A follow-up on my recent article on sex addiction.
Pornography is not erotic literature, which can have social and artistic value. Serious moral issues pervade the porn industry, such as the exploitation of vulnerable women and the enticement of young people—mostly men, but an increasing ... Views: 1633
Too much information can put you at risk—or make a bad impression
Are you providing detailed, personal, even intimate information on every topic that comes up on your first dates with a new person? If so, you might be sending the wrong signals. Some people will feel uncomfortable hearing ... Views: 1011
The occasional fantasy can mean a healthy sex drive, but what if it’s a habit?
Let’s start with two cases. In the first, a couple is making love, and one experiences a spontaneous erotic thought about someone very attractive, who was observed and fantasized about earlier in the day—at work or ... Views: 1575
Fortifying or rebuilding your foundation starts with assessing how solid or shaky it is
Our emotional foundation is the personality structure we operate from, much of it formed in childhood. Some of us are fortunate—born into families that shower love on their children, protect them, provide ... Views: 1210
You’re anxious, you stress-eat, depression sets in. How do you break the cycle?
Eating is one of the toughest addictions. We all have to eat, so it’s not possible to avoid being around food. But some of us have a hard time controlling our input, and we give our bodies what they seem to want, ... Views: 1510
If you’re relying on make-up sex too often, your relationship may need help
Make-up sex is famous for being unbridled and highly pleasurable. And that can be memorable, especially if the overall sex life of a couple has been routine, humdrum, or just plain bad most of the time. In a good ... Views: 1925
Annually recurring anxiety: you may have it and not know it.
Anxiety disorders can be times of extended difficulty for those who suffer from them. Tension, worry, inability to concentrate, mono-focus on a particular thought or person, avoidance of a particular situation or person, irritable ... Views: 912
Do one or both of you retreat too often into the cone of silence?
In an article earlier this year, I spoke about the devastating effects of verbal abuse. A retreat into a “cone of silence” by one or both partners in a marriage or relationship can potentially be just as devastating. Sure, some ... Views: 1387
To nurture your child’s creative talent: commend, don’t command
At some point in the early life of your new child, she or he surprises you. She listens intently to the story you’re reading, then adds her own imaginative ending. Or he not only colors out of the lines, but also draws in extra ... Views: 906
The difference between natural mourning and melancholia could be life-long
Call it what you like—chronic mourning, extended grieving, death-related depression, melancholia—the effects are the same. A person becomes stuck in the past, devastated by the death of a parent, child, spouse, or ... Views: 876
In some marriages, a dark cloud hangs over the home, going by many different names: bills unpaid, appointments missed, chores ignored or unfinished, kids not picked up, calls not made—maybe poor job performance to boot.
Many of these things happen as a normal occurrence from time to time, and ... Views: 1688
These tips are designed to make life and marriage a little easier, but by no means will they solve all of your issues in one swing. If you need to talk to someone, please consult an Orange County professional today.
Many people that get married first marry for passion and the “in-love” ... Views: 909
When things are tough, it can be hard to admit you need help. That's when you need safe, reliable Orange County relationship counseling that can heal issues and problems in a calm, productive environment.
People who are having emotional affairs often convince themselves whatever is going on ... Views: 1090
These tips are designed to build and grow a marriage or relationship – when it’s failing and you can’t seem to control it, Orange County marriage counseling may be a healthy option for you.
We all know that sometimes our significant others sometimes lack in the love expression department, and ... Views: 3491
If you keep making the same mistakes over and over again when in relationships with a man, Orange County counseling may help you figure out how to treat yourself better so you can hook a quality relationship.
Sleeping with a man isn't always the event of the century, but very few women ever ... Views: 782
This guide is designed as a list if most common reasons a man may not want to commit to a woman – but if you need help sorting this kind of thing for yourself, Orange County counseling may be beneficial to you.
Your man keeps telling you he needs more time, and you can't figure out why. He ... Views: 526
Here are some things you should avoid when you go a on a first date, or even a second or a third – but these tips are designed with light heartedness in mind. If you need help managing your dating life,relationship counseling in Orange County may be able to help you today.
So you may think ... Views: 502
If you are having trouble dealing with the negative feelings associated with leaving a spouse because of a verbally abusive relationship, Orange County marriage counseling can help you sort those out and find yourself again.
