If you are reading this, you probably already know from experience that parenting is the hardest job you ever take on, especially when you’re doing it right! Although the cliché comes to mind that “children don’t come with a manual”, the fact is, parenting is often a lot of guesswork and trial and error that you can never really be prepared for. This is never more true than in family crisis situations when it seems like there aren’t any clear “right answers”. Although it is one of the most painstaking tasks, parents are key in helping the child make sense of their world, especially when times are tough.
“He’ll Never Remember It Anyway…”
Because I work primarily with young children from infancy to five years of age, I often get the question: “What’s the point in trying to explain anything? He won’t understand and he’ll never remember it anyway!”
Read MoreBy: Jennifer Hume
In my last article I wrote about core issues and how they are at the root of surface issues. I introduced a fictional couple, Trixie and Bob. Trixie and Bob had a repeating surface issue fight about Bob’s failure to help around the house as Trixie had repeatedly asked. Trixie became angry; Bob became defensive and shut down, which caused Trixie to get even more angry. And, you guessed it; Bob really shuts down after that. So on and so forth.
Can you sense the vicious cycle here? My Google search defined a vicious cycle, also called a vicious circle, quite well. It is “a sequence of reciprocal cause and effect in which two or more elements intensify and aggravate each other, leading inexorably to a worsening of the situation.” Synonyms are: downward spiral, catch-22, chicken and egg situation, and vortex.
Read MoreStayMarriedFlorida.com recently added the profile of Crystal Nasser, LCSW, to the directory of therapists and professionals for children. To view Crystal's profile, click here.
Crystal is one of the few therapists in South Florida that limits her practice to working with infants and young children.
Through play and filial therapies, Crystal is able to provide counseling to parents/caregivers and their children who find themselves amidst varied emotional and behavioral challenges. These early intervention techniques often result in increased pro-social behavior that heightens the child’s self-confidence, self-control and school readiness.
Read MoreBy: Lisa Lauer, MA, LMHC, NCC
What do you do when you find out your spouse has been having an affair? Shock, anger, confusion, sadness and all sorts of emotions start to flood in. Infidelity can be painful and toxic, but it also can open the door to a more fulfilling and satisfying marriage. Affairs do not occur in a vacuum. By this I mean that there are underlying issues – both individually and within the marriage itself – that fuel the cheating. Therapy is a beneficial process that helps couples examine the causes of their behavior and ways in which they can start to heal from such a breach of trust.
Sometimes, the cheating partner thinks that admitting to the affair and expressing remorse are enough to “move forward.” He or she wonders, “What else do I have to do? I keep saying I’m sorry.” Recognition and remorse are necessary, but they are just the beginning. We can’t fast forward to repair and recovery until we also discover the communication styles and personal patterns that have stood in the way of effectively resolving relationship problems.
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