I had a cat who compulsively pawed at her own shadow on the wall. Sometimes this habit seemed to entertain her. Sometimes it seemed to frighten her. The thing was, however frantically she pawed at that shadow, it pawed back just as frantically. My cat never seemed to figure out that the only way to… CONTINUE
Why Do People Choose the Wrong Romantic Partners?
“Please accept my resignation. I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept people like me as a member.” When comedian Groucho Marx wrote this, he was expressing a peculiar, yet very common, human trait. A lot of individuals reflexively distrust people that truly appreciate them. As a therapist, I see this a lot… CONTINUE
Does Depression Make You Tired?
Persistent fatigue and low energy are among the most common symptoms associated with depression. When you’re depressed, certain brain chemicals (serotonin and dopamine, primarily) are often out of balance. These brain chemicals regulate various things, including sleep, energy, focus and motivation levels. When these chemicals are off, sleep tends to suffer in one of two… CONTINUE
Signs of Depression in Men
How common is depression in men? According to the American Psychological Association, about 30% of men will experience an episode of depression in their lifetime. However, depression tends to effect men and women differently, and often goes undiagnosed in males. Whereas depressed women are more likely to report feelings of sadness and episodes of crying,… CONTINUE
How to Make the Most of Counseling and Therapy
If you are already in counseling, or you are considering working with a psychologist or therapist, four tips will help maximize your therapy process: 1. Take personal responsibility. On the one hand, counseling is a perfectly appropriate place to “vent” about your boss, your spouse, etc. On the other hand, you don’t want to get… CONTINUE
Holiday Driving: Is Being Generous Really Worth It?
There’s a reason grandma got run over by a reindeer. Holiday driving can be a challenge. More than any other time of the year, the highways are jam-packed with people heading somewhere in a hurry. A new study found that “drivers are 175% MORE aggressive during the holidays than compared to the rest of the… CONTINUE
Getting Unstuck
When you watch an episode of a scripted TV show, you’re following an A story and a B story. In the A story, for example, Bill is trying to pull off one last big heist. But no matter how much he racks his brain, he can’t figure out a way to get into the bank… CONTINUE
Balancing Your Relationship
In most romantic relationships, there are two roles: the pursuer and the pursued. When these roles are out of balance, the relationship suffers. The pursuer wants more togetherness. She wants more quality time with her partner, more communication, more physical and emotional closeness. She wants more commitment, and often feels she isn’t the main priority… CONTINUE
How Common is Cheating?
by James Robbins, M.A., LPC Did you know that about 25% of American couples will experience one or both members cheating at some point in their relationship? Although men were historically more likely to cheat, this gap is narrowing. Female infidelity is on the rise, with women cheating nearly as… CONTINUE
Show Appreciation — Even if You Have to Fake it at First
by James Robbins, M.A., LPC If you’re in a serious romantic relationship and you’re not complimenting your partner every day, you’re missing the low-hanging fruit. Relationships are hard work, but this part can be easy–if you let it. So your spouse can’t keep a job. This is a problem. But your spouse also makes… CONTINUE