Navigating The Pain Of Family Estrangement With Expert Aimee Palmer
We want—and expect—family ties to last forever. From infancy forward, we naturally seek lasting bonds that will make us feel safe and loved. Yet,…
Blogs About Love, Life, and Mental Health
Blog Episodes
Healing from Trauma, PTSD, and Complex-PTSD with Expert Maya Golden Bethany
Trauma. PTSD. Complex-PTSD. Abuse. These seemingly simple words can hold a great deal of meaning, pain, and nearly inescapable charge. Although the significance of…
Letting Go of Blame
I woke this morning to a message from a client that moved me deeply. It was clear that he had hit another heavy wave of…
Fear Less, Love More: A Place of Faith
In working with my clients–men and women of all ages–I so often find that invisible fears are at the root of the client’s issues. What…
Love Torture? Body Image and Self-Confidence Behind the Scenes! Part One
Feeling Tortured by Your Wardrobe? Does Your Body Image and Self-Esteem Beg for Relief? As a clinical psychologist and, more important, as a woman, I…
Suffering from Burn-Out? 9 Hot Tips for Noticing and Decreasing the Burn-Out Threat!
If you’re struggling with ongoing stress and exhaustion, you might take comfort in knowing that ‘burn-out’ is now officially recognized as an occupational phenomenon. Making…
Will I Ever Be Good Enough? Five Keys to Stopping the Torture of Negative Self-Talk
Is there a sneaky voice inside your head saying, “Will I ever be good enough?” This negative self-talk and the thousands of destructive messages that…
Embracing Your Life Journey: The Key of Self-Compassion
Are you hard on yourself? Do you find that you judge your progress or pace if life? Is your inner voice telling you that you’re…
Are You Ready for Some Serious Self-Work? 6 Steps to Discovering if You’re Ready for Change
Changing your life for the better sounds exciting and wonderful, doesn’t it? It can be fun to dream about getting more empowered, going after that…
Your TOP Spring Cleaning Project: 5 Steps for Clearing Out Your Stressed and Anxious Mind!
Spring is one of my favorite timesof the year. It’s filled with such sweetness and fresh life, spring abounds withthe promise of new possibilities! We’vemoved…
7 Daily Practices to Boost Your Internal Power
Your internal power is the fuel for your mind and spirit. These 7 practices will help you increase your supply daily so you can shine…
4 Powerful Ways Fear Holds You Back (And How to Use Fear to Your Benefit!)
Do you know how fear holds you back in life? Fear is sneaky; from the inside out, it often controls us from the time we…
7 Easy-to-Use Tips to Boost Self-Awareness and Reduce Stress
If you find yourself immersed in a stress-filled life, you’re not alone. Our lives are often filled with a sense of chaos from morning until…
5 Uplifting Tips for a Fabulous Valentines Day If You’re Single
For those who are not single by choice, Valentine’s Day can come as a harsh, bitter reminder of too much solitude and too little romance.…
Practicing Non-Toxic Behaviors in a Post #MeToo Era
If the #MeToo movement has you wondering what’s on the horizon for men and women, you’re not alone. As a women’s advocate, I also happen…
How to Prevent Sarcastic Communication from Destroying Your Marriage
You’re not alone if you’ve exclaimed, “Hey! That’s not funny!” after bearing the brunt of a “joke” that doesn’t feel at all humorous to you.…
Adventures of a Newlywed: They Lived Quirkily Ever After
It’s no wonder that many new (and old) couples become disillusioned when it comes to romantic love. We are raised on Disneyland images of Cinderella…
Adventures of a Newlywed: The Third Quarter
As I continue to share my rather comical newlywed journey with you, I hope my experiences help normalize the vicissitudes that are a natural-if often…
Adventures of a Newlywed: The Second Quarter
Ah, married life! It’s not a venture for the faint-hearted or uncommitted heart. It is, however, the perfect adventure for those inclined to create a…
Adventures of a Newlywed: The First Quarter
Ahhhhh? the absolute bliss of being a newlywed! Every day is sheer perfection. Life couldn’t be rosier! I know that the honeymoon will never be…
Sex Wars: When Sex Is a Weapon In Your Marriage
When you first met your sweetheart, chances are that sexual attraction was part of the draw. Sexuality is a wonderful part of our humanness, yet…
Part 3: Commitment and Healing the Wounds of Betrayal
