My face emerged from the water, breathless, and I squinted at the summer moon. eeeee- zzzzzzz-pssszzzzzz-eeee Blue light spilled over all the trees surrounding the pool, and my dad stood with his hands on his hips and his chest pushed out, … Continue reading
It’s all about the story.
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Gut-wrenching true story alert: The love of Kathy’s life, her adoring husband, died unexpectedly. Kathy, gripped with shock and grief, decided that love was not for her: Horrific things happen when one lets her guard down and indulges in … Continue reading
Science-backed techniques that make you want to punch your therapist in the face.
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Feeling empty? Unsatisfied? Alone? Purposeless and lacking in motivation? Make some deep and vulnerable friendships, exercise, start liking yourself even if you lost your job and Sara didn’t invite you to the last four girls nights; focus on your … Continue reading
Gratitude: You’re doing it wrong.
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One evening when I was about six, my “recovering-Catholic” (his term) dad taught me the Lord’s Prayer. I recited the meaningless-to-me words as an obligatory chant nightly for the next year or so. Then, when my Lutheran-raised mom later taught … Continue reading
Buddy, Tacky, and Muhammad walk into a bar. (And have great conversation.)
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Remember in that one movie, when the dude with funny clothes and customs and eating habits, with bizarre beliefs about an omnipotent guy in the sky, freaked the heck out of a New York City family, but ultimately enriched their … Continue reading
One soul-crushing truth about love (as told by a couples therapist)
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Sometimes, in couples therapy, I end up inadvertently crushing the souls of eager young couples. To begin the initial session, the wife offers some banal reason for making the appointment; she may add how many years they’ve been married and … Continue reading
My kids don’t get ice cream and parades for good grades.
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My kids’ school conferences went swell, once again. Top academics, great behaviors, blablabla. Stellar, right? But even sitting there at the school, in front of this beaming teacher who joked about kidnapping my child and keeping him for her own, … Continue reading
Reader asks: My husband doesn’t help with the baby! Help!
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A friend (who shall remain anonymous) recently asked me, “Hey, have you written about how to get a lazy husband to change a diaper once in a while?” And then she went on an on about how she drowns herself … Continue reading
Be a zen sorcerer of internal bliss during Thanksgiving political conversations.
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It’s almost Thanksgiving 2016, merely weeks after the most divisive election in our country’s history… And let’s face it: You’d rather plant your face in the gravy dish than listen to Cousin Mary’s ramblings about how-will-I-afford-my-foot-surgery-after-Drumph-impulsively-nukes-healthcare-and-makes-late-term-bunion-removal-illegal-and-also-I-found-an-Internet-quiz-that-proves-everyone-is-“sexracist”-even-cats. And if Uncle Frank … Continue reading
People are absurd. Life is awkward. Don’t forget to laugh.
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Someone in my office apparently quit her job several months ago without telling any of her coworkers. In fact, we have heard nothing from her in seven and a half months. Today, on the day that she finally came to … Continue reading
