Taming the Holiday Stress Beast! The holidays are a time of year when many people are stressed and overwhelmed.  Feeling over-extended, over-obligated and stretched thin all contribute to anxiety and this can put a real damper on the holidays.  Family and work obligations, parties, shopping, cooking and all the holiday odds and ends can leave […]

What’s the Difference between Guilt and Shame? I see many clients who have carried longstanding feelings of shame which end up fostering low self esteem and confidence.  I believe guilt can be a healthy guide but shame rarely produces a positive outcome.  So, what’s the difference?  In a nutshell, guilt is the feeling that “I […]

Words Can Quickly Damage Do you often say things out of frustration or anger you later regret leading to more conflict in need of unraveling? Basically, this is a good time for a “coping skill”! As cliche’ as that term sounds, the concept is vital. None of us are immune to our emotions getting the […]

Why Go to Premarital Counseling? As a relationship therapist in San Diego, I receive a lot of inquiries about premarital counseling so I thought a blog post on the subject would be helpful.  I believe premarital/precommitment counseling is very important because it highlights areas in the relationship that will likely become a source of disagreement […]

A blog reader asks, “How can I stop getting so easily offended over small things people do or say to me?” Well, the answer I give may not be the answer wanted! Actually, I want people to feel offended over rude, uncaring or offensive acts by others… even if small. With that said, though, it’s […]