10 Things to Watch Out for When Dating Someone New
My clients range in age from around 48 to 78 years old. I’ve heard many first date encounter stories, and I’d like to share some behaviors that you should absolutely watch out for. Because, let’s face it, if it happened early on, it will only get worse…
Read MoreHonoring Our Fathers’ Legacies
My father died in 1991. I was 47 years old, and I continue to feel him with me each and every day. It is difficult to lose someone we love. In her poem, “One Art,” Elizabeth Bishop says, “So many things seem filled with the intent to be lost…
Read MoreFragile Is Only a Feeling
Driving over 14 hours with my estranged ex-husband, I remembered I know how to thrive. Leading up to this trip I was in a funk, or my meds had stopped working, but it was definingly a low-grade depression. Empty nest syndrome…
Read MoreMothering Yourself Can Be a Nourishing Experience
It’s easy to think of May as a month to honor mothers; however, there are those who were born to moms who did not want them, those they were estranged from, or mothers who’ve passed away. For these individuals, Mother’s Day can be a time…
Read MoreEstrangement and Your Mental Health: A Guide for Parents Over 60
As a parent over 60, you may have thought your relationship with your adult children was solid and unbreakable. However, estrangement can happen to anyone, regardless of age or circumstances. If you find yourself estranged…
Read MoreShort Book Reviews: New Worlds at Your Fingertips
In March, I was honored to moderate a panel of memoir writers at the Tucson Festival of Books. Meeting and interacting with these authors was memorable. Adiba is as funny and direct as her book. Asked by an audience member…
Read MoreHow to Divorce Your Adult Children and Restore Your Sanity
I am known for exposing the “elephant in the living room.” Those things everybody knows but nobody is talking about. Not every mother-daughter relationship reads like a Hallmark card, and our culture makes that a shameful secret to bear…
Read MoreThe Detachment Wall: How to Let Go of Your Adult Children
Some of us moms have a problem with our attachment to our children, to the point where the bond can become unhealthy. Can we love our children but not let their choices or behavior make us crazy? Is some detachment actually a good idea?
Read More3 Reasons Why Freedom is the Gift of Getting Older
When I was growing up in the 1960s, we were taught to never trust anyone over 30. That works great when you are 19, 20 and 21. When you approach 31, 40, 50, 60 and beyond, you may want to modify that stance…
Read MoreHow Making Bread Helped Me to Learn About Setting Boundaries
I was grateful to be in the process of making bread when I received her text message. She wanted to talk. What about? I had no idea, and after a year of not speaking, I felt sick to my stomach even thinking about it…
Read More