored. I mentioned in an earlier post that I took a class that focused on the rhetoric of photos (basically, what the photos communicate to you in a visual way). I think it’s important to analyze different photographs and how they communicate because I think it makes you a better photographer. You understand better what end … Continue reading →

Kitty Tantrums

While researching my heatstroke article from Tuesday, I came across a statistic from the Humane Society saying that cats are the most popular pet in America. With around 93 million cats in American homes compared to 77 billion dogs, cats reign supreme. I love dogs and cats equally, so I didn’t bring up the statistic to laud the superiority of cats. Instead, I wanted to posit why cats might be more popular: their greater independence. Nowadays most busy American households contain two working adults, so owning a pet able to look after itself, that doesn’t mind being alone for awhile, … Continue reading →