Question of the Month
Denial is a powerful force, and many of us in the helping profession do not take the steps that we are ethically obligated to take in order to prepare for sudden illness or death. It was illuminating to learn more about this topic through a conversation with Dr. Ann Steiner who was our guest on…
Read MoreSpencer recently spoke with Huffington Post about the controversy sparked by this New York Times opinion piece: I Married the Wrong Person, So Glad I Did You’ll find Spencer’s powerful perspective at this article’s conclusion, and you can check out experts from her full answers below: What Therapists Thank About Staying in a So-So Marriage…
Read MoreSpencer recently spoke with Huffington Post for an article about committing to one’s “second-choice”. Below is some interesting Q & A with Spencer’s insights about a complicated and controversial topic. Do you think this dynamic of going with the second choice when the first is not available is more common than people realize or care…
Read MoreWe all know people who seem to need to be in a romantic relationship no matter what. The short answer is that typically people who “cushion” the end of one relationship with the beginning of another do not have a clear but rather a fragmented sense of self. So they need another person in order…
Read MoreSpencer Northey recently spoke with Huffington Post about how to recognize when you are in a toxic friendship. The full text of her answer follows. They are not a “Friend of Your Relationship” I first heard the term “friend of the relationship” used in the book Not “Just Friends” by Jean Coppock Staeheli and Shirley…
Read MoreA reporter reached out from The Huffington Post asking if it was normal to feel “guilty” — about enjoying life post COVID, dining out, traveling — and requested comments from a broad group of therapists. Both Spencer and Elisabeth contributed thoughts on this important, complicated topic and we feel honored to both be a part…
Read MoreIt’s important to address how lack of closure after any length of time can leave us struggling to get over a relationship for longer than we might, had there been a clear and satisfying end. Lack of closure seems to happen more often with short-term relationships because our culture seems to think there should be…
Read MoreRomantic relationships thrive through a healthy ability to balance separateness and togetherness. Individuals who can venture out into the world and enjoy hearty doses of independence and then come back together with their partner to connect romantically tend to report greater relationship satisfaction and less anxiety. Reliance on remote work during the pandemic has compromised…
Read MoreFollowing 18 months of remote work, many in the DMV are returning to the office with a mix of emotions. As a therapist, the greatest stressor I hear is fear about the Delta variant. At this moment, that fear is outpacing social anxiety about reacclimating to an in-person office experience and the constant social interaction…
Read MoreI knew nothing about the viral apology dinner convo that was flying around the cybersphere until contacted by Huffington Post to weigh in. I also had a chance to discuss the topic with channel Q and will add that link soon. Therapists have some thoughts about that viral “Apology Dinner” Below are my full thoughts…
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