Becoming aware of and then getting away from a narcissist is a multi-step process and usually takes place over s period of time.

Successful couples turn towards each other 86% of the time while distressed couples, who eventually divorce, turn towards only 33%!

Make tasty organic mocha coffee latte at home!

Learning to be mindful on a daily basis doesn't mean that you are perfectly calm all the time. That's not even the goal. It's not how we are. But managing your emotions and being functional is a realistic goal. Barbara comes in to my office saying she gets very anxious...alot. Especially when she is very busy and there are multiple things to do...work, home, kids, dogs, appointments! Barbara says " When I get overwhelmed, my head gets hot and I feel like I can't cope..." "Wha

The anxiety of 2021 definitely affected me. On top of all the natural and man-made disasters, there were/are the usual personal and family issues and struggles as well. People say how glad they were to see 2021 go. However, I am not so cavalier with a whole year of my life. I enjoyed living in 2021. It's been a difficult five years. Ugly, violent, sad, murderous disasters - both natural and man-made - are on the news every day. Americans found out that even though we have

Lavender is one of the most studied essential oils and also one of the most loved fragrances!

What we’re shown during the holidays often reflects an idealized version of family and togetherness, not the full range of human experience.

Did you know the first three months after childbirth are critical months for the emergent family?

If you suffer from postpartum depression, please know that you do not need to suffer alone. Postpartum depression is treatable.

Like learning carpentry, learning good communication is a skill. Both have subtleties and nuances. Achieving prowess in either one takes...

"It's clear our bodies still recognize nature as our home…” Professor Yoshifumi Miyazaki.

Marriage Is a Complex Emotional System Marriage is not a simple relationship. There are so many levels of differences in individuals. And so many ways for a couple to feel connected, both physically and emotionally. And also so many ways to feel alone. And there are varying levels of need to draw a boundary and have that alone time sometimes. Add in biological children, step children, careers and jobs, ex-spouses from prior marriages, and aging parents and it can be quite

What does the higher rate of depression in women have to do with cultural conversations about feminism and mothering? More than we might initially think. We know that women experience depression at nearly twice the rate of men. The reasons are complex and layered—biological shifts across the reproductive lifespan, psychological development, and powerful social forces all intertwine. When we look closely at cultural expectations about women and motherhood, the connection becom

It’s interesting how the way we live — and parent — is shaped by cultural shifts. The feminist movement helped women claim identities beyond wife and mother. Marriage itself has become more fluid; divorce is common and socially accepted. In many families, the lifelong relationship is not the marital bond, but the relationship between parent and child. With that shift, expectations around motherhood h ave intensified. Somewhere along the way, “good enough” began to feel inadeq

You might be wondering: Why is my doctor singling me out? Am I really experiencing postpartum depression ? I love my baby. I’m a capable person. I have so much love in my heart. This couldn’t be happening to me. After all, doesn’t everyone feel overwhelmed after having a baby? There is more work, less sleep, and an enormous responsibility for your child’s safety. Anyone would feel exhausted. And yet, you may also feel alone. Baby Blues vs. Postpartum Depression Postpartum dep

I recently read an article in the September 2010 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine , written by editor-in-chief Susan Casey, about the devastation caused by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The scale of the disaster feels almost impossible to comprehend — more like a super-gush than a leak, something too large for the mind to fully grasp. A seaplane pilot, who wished to remain anonymous, gave Casey an aerial tour of the affected area. He had been warned not to bring journ

It is encouraging that women’s reproductive mental health — including postpartum depression — is now studied with greater biological precision. Hormonal fluctuation clearly plays a role in mood vulnerability across the reproductive life cycle. But focusing on hormones alone risks oversimplifying women’s lived experience. Depression in women unfolds within a social, relational, and cultural context. As psychologist Janet M. Stoppard, PhD, describes in Understanding Depression

Welcome to my blog, Musings about Moms, Marriage, and Mental Health! As a result of my own life experiences, I hope to reach out to people transitioning to parenthood feel that there are many safe and valid ways to parent. Becoming a mother was at time of great maturation for me; a time of extreme emotionality, postpartum depression, loneliness and joy mixed together. With great pain came fertile ground for long-term personal growth, and this can be the case for others as we

Flower essences are in the realm of naturopathy, herbalism and energy therapies. Flower essences (FE) work on the vibrational level.

DARVO is a common response used by perpetrators when abuse is named. The term stands for Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender, and it describes a pattern that shifts attention away from harm and back onto the person who was harmed.