When betrayal strikes, everything seems to change; nothing seems untouched by the effects that create havoc in the relationship and the couple?s world at large.…
Part 2: Moving Beyond the Shock of Betrayal
When your world has been rocked by betrayal, it may feel as though nothing makes sense. Betrayal causes deep unrest because the very foundation of…
Top 10 Tips for Traveling Couples
“Honey, let’s go on vacation! We need a rest! A break! Let’s get out of here!” If those phrases sound familiar, you know the draw…
The Sexless Marriage: Getting Reconnected
“I can’t wait to see you tonight.” “Oh, I can’t get enough of you!” “I just want to kiss your face and touch your body!”…
The Sexless Marriage: Why Sexual Intimacy Fades
It feels so wonderful to be in love?especially during the early stages of a relationship. Before the reality of life sets in, the delights of…
Sexless Marriage: Understanding Why Passion and Sex Die
“Help! What?s gone wrong with my marriage? We used to be so passionate! The sex was hot and heavy. Now, our sex life is almost…
Sexy and Pregnant: The Unmentionable Truths of Pregnancy and Sex
Oh, the joys and worries of pregnancy! Whether you are considering having a baby or are already on your way to welcoming a little bundle…
Anxiety, Depression and Your Marriage
The symptoms of depression and anxiety can be easy to miss until you?re in the thick of things. With busy schedules and ongoing demands, important…
The Appreciation Habit
A feeling of being underappreciated is one of the chief complaints I hear when working with couples. Both men and women commonly tell me that…
Seven Simple New Holiday Traditions
Don?t let the true magic of the holiday season get lost in the whirlwind and glitter of this busy time of year. Looking past the…
10 Tips for a Sweet and Sexy Holiday Season
We all love the sparkle and beauty of the winter holidays, yet this special season isn?t just about trimming the tree, eating sumptuous foods, and…
Love Shouldn?t Make You Black and Blue
I believe with all my being that love is the greatest gift we have to offer.? In my eyes, love is our greatest power, our…
My Love from Sky to Sea
As the afterglow of summer lingers in my soul and in the air, I pause to filter through my drifting thoughts. Emotions float in my…
The Warmest Winter of All
As my feet touch the soft earth, I realize that I?ve been absent too long. The selfsame soul that writes for others of psychology and…
I Cry Because I Love
A crimson-gold collage of autumn leaves dances about my feet as I stride swiftly across the parking lot. The hour for my weekly meditation is…
Lessons in Love, The Story of the Pink Moon
I step through the garden gate, a long, incredible week behind me. I take a deep breath of the warm, sweet air. A gold-breasted finch…
Shell of a Woman
She is a young, lovely shell of a woman. Exhaustion has painted tawny circles under her eyes. I am intrigued that her coloring is a…
Learning How to Love You
It is February, and love is in the air. I feel it around me as nature begins to wake from its wintry sleep. The sweet…
Love and Life in the Rain
Nestled in the warmth of my bed, I wake slowly to the sun?s cool, gentle rays. It is cold and gray outside on this Easter…
A Statue Without Hands
January smiles and softly asks that I open up to new ways of being. I listen and want to heed her gentle call. Although I…
Streetlights and Obituaries
Sitting before me in my office this evening was a young, handsome Latino man. Not yet into the second decade of his life, he stared…
Many Moments in Time: An Old Year, A New Year
This year has been a time of deep change. It has been a year of letting go, of opening up, and of embracing. It has…
I?m Waiting with You
We are waiting. Always, it seems, we are waiting. We wait in the moment, and we wait for what arises next. We await the melody…
Reflections in the Wind
November, with its bittersweet days, has faded into December?s enticing arms. This time of year, replete with reminiscence and nostalgic yearnings, brings both challenges and…
Under the Full Moon
Tonight, I bathe in the sweetness of my life. I am, indeed, blessed with wealth of the most wondrous sort. Driving home from my office,…
A Slow Turning
October?s vibrant colors seep into my spirit as I take my first steps along the hillside path. The early morning sun is soft and gentle;…
Learning to Find Myself?Again!
