Tempted to throw Momma from a train? Looking forward to the annual blaring of “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer?” If you have a difficult relative who is aging…
It’s that time of year again. Multicolored lights twinkle across houses and front yards. Parents and squirming children form long lines to sit on a Santa look-alike’s lap. Red and…
Holiday time. For many of us, shopping in the toy aisle is our chance to reenter the world of childhood. The old joke about the father who buys a train…
The holiday season is just about over. The presents are unwrapped. The relatives have left. The leftovers are almost gone. Some things went well. Some didn’t. There were moments of…
Alcoholics go through a period of grieving when they give up drinking. For those dually-diagnosed with alcoholism and depression, the grief over not being able to drink is intensified. That’s…
Did you know that about 40 percent of the 180 million Valentine’s cards purchased this year will be bought by parents? It makes sense if you think about it. Our…
Small talk turned to intense talk when I spoke with the members of a local women’s group. When I asked about holiday planning, what came back was a flood of…
Now is the accepted time to make your annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual. ~ Mark Twain The quotation is attributed to…
Joy to the world! ‘Tis the season to be jolly! Festive music fills the air; holiday cheer abounds. Everyone is happy at holiday time — right? Wrong. Truth be told,…
The annual December hype around buying and exchanging gifts doesn’t usually include an in-depth discussion of the tact and ritual of gift giving. Stores just want to get us inside…
The following is an excerpt from the book Three Minute Therapy and focuses on the topic of overeating and how cognitive-behavioral techniques can be used to help a person overcome…
The headline on our local paper reads, “A few rotten eggs spoil Easter Hunt.” Parents, who were supposed to stay behind the ropes at an egg hunt event for young…
Here come the holidays. In American cultural myth, it’s a time for good food, good company, and good times. If you are struggling with recovery from alcoholism, it’s also a…
Ten-year-old Sara keeps her holiday wish list in a notebook, adding new items as she watches Saturday morning cartoons. The list is six pages long by October, including several items…
A couple of years ago, I celebrated the holidays for the first time with my husband’s parents. They bought me a beautiful (not to mention expensive!) silver necklace wrapped in…