Pictures of Vintage Real Santa Claus carrying gift sack

One of the Best Things About Having Family in Town During the Holidays

The holidays bring much joy, laughs, love, and they can also bring frustration, confusion, holiday stress, and if you are like me a slightly snug waist band as I sample “just one more” holiday treat. As a Marriage and Family Therapist although many of my clients are taking time off and going on vacations spending […]

Art+Therapy

Art as Therapy – a Local Idea for Great Self Care

As a therapist, the topic of self care often arises.  Therapists and other helping professions need to be extra diligent in taking care of themselves to continue to provide quality services for those they work with.  Helping professions and professionals need to be aware of “compassion fatigue” and burnout. As a Licensed Marriage and Family […]

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Clients Stop Asking Your Therapist “WHY”

Tell me, would you be ok with trying to resolve a problem and not know the “why?” behind it?  Most people aren’t. Time after time I have clients sit in my office wanting to know, “WHY?”  My clients think if they could just figure out “why”, then they can resolve the problem. “Why do my kids behave […]

Parenting+Help+With+Teens

25 Questions to Get a Teen to Talk

Are you tired of the 1 word answers teens give you when you ask them a question?  Do you think the words “fine” and “good” are the only 2 words they know when corresponding with you?  Well here is a list of 25 questions to engage a teen in a conversation. This is from the […]

Counselor+for+teens

My Commitment, Being a Marriage and Family Therapist

I was deeply honored to be able to write a brief article for Contemporary Family Magazine.  Please see below: “I believe that people have the strengths and resources they need to live the life they want. Sometimes they need guidance, coaching, and support along the way. Much of my work focuses on empowering people to achieve the life […]

Life+Coaching

What is Life Coaching?

My nature as a person is team oriented.  I LOVE teamwork, more gets accomplished when everyone works together.  I am successful in life and business because of the people that believe in me, support me, and vice versa. I love to collaborate and support others in achieving their hopes and dreams.  I invited Sophie Skover […]

Can+a+therapist+help+me-

I Was Told to Leap…

So there I am… standing at the place of decision, fear, and ambiguity.  On this side is certainty, comfort and familiarity.  Sound familiar? In 2012, I kept getting this message… I finally chose to listen, and I was scared. The decision I was faced with was leaving a company I was employed at for 11 […]

Do+Not+Disturb+Rocks

A Therapist’s Favorite Question…

So what is a therapist’s favorite question? One of my favorite questions is, “what do you mean by that?” It doesn’t go over so fabulously in relationships. After I ask that question the response I usually receive is “don’t therapize me”. In fact, “what do you mean by that?” is an important and valuable question in communication! […]

transgender surgery

Understanding Transgendered People and the Desire to be “Comfortable N UR Skin”

Remember our friend Sky?  If you check out the post on March 7, 2013 you will see Sky as he describes his day to day life, living life as male and his body expressing female. Sky is a stand for ALL people, not just transgendered people, to feel comfortable in their own skin.  Check out […]

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The Best Kind of Therapy for…

I started off writing this blog as, “The Best Kind of Therapy for Children” and then I realized this could be a great therapy for anyone. I arrived at my office today and parked in the back parking lot as I usually do.  As I stepped out of my car and gathered my bags to […]

preventing+child+abuse

Preventing Sexual Abuse in Children

How do we go about preventing childhood abuse, bullying, and dangers children face? If you ask me, I think Cherie Benjoseph, LCSW and Sally Berenzweig, MEd, MA, Founders of Kidsafe Foundation are on to a GREAT concept. I was able to attend Cherie’s training on April 17th, 2013. I was able to easily utilize the books […]

Collaborative+Divorce+Collaborative+Law

Family Counseling & “Collaborative Divorce”???

Are you asking yourself the same thing… What is a “Collaborative Divorce”?  Does it almost seem unheard of?  Well it is possible. Look around, you probably know at least one person (probably many more) who has gone through a divorce. That person may have started out with a family similar to yours (husband, wife, kids, […]

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Parental Alienation – When Having a Marriage and Family Therapist is Important

The National Parents Organization put out a great article on a change coming out in the DSM V – Diagnostic Statics Manual for mental health diagnoses and disorders. According to the article in the new DSM V it addresses Parental Alienation. This is a huge advance in the world of systems. Parental Alienation is being defined as […]

Teen+Success+-+Stress+Management

Stress Management – Teen Style

Here are some pictures of recent events that we did. May 4th – “Teen Success Conference” – we want to thank – Karlene for inviting us!      

Stress+Management+at+work

Stress Management at Work – The 100 Day Burpee Challenge

So this inspiring Stress Management Technique came to us from 2 good friends – Rusty & Roxy. Roxy decided to take on “The 100 Day Burpee Challenge” – she is on day 46.  The idea is to work up to doing 100 burpees by adding 1 more each day. Rusty decided to join her. I […]