If you asked me what different parts of the boat are called, or how to tie different sailor’s knots, you’d get a blank stare in return. I have been sailing once or twice and loved it. The depth and reflective properties of water have always been a strong pull for me. When I first started working in private practice, my connection to water continued. The visual I formed of how sessions progress started off like deep sea diving. There wasn’t much to this analogy for me. I vaguely pictured that ...read more
Down the Mountain
Before my family moved away from Ecuador, my boys wanted to climb Mt. Pichincha. It's not the tallest mountain in Ecuador and not a hard mountain to climb. It's more like taking a hike at 15,000 feet. But this was the mountain we had lived under and climbed countless times for years. It was the volcano that had rained ash down on us. It was our mountain. We started off early and we're having a good time, hiking, talking, and taking pictures. We reached the top of a long sandy slope and sat ...read more
Ask a Guy
Tara Hedman (yep, the lady who runs this show) and I have been friends for years. A few years ago she asked me to help with what she calls, Ask a Guy Night. Prompted by the blank look on my face, she explained, “As I work with women, sometimes they ask me questions like, ‘Why do men do that!?!?’ to which I reply with something like, "Well, I'm not a man. So..." As a result, periodically, she began hosting, Ask a Guy Night. She bills it as an evening where you can learn, "Everything you ever ...read more
Contentment
My wife ordered a sandwich the other day and asked for wheat bread because it was listed on the menu. The guy at the counter said, “We don’t have wheat bread.” We've been to a KFC that didn't have chicken. Really. I’ve heard of an I-Hop without any pancake batter and a nice restaurant with an enormous menu, but really only had one type of fish. So no wheat bread is no big deal. But the first few times this happens it can be pretty frustrating. You get your heart set on something, your ...read more
The Stories We Make Up (or How to Screw Up Relationships)
I have a wonderful dogsitter named Bonnie. She takes my two little furry nuggets on walks, lets them out to potty, and when she’s at the house for extended periods, she does dishes, makes the bed, and takes out the trash. She’s pretty fantastic and everyone should have a Bonnie. Recently, I walked into the house after work and she still happened to be there. We made small talk as she sat down on the couch. Her face was very serious and her tentative body language said something was ...read more