Disciplining Children in Blended Families
REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION from Florida Jewish News, September 2, 2005, p. 21, 23, 27 I never liked the term, “Blended families.” It reminded me of cake batter—sweet, maybe fun to snack on when no one was looking, but, frankly, not yet a cake. After all, which is...
Warning Signs Of Child Sex Abuse — And What To Do About It
REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION from the Florida Jewish News, pp. 22, 24 [edited] The Florida Jewish News of Jul 22-Aug 4, 2005 published a lengthy article describing a case of child sexual abuse allegations. Although the accused family was cleared by three governmental...
What Values Do You And Your Partner Share?
How would you describe your home--by the way it looks or the values you bring to it? What are your values? What values do you and your partner share? Have you given it much thought? Perhaps you ought to. When I hear stories of people berating their spouses, I wonder...
12 Steps: Step 4 is Not About Beating Yourself Up
Step 4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Never, ever kick yourself in the rear for your past. This is NOT how Steps 4-8 of the 12 Steps should be done. Looking at what you did--or were not able to do--admitting it, asking for help from your...
12 Steps: Step 1 – Control
Step 1.We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable. Acknowledging weakness is very scary. It means letting go of the one thing that may have kept us alive--substances. These steps pertain also to any other addiction whether it...
DON’T Let Children Solve Their Own Problems
Picture the scene: Several 5 year olds are playing in the park. One of them thinks a toy/ball/whatever of his/hers has been unfairly taken by another. He/she starts to hit/attack the would-be thief. The parents are clustered at the edge of the play area, talking and...
How Do You Discipline a 20-Year Old?
Your child is not, technically, a child any more; he or she is 20, over age in a couple of states; past the age of consent in others. But he needs discipline; boy, does he. What do you do? There are two answers to this. One is: You better do it; it's never too late....
A Powerful Tip To Make The Best Use Of Your Divorce
We have an expression in the Jewish tradition which goes, "Also this is for [the] Good!" It is said with a smile and written with an exclamation point. In the case of divorce, it is a very hard expression about which to be sincere. One wonders how in the world to look...
Physical Abuse: Screening and Treatment
REPRINTED BY PERMISSION from The Annals of The American Psychotherapy Association, 2001, vol. 4, No. 5, pp.15-17. Do not be fooled into thinking the percent of battering victims (about 16%) in this country is small. Stripped of the obfuscation of statistics, that...
What Hypnosis Is
Hypnosis is a naturally occurring state. Many people believe they can't "get" hypnotized when, actually, they fall into trance all the time. For example, in boring classes or lectures, you may notice your mind "wandering." Where does it go? Generally, when something...