For me, one of the best examples of narcissistic parents is illustrated in the movie The Joy Luck Club, based on the novel by Amy Tan. In the film, a woman flashes back and, through voiceover, tells her story of becoming a child protégée as a chess champion. While the...

Work and money are the leading causes of stress in America, according to the American Psychological Association's "Stress in America" survey. Money may seem like a practical concern, requiring rationality and logic to manage. However, we very often underestimate the emotional aspects of handling money.

Our attitudes...

The peak season for "I do's" is upon us, and if you're among the excited couples about to walk down the aisle, you're probably getting advice from all directions. Everyone from grandparents to groomsmen, coworkers to caterers are lining up to offer up suggestions for every detail of your big...

If asked to explain the value of mindfulness, you may want to consider the following question: Can you sit for one minute and completely quiet your mind? Can you do this without feeling like you're coming out of your skin? When Dr. Donna Rockwell first became interested in...

On Dec. 31, 2009, one day before the baby boomer generation turned 65, a New York Times article reported, "79 million baby boomers, about 26 percent of this country's population, will be redefining what it means to be older."

Today, in 2013, this statement may be...

One mistake we make as parents is assuming that there is one way to parent that is better than all others. The reality is, there are countless methods of raising children, and many of them are perfectly healthy. Yet, no matter how many books we read, rules we...

As parents, examples of ways we slip up with our kids occur almost every day. Take a typical scenario of butting heads with your seven-year-old over cleaning his room. At first, you nicely suggest he start tidying up his mess. When he ignores you, you demand, more insistently, that he...

How can we best deal with our day-to-day emotional reactions? What can we do when our partner lets us down, when we have a struggle with our child, or when we feel provoked by a friend? Oddly enough, the first piece of advice is to stay with the pain. It...

Most of us are familiar with those nagging thoughts that tell us we are not good enough, that cast doubt on our goals and undermine our accomplishments. These thoughts might be there to greet us when we first glimpse at ourselves in the mirror in the morning. "You're so unattractive....

We're all familiar with the complaint that Valentine's Day has taken on too much of a material focus. And looking at it objectively, it's pretty silly to assume that our feelings can be sized up in a dozen roses or a fleet of pink balloons. Yet, cards and chocolates aside,...

When it comes to our physical and mental health, friendship may truly be the best medicine. An Australian study showed that strong social networks may lengthen survival in elderly men and women, with good friends being even more likely to increase longevity than close family members. As author...

When it comes to placing blame in a relationship, it's almost always easier to see the faults in our partner than in ourselves. One of the problems with couples pointing fingers is that usually both parties are right, and both are wrong. Every person is full of flaws and certain...

In my 25 years as a therapist, I've worked with countless couples facing a broad spectrum of challenges. Yet, despite the diversity between them in age, occupation or origin, I'm amazed at the similarities in the patterns and pitfalls that couples fall into. When two people walk into my office...

New Year's tends to be a time of looking forward. Yet, in our effort to set goals for the future, it's meaningful to reflect on the past year and make sense of what our experiences have meant to us. What can they teach us? How can the lessons of 2012...

Resolutions are notorious for falling by the wayside a few months or even days into the New Year. A 2012 University of Scranton study revealed that only 8 percent of people who make New Year's resolutions are successful in achieving them. This low success rate may relate to...

The holidays are painted to be a time of love and cheer, but for many people, the winter months and the close of another year can be tough. The gloomy weather can wear on us. Family visits can prove taxing. And painful feelings can surface, especially with the memory of...

Whether it's a lazy coworker who calls in sick every Monday or a flaky friend who always bails at the last minute, there's always something (or someone) in our lives that can make us cynical. Like an ill-fitting sweater, cynicism can be easy to slip into, yet difficult to shake...

Generosity is no longer the selfless act we've long thought it to be. Studies now suggest that one of the biggest benefactors of generosity is the person who is dishing it out.

Like a healthy diet, exercise, and good genes, generosity may increase your life span. A 2003...

Studies show that between 20 and 60 percent of married individuals in the United States will cheat on their partner at some point in their marriage. Infidelity has increased significantly among married couples in their 20s, with the Wall Street Journal reporting, "Between 1991 and 2006,...

Have you ever had one of those moments when something comes out of your mouth that doesn't sound anything like you? You snap at your partner or scold your child, using words you never use or threats you'd never see through. Afterwards, you stand there stumped for a few seconds...