With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, you may be surprised to know how important those special people in our lives are for our mental health and wellness. Through our interactions with friends, partners, parents, step-parents, or even our siblings, we establish certain behaviors that either positively or negatively influence the way we feel about … Read More
As kids get older, they make a valiant effort to train their parents out of being “embarrassing.” When I was a kid, being “embarrassed” by my parents meant that they were caught singing or dancing in the car, or called me “Curly Sue” in front of someone, or tried to set me up on a … Read More
I think it is fair to assume that this reading audience has had an experience of loss in their lives. A family member, friend, mentor, community member, or a pet. There is a predictable, though painful journey in the grief process when there is something tangible to grieve. There are rituals that surround the death, … Read More
Parents and caregivers of LGBTQ youth have a significant opportunity to positively influence their child’s well-being and future. LGBTQ youth whose parents and caregivers support them have better overall physical and mental health, higher self-esteem, and are less likely to use illicit drugs. LGBTQ youth who are accepted by their families are much more likely … Read More
If your car were stalling repeatedly, would you assume it could be fixed in weekly, 45-minute intervals? Probably not. Attempting to solve your car problems this way would only allow you to address superficial issues. Sure, it might drive nicely for a while, but a part of you would be anticipating when the next stall … Read More
Just as we know eventually, spring will arrive; we know that the second Sunday in May is Mother’s Day in America. You might wonder how this day got started except by the card, candy, and flower companies. It started with humbler and less commercial origins. Julia Ward Howe sponsored Mother’s Day around 1870 to encourage … Read More
The following is a condensed version of the first post in a series on couple’s communication I’ve been working on that synthesizes many of the concepts I present to couples and families who have trouble communicating. For the full post, check out my blog at www.jacquelineabeling.com. One of the most common complaints I hear from … Read More
The Good Divorce. Is this some literary example of an oxymoron or a new way to think about a common dynamic in some relationships? It’s probably fair to say that couples don’t go into their marriage vows with some clause that says, “Till death do us part, but if we do realize that this relationship … Read More
“Beware the Sleep Deprived Mom” A friend gave me a mug with this inscription on it after the birth of my first child. Foreshadowing?? Yes. The other day as I was feeling particularly ornery and not bringing my best self to the table, my children suggested I should be drinking out of this mug. Touche. … Read More