The New Normal

After a crisis, illness, or other difficult life events, many people reach out to me to talk about their experience.  One of the first questions I am often asked is:  “When will life get back to normal again”? We all have that desire to return to what is familiar; to...

When Relationships End

Is it the end or the beginning? For many, ending a relationship can be a time of stress, self-doubt and worry, “Will I ever find love again?” “Am I doing the right thing?” “What will it be like if my partner finds someone else?”  “How will I get through the sadness of...

Why Wait?

As the new year approaches, I review the past year for lessons learned and changes I’d like to carry with me into the coming year. I also use the end of the year to talk with my clients, the Live Oak community, and colleagues who seek me out for consultation or...

Tender To The Touch

Almost 35 years ago I was a direct care worker in a state psychiatric hospital for children and adolescents.  In those days, the length of time in care could be up to or even longer than two years.  One of my favorite times to work was the 3-11 shift, working with...

The Dog Ate My Homework

Jessica came to see me because she believed her 5 year relationship with her husband Derrick was in jeopardy.  In her first session, she shared that while she knew they loved each other, they had not been intimate for over three years.  Because of a conflict they had...

You Don’t Have to Love Yourself First

Monica had been adopted when she was days old.  She knows nothing about her biological family, but came to therapy because of years of abuse and neglect in her adoptive family.  She describes her mother as cold, critical, and dismissive.  Her father was physically and...