Bringing home a new puppy just makes our hearts melt. We break into laughter, sometimes with tears of joy, as this new little family member wiggles and wags everywhere, licking everyone with sheer happiness, eager to be hugged, petted and most of all to play. Puppies, kittens, rabbits, reptiles, pot belly pigs, horses, guinea pigs ... whatever your choice, these animals can play a profound role … [Read more...]
The Legacy: Time to deal with it.
How many times have you heard someone say, "I'll never be like my father" (or mother). Maybe someone said to you, "You know, your grandfather had a temper just like yours." How shocked you were to hear such a false accusation. You protest, "Not me," or, "I’m never going to raise my children the way I was raised. ... "I will never be impatient like my father, or say those mean things to … [Read more...]
A two-step approach to childhood pain
It is instinctual to intervene when a child is hurt, physically or emotionally -- to try to stop the young one's pain. Say when a child suffers a cut or a bruise. Or feels the emotional pain of losing a pet. Or reels from injurious comments made by a bully at school. Our inclination is to say something like, "It's OK; it’s not that bad." Or, "Honey you'll be OK -- just shake it off." Or the … [Read more...]
The Law of Attraction: Another way through the looking glass
The notion that we attract who we are and how we walk in the world perhaps has some merit, but the concept misses some important markers. Deep within us lies an abiding place: One full of creativity, joy, dreaming. But also with deep relational hopes, losses, pain and longings. Longings connected to the pain of lost relationships -- due to an early demise, rejection or an absence. The … [Read more...]
Summer’s here — so are the hotheads!
Summer has finally arrived, conjuring up all manner of fun, relaxation and, of course, vacation adventures. In today's fast-paced world, people sometimes forget that the journey to our destination -- for our well-deserved and much-needed breaks -- is supposed to be part of the fun. But it doesn't always work out that way, does it?! Traveling, even for good times, often sets the stage for … [Read more...]