Living in Orange County and raising a family here brings its own challenges. There is pressure to succeed both socially and financially. Our children are watching us and learning from our behaviors what is important to us and what we value. Being clear in our own heads of what values we want to pass on to […]
I had just finished a very full, long, challenging and draining week. My best friend noticed I was looking especially defeated and worn out. I went on to tell her that I was frustrated that the outcomes I’d hoped for, worked so hard for that week had largely gone unmet. I spent a few minutes […]
“You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.” Forbes, 1972 Isn’t that the truth?! Sadly, the truth is also that we don’t always treat others well. We get caught up in ourselves, in our busy-ness, in our lists of things to do and […]
Competition is the American way. Who is the best athlete, student, employee, or even friend? Who is the best? But when it comes to a marriage and relationship with the person you love it should no longer be about competition, in fact the two of you are supposed to be on the same team. You are partners, […]
Do you ever feel like relationships are hard? Sometimes it can feel like there’s one thing after another that causes tension or gets in the way of the connection we are looking for with the other person. Creating and maintaining a healthy relationship does take effort. I understand that you as an individual have pressures put […]
Like it or not, for better and for worse, social media is here to stay. The question now is how you’re going to monitor it with your teen. There are lots of options but I’ve narrowed it down to six common and effective tips. 1. Set the ground rules. When is social media access allowed […]
How tragic it is when listening breaks down to the point where a person gives up trying to be heard! This can happen in a relationship after a period of time when that person has repeatedly tried to share their feelings or concern and never feels heard. Let’s look at what they may be experiencing […]
Do you feel safe when communicating with your spouse or friend? I don’t mean fear of physical harm. What I mean is that you may wonder, why am I feeling stressed right now, they don’t seem to be? It may be because you and that person have different communication styles. Drs Les and Leslie Parrot […]
As a teen and family coach who has worked with thousands of teen, I often hear parents talk about how much their teen is hurting emotionally. In today’s unpredictable world, encountering hurt is as inevitable as paying taxes. It’s even more so for your teen. Add intense peer pressure, a friend’s betrayal, derogatory comments on social media, the […]
“Marrying you was the biggest mistake of my life!” “I told God that I’d rather be dead than stay married to you!” “I’m absolutely certain that I married the wrong person.” “Come back here and fight me like a man, you chicken!” “To be completely honest, I’ve lost my feelings for you.” Words have the […]