October 2006
Different Does Not Equal Wrong
We are bombarded everyday with messages about right and wrong. Advertising moguls spend millions of dollars and hours and hours of creative energy convincing us that their products are right and another's product are wrong. In many areas of our lives, our beliefs about what is right and what is wrong keep us safe and give meaning to life. This month's article challenges conventional thinking on this subject. read more..

August 2006
Being T-E-A-M
T-E-A-M These four letters form an acrostic to create a very powerful word. Author John Maxwell states, “Teams come in all shapes and sizes. If you’re married, you and your spouse are a team. If you are employed by an organization, you and your colleagues are a team. If you volunteer your time, you and your fellow workers are a team. Every day in some small way, you are part of a team.” Each letter in the word can help define the dynamics of being team. read more..

May 2006
Talkers and Thinkers
“Do you talk to think, or do you think to talk? People who talk to think
are external processors, while people who think to talk are internal processors. I believe that the way we process information greatly affects
our interaction with one another. Understanding this dynamic of internal processing and external processing can be beneficial in all of our relationships. read more..

March 2006
Listening with Heart
“Can you hear me now?” “Listen, do you want to know a secret.” “Listen to me.” “Sssh, listen up.” “Sit down and listen.” “You never listen to me.” “I know what you are going to say.” “Thank you for listening to me.” We are all familiar with these phrases. We hear these words spoken to us and we use them in our communication with others everyday. read more..

January 2006
Creating Family: Uniquely Finding Connection

Connections. As human beings we have been created to be in relationships that connect us with other people. Communicating through e-mail, cell phones, or instant messaging can make connecting with others easier than
it has ever been before. read more..

December 2005
Stories of the Season

We all have our favorite holiday activities. One of mine is watching holiday movies. Though I have seen my favorites so many times I can recite many
of the lines by memory, I seem to find a new meaning or laugh each time I watch. Charles Dickens’s character, Ebenezer Scrooge, reminds us that
giving gifts many times brings more joy to the giver than to the receiver.
read more..

October 2005
Growing a Great Marriage

Fall is a time that our lives are inundated with opportunities of fun things to do – football games, school carnivals, fall festivals, PTO meetings,
Halloween parties, etc. Striving to juggle everything may mean that we
loose sight of the importance of our marriage relationship. read more..

September 2005
The Strength of the Human Spirit

The flood waters are receding, yet haunting, horrific images of the
aftermath of Hurricane Katrina continue to saturate the media. Stories abound of the strength and courage of the human spirit. read more..

July/August 2005
The Hats We Wear

Unlike our ancestors of the early 1900's, fashion rules of today do not dictate that we wear hats. Occasionally we will notice a group of women from the Red Hat Society having a meal together, or see someone wear a
hat on Easter Sunday, or try to find the smiling face of a teenager whose cap is pulled down too tight. read more..

June 2005
"I Can't Get No Respect"

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me. . . all I need is a little RESPECT. . . Oh a little respect. . . sock-it to me, sock-it to me,
sock-it to me!

Whether you hear the late Rodney Dangerfield's famous tag line "I can't get not respect," or Aretha Franklin wailing out the pop hit song, respect is a word that we use often in speaking about our relationships with ourselves, our families, and our co- workers. read more..

May 2005
"Ah-Ha" Moments: The Juice of Life
You have experienced them. Those times when you realize, "I get it," "oh, that's it," "I finally understand." Ah-ha moments are serendipitous and surprise us when we least expect it. They may come after reading something for the tenth time or when we hear
an old concept framed in a new way. Recently, an ah-ha occurred for me...
read more..

April 2005

How Does Your Garden Grow?
Spring, my all-time favorite season, is such a wonderful time of year. In the park near
my house morning walks reveal trees budding and countless shades of green, reminiscent of my childhood box of crayons--green-yellow, yellow- green, pine green,
olive green, spring green, green- blue, blue-green, and sea green. Every garden shop
you pass is filled with vivid colors of bedding plants. read more...

February 2005

How Do I Love You, Let Me Count the Ways
February--the month of love and valentines. Some of my younger friends think
Valentine's Day was created by Hallmark. Others love the tradition of St. Valentine
and a special day to tell someone dear "I love and appreciate you." As February slips
into March, I want to remind you of the importance of affirmation. read more...

January 2005

Family: The Tie that Binds
We are well into the new year and memories of family visits during the holidays are rapidly fading. Nevertheless I want to focus my thoughts this month on relating with family. Holiday visits with extended family seem to bring out the best and, at the same time, the worst in all of us.  read more...

December 2004

Fa La La La or Bah Humbug
Are you stressed yet? Have you been successful in creating a holiday marked by simplicity? If you are like me, your resolve has weakened and good intentions have
gone by the wayside. Creating "fa la la la" can turn into "bah humbug" at the snap of a finger. read more...

November 2004

Surviving the Holidays with Simplicity and Gratitude
The warm days of Indian summer slip into cool gray November skies. Green grass
fades while trees shed leaves of orange, red, and brown. Shrubbery blooms fall to the ground with the first frost. Traffic intensifies; crowds grow at the mall, the grocery store, and the post office. The Sunday Dallas Morning News...read more...

October 2004

Tuning: The Music of Relationship
I spent the last week of September training in Ottawa, Canada at the Ottawa Couple and Family Institute. Dr. Sue Johnson, the center's founder, has developed a way of working with couples that is based on what we in the therapy circle know as attachment theory. Since I returned home, I have been giving a lot of thought to the people with whom I interact and the ways that I attach. read more...

September 2004