A Family Therapists Point of View

Many people rush through life with this to do and that to do. But do they stop to "smell the roses"?  Life is short they say. It's not just that. So many times we jump from one thing to another with little thought. People react without thinking. This can lead to mistakes, but also can lead to missed opportunities.  Slow down! When was the last time you just sat and watched a dog run and play without distraction?  Laid in the grass and watched the clouds pass by? Enjoyed a long walk with someone special? If is fast and hard enough. People are anxious from it all. Take some time for yourself and slow down. Your body and mind will thank you!

Being a marriage and family therapist, this is something that is thought of often. Family can include anyone who means a great deal to another, who is supportive of that person, who you want to share your time with. This can mean actual family through blood, family that you created through friends, and sometimes we include our pets. We may not always like the family that we are born into, or we may not be given a chance to create a connection with our blood family. Some people may choose to have a family that they created as they may be far away from their blood family. Many many people think of their pet as family as they create a loving non-judgmental and happy environment. I think that family should be anyone who brings us joy, who supports us when we need support, backs us up when we need backing and don't judge us for our imperfections. We need to keep in mind, as they say, families come in all shapes and sizes. It is how we treat them that counts. Whether they be our true...

It has been months without a blog. No excuse, just didn't happen. Now on with it! What do I mean by 'spring, a time for new'?  Trees come back to life, flowers begin to bloom, many animals give birth to their young. This can also be a time to for people to take a look at themselves and see if they are the people that they wish to be. Are we doing what we want to do, acting the way we wish to act, being good members of our communities? For me, I see our lives as opportunities to learn, adapt, make change, and help others. Otherwise why? I'm not talking religion but just being a person. As people we are driven to survive, to replace ourselves by having children, be social beings and have relationships. Yes, this is a simplistic view but a view that is manageable and something we can live with, be happy and make a difference. At one time I wondered what would make me truly happy. Yes I had my family, friends, things I enjoyed but I was still missing something.  As ...