Deb Hirschhorn

Parents, Have You Done Your Trust Building?

by Deb Hirschhorn | Oct 6, 2006 | Parenting

She sits sullenly looking at the floor. They all do, the teenagers roped into therapy by angry parents. “It isn’t enough that she isn’t doing her homework; it turns out she’s online with boys behind my back,” growls Mrs. Portnoy. “She’s only 14 and I’m scared to death...

How The Victim Thinker Thinks and Why He Will Never Be Happy

by Deb Hirschhorn | Sep 29, 2006 | Verbal and Emotional Abuse

What’s your reaction when someone tells you, “You hurt my feelings”? There could be two possible reactions: You’re going to be either me-focused or other-focused. That is, if you’re me-focused, you’re going to feel irritated, offended, angry, insulted or—this...

I Learned About Friendship—At a Funeral

by Deb Hirschhorn | Sep 8, 2006 | Mental Health

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION from the Florida Jewish Journal The chapel at the funeral house was large enough; even so, it was packed to overflowing with standing room only. I came because I knew one or two members of the family a short time. I was impressed with the...

The Blame Addiction In Relationships

by Deb Hirschhorn | Aug 18, 2006 | Verbal and Emotional Abuse

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION from the Florida Jewish Journal, p. 14 “It’s your fault!” Robbie screamed. “Do you understand what you did? Do you understand what a terrible loss this means?” His screams filled the air with a sick heaviness, a light and bright afternoon...

Teaching Your Child Kindness

by Deb Hirschhorn | Aug 11, 2006 | Parenting

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION from the Florida Jewish News They played on the floor, the contented toddlers, surrounded by crushed candy wrappers, smashed candy pieces and other telltale signs of a party. One little one toddled over towards Menachem, and engrossed in his...

Emotional Dissociation And What To Do About It

by Deb Hirschhorn | Jul 26, 2006 | Mental Health

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION from the Florida Jewish News There was a spate of books some time ago about women who had been severely emotionally abused and sexually molested as children and grew up with “split personalities.” The Three Faces of Eve was even made into a...

Neglected Children on the Playground

by Deb Hirschhorn | Jul 7, 2006 | Verbal and Emotional Abuse

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION from the Florida Jewish Journal The boys, about 7 years of age, were racing up the slide and skateboarding down. The lone girl enthusiastically ran up and down with the rest of them. My grandson, whose hand I held tightly, was fascinated by...

Why Cheating Is Not The Solution To A Bad Marriage

by Deb Hirschhorn | Jun 30, 2006 | Marriage and Relationships

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION from the Florida Jewish News She sat there in a puddle of tears and justifiably so. She had had a very hard life, married to a man who mistreated her. Now, at last she was on the brink of freedom as he lay in the hospital in a coma from an...

8 Secrets For Getting Your Defiant Child To Cooperate

by Deb Hirschhorn | Jun 23, 2006 | Parenting

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION from the Florida Jewish News “She stands there and sasses me,” the poor young mother cried. “She won’t go to time out. What can I do?” Time out is an effective way to turn behavior in school-age children around, but it must be part of a...