Denis Boyd

Marriages are often in crisis due to infidelity. Let me present a common scenario. The husband has been unfaithful to his vows and has had several affairs. The wife is extremely upset and struggles to cope with her feelings of betrayal and anger. The wife has been searching the literature for information about infidelity in…

Couples who make time regularly to visit together tend to have happier relationships than those who do not. That is, if both parties are listening effectively. When the daily talktimes go well there are payoffs in at least four areas: stress reduction, improved self worth, friendship and sexual intimacy. Stress Reduction Many couples will talk…

Parents are often at opposite ends of the spectrum in their styles of parenting. One may be authoritarian or strict and the other easy going. These style differences can cause trouble when different ideas are presented to one another. Sometimes there are power struggles, with one trying to win over the other. In fact, the…

Gone are the days when intelligence and skill levels solely determine whether our children will land the career choices they want. Many corporations are now hiring people who rate highly on scales of “emotional intelligence,” as well as other measures. They have discovered that having skillful employees does not always get the job done. Many…

Molly’s loss occurred many months ago. She had been feeling much better; yet her turbulent feelings seem to have returned. She is shocked and scared to be feeling so distraught. It seems like she has returned to the emotional state she was in around the time her husband, Felix, died. Felix had been ill for…

How is it possible to refer to grief as good? Grief can be painful, chaotic and scary, but surely not good? Anyone who has suffered the death of a loved one or the loss of a relationship will say that grief hurts a lot. It hurts so much that we wonder if we will never…

amTricia was quiet about it. And because of her secrecy, those around her didn’t notice that she grew more passive and less able to cope with the increasing demands of the many roles she had—a wife, teacher and now young mother, to name a few. Her thoughts had begun to frighten her—she couldn’t remember ever…

If you had a “blue” Christmas and New Year’s you’ll likely feel better after the holidays are over. In contrast, those who were excited about the holidays may find themselves emotionally down after the festivities have ended. The holiday season takes a lot of preparation. Then it is suddenly over and you may think, “Is…