Verbal abuse is one of the hardest kinds of abuse to recognize. ... Views: 635
There is no shame in having communication and relationship problems, and one of the fastest ways to work through them is to try some couples therapy in Orange County. Anything that can positively affect you and the people around you will help you live a more fulfilling life.
It’s against ... Views: 645
Breaking up is a difficult time in anyone’s life, especially if you’re the one being left behind. This is a time where you may feel shaken. You’re losing your routine, your security, and maybe even the person you felt was closest to you. It is easy to feel lost and confused about who you are and ... Views: 1598
“SEXTing” is a term that gets thrown around a lot these days. With technology so readily available, it was only a matter of time until our sexuality made its way to our cell phones. SEXTing refers to anyone sending sexually explicit messages or racy photos to partners, peers, or the public; this ... Views: 1139
When we enter relationships, we do so with the knowledge that we will be providing the person with emotional commodities and that they will be doing the same for us. Every relationship is filled with needs. Each individual will have different needs, and each relationship will provide different ... Views: 1068
Confidence is an important factor in our lives. We naturally want to surround ourselves with confident people. We want doctors who are confident in their medical knowledge. We want colleagues who are confident in their ability to complete projects. We want friends who are confident in ... Views: 837
Social networks have injected an interesting new aspect into our lives and relationships. Today, we’re all living very publically. We’re our own paparazzi and gossip magazine, updating the web with every little thought, piece of drama, and embarrassing picture of friends. Our boundaries are very ... Views: 3686
When you think about finding a partner, you probably have the perfect prospect in mind. When imagining the perfect mate, most people immediately think of physical characteristics. Many people supplement this idea immediately be adding personality traits such as humor, intelligence and charm. If ... Views: 1049
Holidays are supposed to be a happy time, filled with food, family and fun. It’s a time of holiday music echoing through the shopping centers, spending long nights indoors with loved ones, and generally being thankful for every blessing that we’ve encountered in the last year. This season is ... Views: 719
Do you feel like you can’t escape the stress from work, or from your social obligations? Do they sneak up on you, even as you’re trying to have a few relaxing moments to yourself after a long day, or during a weekend that you’ve purposely left open for some well-deserved “me-time”? It might be ... Views: 1312
We’ve all heard our friends talk about chemistry and connections. Rock stars sing about the “chemicals between us” and movies depict racing hearts, sweaty palms, and love at first sight. Have you wondered where all of these scientific, chemical, and physiological terms and ideas manifest in ... Views: 1058
The way we see and value you ourselves has a huge impact on our actions, our quality of life, our happiness, and even our relationships with others. Body images is a simple term that describes how an individual views their body and appearance—whether that is “average,” “attractive,” or “bad.” ... Views: 7400
Everyone has expectations. In fact, everyone hopes that they can achieve the best in their endeavors. However, some of us take our expectations too far. Having goals and standards is healthy; they keep us motivated to achieve and pursue our dreams. High standards motivate us to do our best. Some ... Views: 2736
Infidelity is an unfortunate occurrence that strikes too many modern relationships. Cheating in any relationship can be devastating for both partners; both the person committing the infidelity and the person betrayed can be strongly affected by the after-effects of breaking the relationship’s ... Views: 1485
Sometimes it feels like everything is changing! Today, many of us feel like we are being met with both major and minor life changes at an increasing frequency. Of course, the fact that people deal with these adjustments on a regular basis doesn’t always mean that they are prepared to handle ... Views: 831
Many people feel that the first sign of a deteriorating relationship is a loss of passion and sexual energy. As a relationship matures, a couple may find that they do not have the same sexual energy as they did throughout their honeymoon phase of the relationship. However, dwindling passion does ... Views: 5060
Even the healthiest relationships will experience rough patches. No two people will always agree, and eventually these disagreements will need to be handled. Conflicts and arguments are not the signs of a bad marriage or partnership. However, how you and your partner handle an argument can be ... Views: 1429
It is not uncommon for a woman to worry about what her husband is doing while he is away from the home, especially when he is away for extended periods of time. Pop culture has no qualms about depicting a cheating husband to create a strong, independent heroine. The media coverage of recent ... Views: 9198
Everyone knows at least vaguely about general intelligence, or IQ, but what about emotional intelligence, or EQ? For the vast majority of us, emotional intelligence is more important to our lives than IQ. Harvard theorist Howard Gardner explains, “Your EQ [or emotional intelligence] is the level ... Views: 953