Relationships: Relationship Building & Management

Women's Issues: What Does a Woman Celebrating Life Look Like?

Several years ago I created an organization called "Women Celebrating Life" to discuss women's issues and help women re-invigorate their lives. Today I'd like to ask the question, "What does a woman who celebrates her life look like?"

I believe she's like you and me -- trying her best to live a joyful, fulfilled life. Some days she's on top of the world, happily going through her day with a light heart.

Other days, days when her heart is hurt, she aches. Perhaps someone misunderstood her, or was unkind. Maybe she sees what she isn't and yearns to be more.

Read Paula's entire article Women's Issues: What Does a Woman Celebrating Life Look Like?

Paula Fellingham, our official Strengthening Women and Families Expert

When Parents Control - 3 Keys to Breaking Free from Parental Control

A controlling parent can have as much a crippling effect on an adult child as on an intimate partner. And I'm sure you know why.

But help for that adult child is touch and go. There are no shelters for them, yet they have many of the same financial issues as battered women.

If they haven't risen above their controlling parent's domination, they can become entrapped victims for life. They remain dependent and often spend their lives seeking out ways to work out their unfinished business around being controlled.

Read Dr. King's entire article When Parents Control - 3 Keys to Breaking Free from Parental Control

Dr. Jeanne King, Ph.D., our official Abusive Relationships Expert

Stop Dragging Your Past into Present Relationships Part Two of Two

he rapture phase of love gives each partner a feeling that is buoyant, lively, and fulfilling. You project onto your partner images of beauty, goodness, and love as if your partner were a canvas waiting to be painted on. The energy of this consciousness shines a bright light across the world, obliterating all the differences in your characters, lifting you and your partner to a higher state of being. You are atop the summit, and you sparkle to one another like diamonds with many facets of light.

This is as it should be. Robert Johnson observed that falling in love is meant to be an initiation into a world much greater than the individual: an introduction to the ideals of love, truth, and beauty that transcend the personal ego and ordinary life.

Read Dr. Miles entire article Stop Dragging Your Past into Present Relationships Part Two of Two

Dr. Linda Miles, our official Marriage & Family Therapist Expert

The Power of Choice

How often are we aware that we control the choices we make? It doesn't matter what the situation, every decision is a choice. Linda Larsen says it best: "Everything in my life I create, promote, allow or step in. If there is something in my life I no longer choose -- I take full responsibility for changing it. I am in the driver's seat. And, I love it."

When I first came across her quote, I was struck by its simplicity and impact. We control our lives. We control our choices. We have the freedom to control our thoughts, our actions and outcome! Imagine a life when we can't blame others for what happens to us. Imagine a life where our choices provide us with the life we desire. Imagine a world where everyone assumes responsibility for their lives! Just imagine!

Read Bonnie's entire article The Power of Choice

Bonnie Ross-Parker, our official Networking Expert

Surviving Infidelity: Advice on How to Survive Infidelity

Life certainly has its challenges, but little compares to the enormous task of healing from infidelity. Many marriage therapists have well confirmed that the clients who visit them have confessed that the discovery of an affair was the lowest, darkest moment of their entire lives. And because affairs shatter the general trust, many people seriously contemplate ending their marriages. However, it is important to know that, no matter bleak things might seem, it is possible to revitalize a marriage wounded by infidelity. It is not so easy: there are no quick fix, one-size-fits-all solutions. But years of experience has taught that there are definite patterns to what people in loving relationships do to bring their marriages back from the brink of disaster.

Surviving infidelity involves teamwork; both spouses should be fully committed to the hard work of getting their marriages back on track. The unfaithful partner must be willing to end the affair and do whatever it takes to win back the trust of his/her spouse. The betrayed spouse should be willing to find ways to manage overwhelming emotions so, as a couple, they can start to sort out how the affair happened, and more importantly, what needs to change so that it never happens again. Although no two people, marriages or paths to recovery are similar, it is helpful to know that healing typically happens in stages.

Read Stephany's entire article Surviving Infidelity: Advice on How to Survive Infidelity

Stephany Alexander, our official Dating Expert

Workplace Bullies - How to Spot an Abuser in the Workplace

Have you ever noticed that some people have a knack for ending a dispute one way and others seem to end their disputes in just the opposite way?

Specifically, some individuals will invariably orchestrate their closing chapter coming out "looking" as though they are on top. And much of the time, they will only end the feud once they have satisfied this very important criteria--at least in their mind.

Read Dr. King's entire article Workplace Bullies - How to Spot an Abuser in the Workplace

Dr Jeanne King, Ph.D., our official Abusive Relationships Experts

Women Entrepreneurs In The Marketplace

The Entrepreneurial Woman In The Marketplace

Who is she? She is empowered, enlightened and enterprising. She exudes energy, enthusiasm and confidence. She has embarked on a journey and created a mission only she can fulfill. She's a risk taker. She connects. She collaborates. She gives back. The entrepreneurial woman will not be denied. She deserves success and takes pride in her accomplishments. She sets the standard of excellence in all that she does and in all that she is. She endures.

The entrepreneurial woman is unstoppable. She does it all. She creates. She markets. She promotes.

Read Bonnie's entire article Women Entrepreneurs In The Marketplace

Bonnie Ross-Parker, our official Networking Expert

Four Tips for a Blended Family

I often meet wonderful people at my seminars who ask excellent questions. Here's one of the questions, and four solutions I shared with Karen and Jim. "Do you have any tips to help us with our blended family?"

Here's the scene: For Karen it was the best of times, and the worst of times. She was newly married and loved Jim with all of her heart, yet he had two teenage daughters who were challenging, to say the least. Karen understood why the girls were insecure - after all they had been through - however they were so disobedient! As the new "Stepmom" it seemed she could do nothing right. The teenagers were always upset. What are some solutions for this new couple with new challenges?

Read Paula's entire article Four Tips for a Blended Family

Paula Fellingham, our official Strengthening Women and Families Expert

Stop Dragging Your Past into Present Relationships

Expressed as a two-way bridge between childhood and adulthood, magical thinking is a developmental stage during childhood that serves a very important function in the process of creativity and imagination. Like so many of our developmental constructs, when magical thinking is held onto and not revised in the light of reality it becomes maladaptive.

The Perfect Other

Many of our illusions about relationships are childhood fairy tales exported into adulthood fairy tales in the form of myths about relationships. The myth of the “perfect other,” usually represented in fairy tales by the prince or the princess, sends many dreamers on a lifelong path of searching and rejecting serial candidates. The rapturous “falling in love” stage of relationship leads them to believe in the possibility of perpetual bliss with a perfect other.

Read Dr. Miles' entire article Stop Dragging Your Past into Present Relationships

Dr. Linda Miles, our official Marriage & Family Therapist Expert

What Is Energy Healing Psychology?

Alternative medicine is very popular right now. In the world of psychology there is also an alternative medicine. This is using energy healing called Energy Psychology.

Energy psychology, simply put, is a broad spectrum of psychological approaches involving the human energy system in healing.

You are already familiar with the human energy system:* Someone enters your space and you sense their presence. They have penetrated your bio-field, your aura.

Read Dr. Neill's entire article What Is Energy Healing Psychology?

Dr. Neill Neill, our official Overcoming Alcoholism Expert