Before we know it the New Year is well on its way and Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. People’s experiences and opinions about this day are a lesson in extremes, much like our mountain weather. I once had a co-worker who religiously hosted an...
A few years ago a young woman, Sally (not her real name), came into my office and began to talk about her favorite aunt. “When I got that bad perm in middle school she was there to show me how to make it look better....
As I was cleaning out my e-mail I came across a forwarded note entitled “Merry Christmas.” Apparently the author was quite angry that people were choosing to say “Seasons’ Greetings” or “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” Although there are many interesting elements to this...
Recently I had a woman in my office anxiously talking about the holiday season. What if her friends notice she isn’t giving gifts this year, and guess that she is in financial trouble? What if her mother-in-law realizes her pie crust is store bought? What...
Most of my counseling sessions with children include playing with a variety of toys. Depending on their life circumstances, children will make different choices about the types of toys they want to pull off the shelves. Recently the emergency vehicles have been getting a workout!...
Some of us plan for the future. We save for retirement, prepare for the job interview and get our annual physical. Others of us are more spontaneous. We face what's in front of us, and leave the rest for tomorrow. One morning as a hospice volunteer...
It’s your big shopping day and you’ve driven down the hill to find some bargains. As you’re trying to decide between one or two bulk bottles of laundry detergent your concentration is interrupted by the piercing scream of a young child over by the fabric...
Like so many of you I have enjoyed Mike Brook’s life-coach column, full of practical advice and interesting stories. While he is taking some well-deserved time off I feel privileged to offer my own thoughts and experiences as a counselor in the Peak to Peak...
I have a couple sitting in front of me. They are on opposite ends of the couch, bodies turned away from each other, arms crossed. I know they both love each other and want to stay together, but right now they are in a painful,...
I remember as an undergraduate student speaking with a psychology major whose father recently died. “At the moment I’m in denial, but if I move quickly through the stages of grief I should be done by summer vacation,” she said. Being an English major myself...
