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Each week, we post the latest articles and new blog content across a variety of categories. Browse our latest.
The Cost of Happiness
If you could grant your loved ones a single wish, what would it be? It can be simple: We want our loved ones to be happy. On the surface, this sounds like a cliché. Most people view happiness as a fleeting emotional temporary mood that comes and goes. Why bestow such an ephemeral favor? In reality, the wish is for something much deeper. We want to feel fulfilled by [...]
Can Counseling Help If My Partner Won’t Go?
You've brought up counseling more than once. Maybe you keep having the same argument, feel distant from each other, or can't get through a serious conversation without someone shutting down. Your partner's answer hasn't changed: “We should be able to figure this out ourselves.” It can leave you feeling stuck. If getting help requires two willing people, what happens when only one of you is ready? You can seek [...]
Fine. We’ll Talk About It Next Year
There was a different version of this article. It was a lot more fun to write. You won't be seeing it. On Saturday night in Cleveland, the Guardians beat the White Sox 2-0 in Game 5 of the American League Division Series. The Sox were up two games to none in that series. Then they lost three straight. Cleveland goes on to play the Rays, and the South Side [...]
Setting Boundaries
Setting boundaries is simple in concept: saying "no" to requests that conflict with your values preserves your finite time, energy, and focus for what matters most. In practice, however, boundary setting is notoriously difficult. Underlying emotional forces routinely convert a well-intentioned "no" into a reluctant "yes." When presented with an unwanted request, you acquiesce—not because you want to, but to escape the immediate discomfort of turning someone down. Yet, [...]
What to Do When Your Teen Refuses Counseling
You've noticed changes. Your teenager spends more time alone, gets overwhelmed by school, or seems angry almost every evening. You suggest counseling because you want to help. “I'm not going. There's nothing wrong with me.” Now you're worried about your child and unsure how to move forward without another argument. If your teen refuses counseling, start by understanding what they are resisting. Listen to their concerns, explain what counseling [...]
Is It Anxiety or OCD?
A child asks whether the doors are locked. A teenager rewrites an assignment because it does not feel right. Another child repeatedly seeks reassurance that a parent is safe. These behaviors can look like anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder or an ordinary response to stress. The difference is not always obvious from the outside. Anxiety and OCD can both involve fear, avoidance and repeated reassurance seeking. What often separates them is [...]