Couples Counseling is the best way for couples to work on the conflicts that cause distance and hurt.If both people enter couples counseling with a willingness and commitment to make things better things will be better.
Read More“The Man’s Guide to Women” by John and Julie Gottman is a great step forward in helping men understand the women in their lives. The book’s serious topic is addressed with some lightheartedness including cartoons to not overwhelm the layman. Each chapter ends with a summary of the key messages and to show which behaviors makes a man “a hero” versus “a zero.”
Read MoreI have been doing wilderness hikes with my son for quite a few years now. I cherish the opportunity to spend those summer days exploring trails and vistas deep in Washington state’s national parks and wilderness areas.
Read MoreThe day finally arrives when you become “empty nesters.” Your kid or kids have “flown the coop” and are off on their next chapter. They may be off to college, travel or other adventures. The thing you know for sure is that they are gone; at least for now.
Read MoreI have worked with couples where expressing affection has been difficult for one or both parties. They are both committed to one another and to the relationship but they lack the ability to express their love and connection.
Read MoreAs adolescents make the challenging journey from childhood towards adulthood one of their tasks is to find their identity. Being age fourteen is recycling age two so there is a lot of saying “no” and being oppositional that goes with the teen years. For that two-year-old and the adolescent the “no’s” are about defining themselves and asserting their power. They are in a process of separating themselves from what their parents want from them.
Read MoreWe live in a time and place where there are many more doors open for women. In the work world, there are many fields that are available that were not open in the past. One hundred years ago the only jobs that women could have were all nurturer roles: mother, teacher or nurse.
Read MoreIt is virtually impossible to leave childhood without incurring some kinds of trauma. There are some traumas that don’t easily fit into what most people think of as traumas, such as developmental trauma.
Read MoreCouples often co-habitat, share finances, or even share children before marriage. For those that are interested in getting married pre-marital counseling is a good place to explore what is working and perhaps not working before taking a next step in their commitment.
Read MoreIn some way, Men carry shame simply for being male. Images abound for men to make them feel inadequate: Examples are everywhere for men to compare themselves to guys with ripped bodies, driving expensive cars and if they ever come home it is to big houses and loving wives and well-mannered kids. These men are always successful, happy and strong.
Read MorePsychodrama is a form of group therapy created by J.L. Moreno. He was one of the founders of group psychotherapy and held the belief that therapy done in a group was the optimal way to help people heal. He believed that our families were our first groups where we were injured in childhood and felt another group would be the best vehicle for healing
Read MoreHere are six tips on How to Be a Man that I think will be helpful in how to think about your masculinity.
Read MoreAt some point in the therapy process clients will ask me,” what is psychotherapy and how does it work?”They have been coming faithfully and are delving into the issues they want to address: grief, loss, marital issues, etc. They want to see the bigger picture.
Read MoreDavid Richo’s book, How to be An Adult in Relationships, discusses the five key elements of healthy relationships. They are called “the five A s” and are...
Read MoreWe live in a stressful, busy time where it is easy to put things off; important things that would make our life better, help our families to thrive and create a better world.
Read MoreThe series revolves around the head coach of the Dillon Panthers, Eric Taylor, and his wife Tami. It explores the intersecting lives and relationships of the Dillon High School students as they struggle toward adulthood.
Read MoreAll relationships start from a place of effortless intimacy. It is exhilarating to talk for hours on end, disclosing your innermost thoughts, dreams and desires. It is like someone you have been waiting for your whole life has finally arrived.
Read MoreAs we approach the new year it is a good time to look back and to look ahead. First to look back at this last year and review what worked well in your relationship and where improvements can be made in the new year.
Read MoreWith the couples I see there is one area that we always need to focus on: clear communication. The root of so much that causes distance and hurt in relationships is miscommunication. Patterns seem to becomes habitual over time and never get corrected so that the couple is left wondering what their partner meant or what they really want.couples
Read MoreIt is said that couples often come to couple’s therapy too late. They wait too long to seek help which makes it unlikely they will achieve good outcomes. In part, the problem is that they come in “in crisis.” That means they have used up any reserves of good will and patience to deal with one another. They most likely have been miscommunicating for a long time and both are feeling misunderstood, taken for granted, etc. One person may have started an affair to find some place where they do feel understood and cared for.
Read More
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Social Media Policy
Copyright ©2023 John Skandalis, MA, LMHC
