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  1. Thoughts on “The Red Shoes”: A Woman’s Need to Keep Her Footing 

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    (excerpts from Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Este´s, PhD) “Once there was a poor motherless child who had no shoes. But the child saved cloth scraps wherever she found them and over time sewed herself a pair of red shoes. They were crude but she loved them. They made her feel rich even though her days were spent gathering food in the thorny woods until far past dark. But…Read More

  2. The Struggle Over Visitation Time

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    The struggle over visitation time can be intense and painful and can cause much stress amongst parents of divorce. Fighting for time with our kids can start out with good intentions then over time become a game of tug-of-war. Parents can become very controlling over “their” time and it can cause a lot of hurt and stress for children. It is incredibly difficult to have to share your kids especi…Read More

  3. Empathy, Emotional Intelligence, and Emotional Maturity

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    Empathy is a key mechanism forming the template we use to evaluate our relationships.  The blueprint for this template forms as brain cells called mirror neurons develop.  These cells enable us to not only perceive but also to feel the emotions another person feels.  Like a mirror, we then reflect back to another that same emotion, through facial expressions and body language, tone of voice and…Read More

  4. Being Present In Changing Seasons

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    Each year, as the summer winds down, I usually find myself saying, "Boy the summer sure went by fast!" If you have kids, this feels especially true. But, no matter what, when the temperature cools down and we get a little less sun each day, we have to say goodbye to what just was and welcome what's to come. A change of seasons and change, in general, can draw up past disappointments and natural fe…Read More

  5. How Puberty May Affect Your Teen

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    The hormonal waves are crashing.  The mood swings might cause whiplash.  The overwhelming sense that this child’s body is dictating their whole world. It’s puberty. I decided to write about some challenges girls face in puberty because I have witnessed the distress in both girls, and their families, during these erratic years of development.  Thus, I want to speak briefly about some p…Read More

  6. The Power of Words

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    The school year has started and the assignments are starting to pile up. Perhaps your kids are wondering if they like their teachers or even if they can make it through some of their tough classes. It is important for us to remember the power of words. Dr. Masaru Emoto did a study on water and the impact of words. Certain words were emitted over water droplets and then photos were taken. The resul…Read More

  7. The Dashboard Of Emotions

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    This life often requires us to seek help to deal with everyday discomforts.  Being in community with others is often enough.  However, physical pain can become debilitating enough that we schedule with a physician.  We may turn to counsel for unique reasons, but what commonly prompts us to schedule is pain -- either pain for which doctors cannot find a cause or pain originating i…Read More

  8. I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE A LEGACY??

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    I was reminded this weekend as my wife and I attended the memorial service of a 94-year-old long-time friend of the Emery family that LEGACY does have value.   I always intend for my blogs to instruct, challenge or encourage: This blog I hope will accomplish all three. Harold Bowyer (the 94-year-old family friend) went home to be with his heavenly Father last week and as we attended his service I…Read More

  9. Do Something You Love

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    When we are under stress or experiencing difficulties one of the first things to go is caring for ourselves. We especially struggle with giving ourselves permission to do things we enjoy. It becomes difficult to love ourselves when we feel like it's not reflected in the world or relationships around us. As though our worth is dependent on our circumstances: "I can only be ok if everything/everyone…Read More

  10. How To Make Friends

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    As I’m returning from lunch with one of my favorite people, a friend of mine, I’m contemplating this interesting concept: friendship.   We often spend a lot of energy, and place a lot of emphases, on romantic relationships. We often believe that finding the “right” romantic partner will make us happy and fulfilled.  However, research shows that friends are actually even more impor…Read More