Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Tue, 13 Mar 2018 22:59:53 +0000 View Original Article As a therapist, as well as someone who goes to therapy, I can speak firsthand about the importance of attending therapy. Think of it this way: you are driving your car and suddenly you hear a funny noise.…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Thu, 15 Mar 2018 21:10:03 +0000 View Original Article One of the things that Jake appreciates about Kristin is her way of showing love through her actions. Jake puts it like this: “When I come home after a long day and Kristin is there, she usually gives…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Thu, 01 Mar 2018 17:30:44 +0000 View Original Article Written by Krissy DierufMoms are the hearts and souls of families. They do a million things and more. They are real superheroes. My mom did so much for me growing up and still does. But more powerful than…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Thu, 08 Mar 2018 19:22:42 +0000 View Original Article Written by Heather MarcouxWe all want to give our kids a solid foundation for educational success. That’s why we read to them, to give them the language and literacy skills that will help them down the line. But…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Tue, 06 Mar 2018 18:08:35 +0000 View Original Article We love the concept of family crests, and we’ve been trying to sketch one of our own. Constantino wanted it to include a skyscraper for his adopted hometown of New York, and David wanted a palm tree for…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Wed, 28 Feb 2018 18:33:44 +0000 View Original Article The gift of parenthood was bestowed upon me in the spring of 2013. As an avid reader, lifelong student of psychology and self-development junkie, I immersed myself in the latest research and literature on being the “best” mother…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Fri, 23 Feb 2018 21:01:20 +0000 View Original Article Many couples fall out of sync. Without warning, life events disrupt the rhythm that helped them stay in harmony. Pride, strong emotions, marital and work-related stress, and different communication styles often make it difficult to reconnect. Meet Ryan…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Thu, 15 Feb 2018 20:00:15 +0000 View Original Article Do you want to create a richer connection with your partner? To have those conversations that are intimate and meaningful? Are you shutting down opportunities for a deeper relationship with someone you love by the way you talk…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Tue, 13 Feb 2018 17:49:37 +0000 View Original Article Written by Kimberly Poovey My child has recently become obsessed with Moana. (Yes, I know. We are a little late to the party.) I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I’m a little obsessed too. It…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Fri, 09 Feb 2018 22:24:19 +0000 View Original Article In 1986, my colleagues and I built an apartment research laboratory at the University of Washington that was dubbed the “Love Lab” by the media. It was notably profiled in Blink, Malcolm Gladwell’s #1 bestseller, and has been…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Tue, 06 Feb 2018 20:28:51 +0000 View Original Article If you have a friend or family member who is severely depressed, then this is your worst nightmare: getting the phone call or the dreaded knock at the door, and someone has just informed you that your loved…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Wed, 31 Jan 2018 00:23:59 +0000 View Original Article Many marital therapists tell couples to expect less. If you lower your expectations, the argument goes, then you won’t be disappointed by your partner. Expectations are resentments waiting to happen. — Esther Perel (@EstherPerel) May 22, 2016 This…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Thu, 01 Feb 2018 19:52:09 +0000 View Original Article I recently made a startling calculation about my marriage: my husband, Marc, and I spend about four hours spending time together, just us, each week. That’s about 3.5% of our 119 waking hours. 3.5%!? We’re around each other…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Thu, 25 Jan 2018 19:57:31 +0000 View Original Article Many of us have wish lists for our future partners stored away somewhere, like a recipe we’ve refined over years of trial and error. While these lists can help clarify our wants and needs, they can’t predict how…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Tue, 23 Jan 2018 22:55:40 +0000 View Original Article Written by Dr. Erin Leonard As a child therapist, the most common complaint I hear from parents is, “He just won’t talk to me.” Feeling estranged from your own child is painful, and it has implications for the…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Fri, 19 Jan 2018 00:05:35 +0000 View Original Article After many years of being in a relationship, you might find yourself not fully understanding and communicating well with your partner. You might wonder what’s wrong with the two of you, and you might feel confused. You’re both…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Wed, 17 Jan 2018 00:35:56 +0000 View Original Article Written by Sanya Pelini We are all born with emotions, but not all those emotions are pre-wired into our brains. Kids are born with emotional reactions such as crying, frustration, hunger, and pain. But they learn about other…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Sat, 13 Jan 2018 01:24:17 +0000 View Original Article Written by Anita Chlipala, LMFT Ah, relationship beginnings. The stream of non-stop texting, the late-night conversations that will make you starry-eyed even into the next morning. Then time passes, you get married, life gets crazy, and you fall…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Wed, 10 Jan 2018 21:10:53 +0000 View Original Article Building a healthy marriage, like building and maintaining a home, means having a lot of tools in your toolbox to make repairs. The more tools you have, the better equipped you are to fix something that goes wrong…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Mon, 08 Jan 2018 19:50:06 +0000 View Original Article There are so many ways to instantly communicate with anyone right at your fingertips. But despite this age of heightened connectivity, an increasing number of couples come to me citing device usage and social media as an issue…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Thu, 04 Jan 2018 21:59:11 +0000 View Original Article Written by Carrie Williams Howe Our world is facing a lot of challenges, with even more coming. We need citizens and leaders who question things that are presented as “fact,” who ask critical and thoughtful questions of their…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Fri, 29 Dec 2017 23:45:32 +0000 View Original Article In 2017, we featured writers who offered deep insights into marriages, relationships, and parenting experiences. Their contributions included advice from clinicians, interviews with psychologists, and stories from spouses, couples, and parents about the day-to-day challenges and successes of…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Tue, 26 Dec 2017 19:22:39 +0000 View Original Article Several years ago, when we first started dating, Constantino had to buy a car. David, who is always more practical, advised him to buy a reliable used Honda. But Constantino, who had recently moved to Los Angeles from…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Tue, 19 Dec 2017 18:00:46 +0000 View Original Article As children, many of us were encouraged to play and create as we took in the novel world around us with a sense of wonder and awe. Our playful and frolicsome spirits were often celebrated, delighting caregivers and…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Fri, 22 Dec 2017 06:39:19 +0000 View Original Article By: Kyle Benson Interview Guest: Stan Tatkin, PsyD, is the founder of the Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy (PACT) and is the author of Wired for Love: How Understanding Your Partner’s Brain and Attachment Style Can Help You…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Thu, 14 Dec 2017 23:17:59 +0000 View Original Article When I was a child, I loved coloring. I was not necessarily great at it, but I always managed to stay inside the lines. This skill was unspeakably rewarding, the celebrated ability to stay within the lines. It…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Tue, 12 Dec 2017 18:56:32 +0000 View Original Article Many years ago, in the Clinton era, I was asked to do an interview on whether Hillary and Bill would make it through Bill’s affair. Responding psychologically rather than politically, my answer was to say, “If couples didn’t…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Thu, 07 Dec 2017 00:16:34 +0000 View Original Article The holiday season, while a perfect time to connect with your partner and loved ones, can be stressful. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, as the famous song goes, but it’s also the busiest. Not only…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Wed, 29 Nov 2017 18:39:57 +0000 View Original Article A special op-ed from the desk of Julie Schwartz Gottman, Ph.D. Al Franken, Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Roger Ailes, and, yes, even our President, are all sexual predators by their own admission or video-captured actions. National Public Radio…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Thu, 30 Nov 2017 16:36:40 +0000 View Original Article After being married ten years, Teresa, age 38, discovered that being in love with Brian, age 37, was just not enough to sustain happiness in their union. When Brian married Teresa, he was impressed with her hard-working nature…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Thu, 23 Nov 2017 16:00:51 +0000 View Original Article Although a marriage in trouble is upsetting, it can often be repaired more easily than you think. The “honeymoon” phase in any committed relationship is not meant to last; eventually it becomes obvious that sharing a life with…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Tue, 21 Nov 2017 20:39:44 +0000 View Original Article At The Gottman Institute, we have a group of colleagues that go by the moniker of “GROC,” or the Gottman Rituals of Connection crew. They plan office activities and company outings so we can share experiences and stay…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Fri, 17 Nov 2017 21:35:49 +0000 View Original Article By: Kyle Benson Interview Guest: Ellyn Bader, Ph.D., is a co-founder of The Developmental Model of Couples Therapy, which integrates attachment theory and differentiation. Through her work at The Couples Institute, she has specialized in helping couples transform…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Tue, 14 Nov 2017 22:47:28 +0000 View Original Article Written by: Stephanie Loomis Pappas I’m awake earlier than usual and hiding out in bed for a few precious minutes of reading time when a wail interrupts me mid-paragraph. My three-year-old opens my door and throws himself at…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Tue, 07 Nov 2017 19:47:30 +0000 View Original Article Written by: Sandi Schwartz How often do you hug your children? We all live busy, stressful lives and have endless concerns as parents, but it is clear that one of the most important things we need to do…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Thu, 09 Nov 2017 23:46:30 +0000 View Original Article In The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work, Dr. John Gottman’s research proves that 69% of problems in a relationship are unsolvable. These may be things like personality traits your partner has that rub you the wrong way,…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Thu, 02 Nov 2017 16:55:35 +0000 View Original Article The stakes are high in marriage for those looking to get it right the second time around. While remarriage can heal the scars of divorce and blended families can provide newfound hope and optimism, recent statistics show that…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Tue, 31 Oct 2017 18:20:52 +0000 View Original Article I love my husband dearly, and it is easy to list all of the things that I love about him. He’s a gorgeous man and I love looking at him, and he has this adorable little mole on…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Thu, 26 Oct 2017 17:10:31 +0000 View Original Article “She is the most beautiful creature I have ever seen,” you thought when you first laid eyes on that gorgeous woman you now call your wife. She is beautiful, smart, and sophisticated. You pursued her like she was…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Tue, 24 Oct 2017 19:08:17 +0000 View Original Article “I can’t do it!” our child whines while making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Seething with rage, we begin to yell without thinking. Why do we react that way? Our child is simply having trouble making a…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Mon, 16 Oct 2017 21:04:55 +0000 View Original Article In 2007, Alapaki Yee and I were two years into our relationship. What most people don’t know is that when you’re dating another therapist, you like to surprise each other with continuing education. Romantic, I know. Couples can…
Intimate Tickles Thought You Might Be Interested Published: Wed, 18 Oct 2017 20:45:48 +0000 View Original Article As your family grows and life progresses, it gets harder to find ways to connect and spend time together. Even recently married couples can find it challenging to carve out space in their schedules for togetherness. But, as…