When anti-wrinkle cream begins to outprice gold, it is hard to focus on the benefits of aging. Paradoxically, increasing numbers of people are living longer into their nineties while age is devalued and the quest for eternal youth intensifies. With this shift in priorities, the world will lose the accumulated wisdom of many lifetimes. It […]
Divorce is never easy, especially when children are involved. Above all, parents dread they will lose touch with their children, and children worry “What will become of me?” In this tension-ridden atmosphere, it is enormously difficult to agree on a custody plan that puts the children first and is still fair to both parents. Divorce […]
Demystifying Psychotherapy and how to Choose a Therapist by Arnold A. Lazarus, Ph.D. & Clifford N. Lazarus, Ph.D. In recent years there has been considerable change in the mental health marketplace. One of the major shifts has been to make the process of therapy less complicated and less mysterious. Many therapists now regard their work […]
All of us occasionally feel dejected, sad, or blue. A major, negative event can cause sorrow at any stage of life. When a job, a cherished dream, or a loved one is lost, we expect to feel deep sadness. The feeling usually heals with time, but if the grieving is unusually complicated or prolonged, it […]
Love, like all emotions, changes and evolves over time. When they first “fall in love,” a couple feels euphoric. Their mutual fascination transforms their most trivial activities into meaningful moments. After one or two years, when the initial euphoria tapers off, couples usually settle into a deeper, more intimate relationship. Sometimes, however, when people sense […]
“Doctor, I don’t know what to do! Our 16-year-old, Alex, is driving us crazy. He doesn’t respect our rules. We can’t make him do his homework or come home on time. We’re worried about his two younger sisters, because his behavior upsets them. Last Saturday Alex came home drunk. My husband is ready to throw […]
Death, loss, and grief are normal parts of life and living. Yet, we make every effort to avoid them. We view death as the enemy, and we recoil from the pain of grief, attempting to avoid or curtail it at all costs. In our society, there is barely any place we can turn to learn […]
In the hands of a trained therapist, hypnosis is a valuable tool. Contrary to movie and television images, the goal of hypnosis is to give control to the patient. Under hypnosis, a person cannot be manipulated into doing something involuntarily, nor would the hypnotherapist want that to occur. Rarely a stand-alone treatment, hypnosis complements other […]
“What a perfectionist!” We often use this statement to single out those who demand and achieve excellence. Yet true perfectionists are trapped in an unenviable web of contradictions. They appear to pursue excellence but constantly dodge the perception of failure. They seem programmed for success, but their goals elude them. They want praise but reject […]
Emotional problems deserve good care as much as physical ills. Unfortunately, a cultural cloud hangs over psychological issues, preventing some people from seeking professional help. To avoid confronting a problem, people often try to convince themselves that “it isn’t all that serious.” Many, not knowing where to turn, do nothing. Others worry about finding the […]