My week starts with three new clients interested in counseling. Sandra wants to lose weight. She’s been 100 pounds overweight for most of her adult life with high blood pressure, asthma, high cholesterol, and pre-diabetic symptoms. From a family that struggles...
With the election of Donald Trump the psychological term “gaslighting” is experiencing a resurgence in popularity and brings people into my office asking, “Am I being gaslighted?” As with other charged words, I think it’s helpful to take some time and understand the terms...
We live in a unique part of the state. Although technically Gilpin, Jefferson, Clear Creek and Boulder counties are considered urban, often we face health issues traditionally viewed as rural. (http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/newsletters/transforming-care/2017/march/in-focus?omnicid=1187163&mid=vernamd@ubhc.rutgers.edu) Rural America faces higher levels of smoking, diabetes, coronary heart disease and suicides....
I sat with Margaret and Larry through years of fertility challenges. Initially it was a curiosity as to why they weren’t getting pregnant like their friends, then enduring invasive medical tests and procedures. Next we dove into discussions about adoption while Margaret took...
Mary and Tom, married for 40 years, come into my office with one question: “Should we stay married or get divorced?” Tom grew up on a Midwestern farm, rising early to milk the cows and feed the chickens. He was the...
Part of my job is traveling up and down the Front Range teaching business staff on a wide variety of topics, from How to Write a Professional Email (no, emojis are never appropriate), to Addressing Workplace Violence. One frequently-requested subject is Happiness. People...
“I have a basement full of boxes and crates, all holding precious memories. My oldest’s first tooth, my youngest’s baby blanket, my wedding dress…” Barbara trailed off and her husband (who’d been waiting politely) jumped in. “We have a basement that’s been full...
Patrick had been dreaming about moving to Chile since he was a young man. Lunch breaks consisted of real estate searches, his bookshelves were full of Ramon Díaz Eterovic, Marcela Serrano and Pablo Neruda, and he’d been taking Spanish classes at Front Range Community...
Forget the Jones. No matter how perfectly fabulous you are, there will always be Margaret’s award-winning pie crust, Saul’s impeccably-positioned Nutcracker seats, Betty’s magazine-cover decorations, and Joe’s gifts of individualized carvings. Stop trying to compete. You’ll simply miss your own holiday focusing...
“She has survived so much! My life seems like a piece of cake compared to her experiences.” Sarah, new client, 22 years old “I don’t think I’m ever going to get out of this. No matter what I do, the hits just keep...
