Lisa Firestone

John Irving's latest novel, In One Person, is a timely statement about men and women, the nature of sexuality and society's assault on the self. Although a work of fiction, the book faithfully reports the real-life struggles of certain people to become who they were destined to be; people different...

Memorial Day was established as a day for honoring and acknowledging all of the men and women who have died serving the United States. And in this past decade, there have been many. For those who we've lost, we can offer remembrance. But now is also a time to call...

Last month, Michelle Obama made a special guest appearance on the long-running hit TV show The Biggest Loser. I'd heard about the show's premise: Contestants who struggle with obesity and often face serious health risks relocate to a fitness ranch, where together they learn about nutrition, diet, and exercise, while...

I recently watched my 11-year-old nephew play basketball in his local league. As I took in the scene of the freshly polished court, the paid referees, illuminated scoreboard and live buzzers, I couldn't help but think how grown up my nephew and his team had become. There they were, independently...

Countless couples complain of losing the "spark" in their relationship. Some chalk it up to evolved differences, a slow growing apart, or sheer familiarity. The wave of "deadness" that can submerge a relationship after the first thrilling months or years has caused many couples to lose hope, and even look...

Weeks have passed since Rush Limbaugh apologized for the scathing insults he spewed about a female student who spoke out before congress on the importance of birth control to young women. Yet, echoes of the terms Limbaugh used, "slut," "prostitute" and "feminazi," should still be ringing in our...

Author and humorist Erma Bombeck once wrote, "When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice, safe playpen. When they're finished, I climb out." As parents, we all have moments when we would like to hide away, avoid confrontation, and wait for the quiet that follows the storm....

The to-do list associated with Valentine's Day typically involves flower orders, dinner reservations, and chocolate deliveries. All of these can be lovely gestures of fondness and appreciation, but all of them are fleeting symbols whose pleasures fade come Feb. 15. The greatest and most lasting gift we can give a...

As a therapist, I often hear couples complain that whenever one partner tries to get close, the other pulls away. It's a painful reality that love isn't always as easy to give and receive as we'd like to think. Many people have developed defenses that make them intolerant...

You don't need to be a psychologist to note the very harsh effects of a breakup on a person's mental health. When a relationship ends, humiliation, rage, loneliness, anguish and grief all seem to simultaneously show up at the door, marching in arm-in-arm to parade noisily around our psyche. Evicting...

Dec. 31 may be all about the New Year's kiss, but by New Year's Day, most people are thinking about what comes after the kiss. This can be a good metaphor for our dating habits in general. The person we look to for instant passion, an immediate spark or even...

When you're depressed, it often feels like nothing in the world can make you feel better. Depression is a devious disorder, because the symptoms it creates can discourage you from completing the very actions or seeking the help that would begin your recovery. Lack of energy, low self-esteem and dwindling...

The latest "Twilight" movie, "Breaking Dawn," is already breaking records. Young fans clamored and camped out on dirty sidewalks for hours (even days) to make it to last week's midnight premiere. Walking past one such line, I noticed a father dropping off a shrieking group of dressed up 15-year-old girls...

The heartwrenching stories and startling statistics coming out about bullying are commanding a justified level of concern in parents. With new data revealing that more kids are affected by bullying and cyber-bullying than we ever imagined and that both bullies and victims are at higher risk for suicide,...

If it suddenly feels like anywhere you go, you're surrounded by heavily pregnant women, it is probably not your imagination. In the United States, there are more births during the months that close out summer and ring in fall than any other time of year. The season marks an exciting...

For a long time we've speculated the falling economy could mean a rise in the suicide rate, and now, new research has given us some indication. In April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a release stating the overall suicide rate rises and falls in connection...

Irish writer Elizabeth Bowen once wrote, "Jealousy is no more than feeling alone against smiling enemies." This simple statement sets a perfect scene in our minds of what jealousy feels like; Others are happy, overtly joyful or secretly mocking, while we are left alone to look like a fool.

There is a good, sound argument for how technology can bring two people together. Countless couples have now met, married, forged unions, and had children as a result of a dating website, a Facebook chat, or a bold text message. Technology has provided a new platform for millions of people...

The 4th of July weekend carried a strange theme for me this year. It started when I was driving my 10-year-old niece home from a family pool party and she asked me, puzzled, "Why do so many people hate the way they look?" I realized that she was referring to...

There is a misconception in our culture concerning the reason why intimate relationships deteriorate and end. The typical relationship cycle is depicted as follows: Two people meet. They fall in love. They enjoy a certain portion of exhilarating time together. Then, reality sets in. The spark fades. Routine takes over....