Blended Families (Three Minute Read)

by | Jan 16, 2019

Statistics show that one in three Americans is either a step-child, a step-sibling, or a stepparent. That’s a lot of blended families! Those of a certain age can certainly remember The Brady Bunch, but let’s not forget that it was a fictional family. There...

Are You Okay? Try Asking Another Way (Three Minute Read)

by | Jan 9, 2019

Is it okay to simply ask “are you okay?” Maybe we need to distinguish between the physical okay and the emotional okay.  Obviously, if your toddler takes a tumble and starts to cry, the first thing you’re going to ask is if he’s okay.  (Unless...

Lawn Mower Parenting (Three Minute Read)

by | Jan 2, 2019

We all know a helicopter parent (one who hovers) and a tiger mom (one who roars), but now there’s a new type of parent, the lawn mower.  The first time I’d ever heard this term was in a divorce mediation when the husband accused his wife of lawn mower...

Giving Thanks and Looking Forward (2-1/2 Minute Read)

by | Dec 26, 2018

In this, my last post for 2018, I want to get personal. No attempts at wisdom here, and no suggestions to help avoid or resolve conflicts. Instead, I’m writing about what matters to me, and what motivates me to improve. In a single word — relationships....

Loneliness in Relationships (Three Minute Read)

by | Dec 19, 2018

I have a friend whose husband sits in his recliner chair from the time he gets home from work until the time he goes to bed. She serves him dinner, fetches his beer, and hands him the remote control as soon as he sits down. She calls the circumference around the...

Figure Your Trigger (Three Minute Read)

by | Dec 12, 2018

I know we’re all supposed to love the holidays, and I understand it’s a season of joy and giving, but sometimes, some things, and some people seem to piss me off more during this time than any other time in the year. Anyone with me? In this article, I am...

Blame vs. Repair (Three Minute Read)

by | Dec 5, 2018

I used to work for an attorney who I’ll call “Leonard the Lunatic.” I must confess, I learned a lot from him, not the least of which was to love the Oxford comma. But I digress. Leonard the Lunatic was very quick to blame anyone and everyone. And one...

Are You Lying to Yourself? (Three Minute Read)

by | Nov 28, 2018

That small order of french fries won’t hurt. Having a second glass of red wine means twice the antioxidants. I’ll apologize next time I see him. These are some of the many lies I tell myself. Harmless? What do you think? In my mediation practice, I help...

Grandparents and Divorce (Three Minute Read)

by | Nov 21, 2018

What happens to the relationship between you and your grandchildren when their parents are involved in a bitter divorce?  How can you stay in the lives of your grandchildren when your negative opinion of their mom is well-known?  And can you do this without going to...

Are You Willing to Fake it on Thanksgiving? (Three Minute Read)

by | Nov 14, 2018

It’s almost Thanksgiving and back by popular demand, is my perspective on how to get through the holiday with some of your less-than-favorite people, the relatives. You might think there are only two options: avoidance or confrontation.  But in true peacemaker...

Boundaries (Three Minute Read)

by | Nov 7, 2018

I have a difficult time setting boundaries. As a result, I feel under-appreciated at best, and downright taken for granted at worst. Why is this so hard for me? Is it because of my birth order (youngest of three)? Is it because I like to think I’m a genuinely...