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It’s that time of the year when the sun sets in the afternoon for many of us who live in northern states. For some, this heavy, cold darkness impacts them only insofar that they turn on their headlights on the commute home. For others, it can beckon a desire to stay under the covers until the sun shines again in a few months. In fact, about 6% of Americans deals with something beyond the winter blues. They…

Whether your relationship is on the rocks or smooth sailing, every relationship can benefit from some improvement and introspection. You may be inexperienced in the ways of relationships, in a long-term relationship that has lost its spark, or looking for ways to spice up or renew your commitment. Humans innately crave connection, and being a part of a couple is hard work- so why should we not learn everything we can about feeding that connection? There is…

Ringing in the new year feels like a fresh start, and many people view it as an opportunity to set goals for themselves for the upcoming year. Common new years resolutions are exercising more, eating healthier, learning a new skill, and managing money better. Especially after the relaxation of the holidays, you may have felt invigorated and ready to begin challenging yourself on January 1. However, as the month of January comes to a close, you may…

There is a certain amount of jealousy in every relationship, even open or polyamorous ones. It is a normal instinct to want to preserve your relationship by making sure your mate isn’t interested in anyone else as much as they are in you. However, there is a point when the line is crossed from healthy jealousy to envy and possessiveness that is detrimental to both you and your partner, and your relationship. The feelings underlying most jealousy…

Therapy is a place where you examine yourself and your beliefs, experiences, feelings, and actions. Your therapist assists you in slowing down and being aware of your thoughts and feelings in order to guide you to more preferred ways of being in the world and in relationship with others. Once you leave the therapy room, the insights you gain should follow you into your daily life. If you find that you struggle to maintain the sense of…

Recent research adds alcohol to the list of gender disparities by highlighting the magnified concerns for women and their relationship with alcohol. At the most basic level, women do not process alcohol the same way men do. Women have less water pound for pound to dilute alcohol in their bodies, and on average, women are smaller than men. Thus, even in small amounts, alcohol affects women’s bodies differently than men’s, and heavy drinking (four or more drinks)…

Many people seem to be interested in mindfulness these days- there are so many self-help books touting it, yoga classes incorporating it, and people talking about its benefits. I admit that I was once a skeptic of mindfulness. Every time it was mentioned, I rolled my eyes and thought to myself, “what a waste of time”. I tried several mindfulness exercises and either felt like a total failure due to my inability to clear my mind of…

Divorce is not only hard on you as the one getting separated- it can arguably be even more difficult for your kids. Studies show that children of divorce suffer side effects, even later in life. Kids with divorced parents have higher rates of depression and anxiety, drug an alcohol use, promiscuity, conduct problems, lowered academic achievement, and pessimism about marriage and relationships that affects their ability to have healthy partnerships in the future. It is important that…