Discover Your Inner Teenager
What does it mean to “discover your inner teenager”? Many adults carry an inner teenager—a part of themselves that developed during adolescence in response to unmet emotional needs, family dynamics, and experiences of powerlessness, invalidation, …
Navigating Change as a Couple and Family
Navigating Change as a Couple and Family _______________________________________ Change is a natural part of life, yet navigating change can be difficult. Sometimes change is exciting and something we have been looking forward to–starting a new …
Relationship Work: The Hidden Burden of Understanding
The Relationship Work No One Talks About A therapist’s reflection on hermeneutic labor, emotional exhaustion, and the hidden burden of understanding. There is a particular kind of exhaustion that does not come from work, parenting, …
Everyday Conflicts: Why You’re (Still) Fighting About the Dishes
Everyday Conflicts: Why You’re (Still) Fighting About the Dishes You’re in the kitchen. One of you sighs loudly while loading the dishwasher. The other snaps, “If it bothers you that much, just say something.” And …
“What’s More Romantic than Being Understood?”
“What’s more romantic than being understood?” This tagline came from one of my favorite games called “We’re Not Really Strangers.” This card game includes a range of questions, from lighthearted and fun to deep and intimate, …
Ask / Offer / Do: 3 Steps To Meet Each Other’s Needs
Ask / Offer / Do: 3 Steps To Meet Each Other’s Needs Learning how to meet each other’s needs–sounds pretty basic, right? It’s probably common sense that anyone in a relationship, even a pretty darn …