It is a delightful September evening, and I feel the embrace of autumn in the air. I study the beautiful face before me. Soft rays…
Shattered Glass
I can hear the brittle jangle of shattering of glass in my mind as I listen. I flinch inside, imagining a cascade of broken shards…
Attitude is Almost Everything
Let me paint for you a picture of a woman I have come to love deeply, a complex woman whose attitude denied death its wrangling…
Nothing and Everything
This gentle August morning could not be more exquisite. A light coat of fog embraces us with its ethereal, almost haunting quality. I am out…
You Can Put On The Brakes Any Time You Want, Baby!
Just a few weeks ago, on a gorgeous weekend evening, a dear friend and I took a walk at Spring Lake, one of the countless…
My Heart Will Not Stop Here
It is an intoxicatingly beautiful early June morning. As I walk up the pathway, the cool breeze of dawn caresses my bare arms. The soft…
Running on Faith
I feel like myself this morning. Smiling and rested, I stretch my way out of bed as my morning gratitudes tumble from my lips. I…
Amazing Grace
On this springtime day, so alive with light and gentle breezes, will you take a walk with me?a journey of tears and joy? It is…
Mind Aerobics
It is a tranquil, late-winter evening; another stunning day is coming to a close. As I leave the peaceful realm of the wood-floored yoga studio,…
The Girl with the Hidden Tattoos
Emanating a childlike, frenetic energy, she stands at the doorway to my office. Barely in her twenties, she is part child, part budding woman. It…
Trust in the Wild Mendocino Blue
The gray arc of Highway 101 unfurls as I leave the green and gold hills of Sonoma County behind. I have left Pup with the…
Everyday Valentines
Ah, Valentine?s Day is with us, the day of hearts and roses. The sun, surrounded by a sky of blue tinged with peach-brushed hues, rose…
Love Until It Hurts
As we drive to San Francisco under crystal winter skies, the talk is of everything things. The pedestrian to-do lists keep the painful thoughts at…
The Spillway of Life
The early morning sun gently prods me as I snuggle in bed relishing thoughts of the day ahead. The pure, delicate air of the gentle…
A River Runs Through Me
Last evening, with the stars serenely basking on the dark backdrop of night?s cloak, I listened carefully as a friend shared his heart with me.…
Roses in the Kitchen, Seashells in the Bath
The new year is settling in around me, or it may be more the case that I am slowly settling into the embrace of the…
Aspirations All Year Long
I wake to crystal skies, thrilled that the first day of this year brings delightful sunshine to warm the chilly nip in the air. Although…
Connecting the Snowflakes
This past Friday evening, my home was filled to overflowing with some of my dearest friends and neighbors. As each guest came in from the…
Honey and Garlic
Ah, New Year?s Eve is nearly upon us. This evening, well after the winter sun sets, will find me dining and dancing at a club?a…
The Sweetest of Mothers
Dressed in elegant black evening attire (shades of classic Audrey Hepburn in ?Breakfast at Tiffany?s?), I stopped to visit my mother on my way to…
Gratitude for Pleasures Great and Small
The house is still, and those most precious to me are sleeping soundly, nestled in the warmth of their beds. Pup, too, is fast asleep.…
The Ever-learning Spirit
On three occasions yesterday, I was reminded of the importance of maintaining a studied relationship with one?s greatest student, the self. A favorite mantra of…
Pieces of Me, Pieces of You
I hurried through my stack of tasks this morning to make a longed-for appointment with a dear friend. I had been given an opportunity to…
Vegetable Soup and Good Souls
My early morning walk found me captivated by the weighty feeling cast by the sulky gray sky. Seeming to herald rain, the mood in the…
Step by Step
This past weekend I was blessed to spend a bit of time with a wonderful friend who has been part of my life since we…
Through a Child?s Eyes
Ah, November is upon us, and as the warm, whirling breeze blows amber leaves to the ground, I am reminded of the circle of life.…
Autumn Musing
Autumn, it seems to me, is the perfect season to begin turning ever inward. As the days become shorter and night?s embrace arrives earlier, the…
On Love, Life, and That Which is Never Lost
As I took my brisk walk in the gray foggy morn, I was deeply aware that today marks ?one month and one day? since the…
Full Moon Waning
As the full moon that graced the skies this past Monday wanes, I am reminded that life?s processes do the same. This past Monday, I…
If I Had a Boat
It is a delicately warm June morning. The cool sheets are soft and silky against my skin. I nuzzle my head into the pillow pretending…