Need Help with Something? (Three Minute Read)

“The best advice I can give anyone going through a rough patch is to never be afraid to ask for help.”  ~ Demi Lovato When I have a toothache, I get help from my dentist. My CPA helps prepare my income tax return.  And if my car has a dead battery, I call...

Surviving Your Family Reunion (Three Minute Read)

It’s summertime, and the living might not be so easy if you’re planning a Family Reunion. Your checklist is ever-growing, from logistics, to activities, to dealing with all of the colorful personalities that make your family unique. Think you can please...

You’re Both Retired . . . Now What? (Three Minute Read)

Many couples I know are retired and, as an observer of relationships,  I am interested to see how they navigate through this new chapter of their lives. Some couples do it really well and others seem to hate each other. Many of the latter, believe it or not, end up in...

Having an Office Romance? (Three Minute Read)

I’m going to try to tackle this complicated issue by dealing with it from two perspectives:  the business owner and the employee.  If you’re the business owner and you haven’t established guidelines for your staff, do something immediately.  Find a...

Divorce in the Movies (Three Minute Read)

Movie makers have been entertaining us with divorce stories for many decades.  Fortunately, in my divorce mediation practice, I rarely witness the knock-down, drag-out fights depicted in cinema, and that’s mainly because my clients come to me in the spirit of...

Family Secrets (Three Minute Read)

Family secrets are powerful.  They can create a strong bond or they can be divisive.  And for some reason, they aren’t usually insignificant.  Affairs, abuse, addiction, mental illness, and even arrests are giant secrets that family members can be forced to...

Some Thoughts on Reinvention and Identity (Three Minute Read)

I’ve reinvented myself several times. After the death of my parents and my husband in a 20-month time span, I reinvented myself on a massive scale. No longer a daughter or a wife, for the first time ever I was just ME. I floundered for awhile before arriving at...

Conflict: Love It or Hate It? (Three Minute Read)

One of you likes to pick fights. It’s the stimulation, the mental ping-pong match, the surge of adrenaline when you win. The other of you avoids conflict like it’s your close-talking, garlic-breathing uncle. Why? What makes us so black and white (or red...

You’re At an Impasse. Now What? (Three Minute Read)

Whether you’re negotiating a real estate deal or which movie to see, occasionally you’re going to encounter an immovable force. You want to get your way but it’s not looking good.  Do you cave?  Will you seem weak?  Do you push?  Will your actions be...

It’s a Shame (Three Minute Read)

Despite all the news about cyber-bullying, shaming is not only a social media phenomenon. I can trace it back to my childhood, when my kindergarten teacher, Miss Vandezandee, shamed me in front of the whole class. I told her that I’d squashed a worm on my way to...

Dealing With A Control Freak (Three Minute Read)

We all know someone who insists on showing us what, where, how, and why to do something. They will insist that they’re not trying to assert control, and rationalize that it’s just common sense.  Their way is simply better. In the realm of picking your...

The Benefits of Divorce Mediation (3 Minute Read)

If you haven’t read last week’s blog about how to prepare for divorce, please take an extra few minutes to read it now.  Thank you. Okay, you’re ready to move forward.  Now what?  Are you thinking about mediation?  Are you and your soon-to-be ex able...