Miscellaneous
My friend decided to end her marriage on Valentine’s Day. As she sat across from her husband at their usual February 14th dinner, surrounded by roses and chocolate, she knew it would be their last celebration together. The grand gesture felt hollow, almost painful. Because in the 364 days between these annual displays of affection, […]
Living Eulogies of Love Yesterday was my birthday. It’s always a day of deep reflection for me, and this year I found myself contemplating how my perspective on birthday celebrations has evolved over the years – not just personally, but through the lens of my work with individuals, couples, and families, and understanding of human […]
Last week, in the pouring rain, I witnessed something that shook me to my core. Through the darkness, a crowd gathered around a fallen motorcycle. As I approached, I saw her – an Asian woman, her leg pinned beneath her bike. What struck me wasn’t just the accident, but what happened next. As people rushed […]
The Hidden Gift in LA’s Devastating Fires This week, Los Angeles residents watched helplessly as wildfires devoured homes, businesses, and decades of memories. The devastation is hard to comprehend—entire neighborhoods reduced to ash, families displaced, and lives forever altered in mere hours. The numbers tell one story, but behind each statistic is a human being […]
Starting with What Matters Most I’m reminded of a powerful story that perfectly captures how to approach the new year. A professor brought an empty jar to his class and placed it on his desk alongside three items: sand, pebbles, and large rocks. He asked his students to fill the jar with all three items. […]
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” This question, posed by poet Mary Oliver, resonates deeply in my heart. Each December, I pause to take inventory of my year, reflecting on this one wild and precious life of mine – the lessons learned, the moments lived, […]
Surviving Difficult Family Gatherings Every year, my friend “Jessica” and her son go on a cruise during Christmas. While others are hanging stockings and planning family dinners, she’s arranging her annual escape. When I asked her why, she smiled and said simply, “It’s better than pretending to enjoy time with people I’d rather not see.” […]
This topic always lands me in hot water, but frankly, I don’t care – because it’s one of the most common issues couples come to me for, especially during the holidays. I’m talking about the mental load, that invisible backpack of responsibilities that’s often silently crushing the holiday spirit of one partner while the other […]
Today is my father’s 80th birthday. So it got me thinking about my years growing up with him. Our relationship has always been cordial, but distant. My childhood memories are filled with an emotionally distant father who only showed one emotion…anger. I remember having silent dinners while he read the newspaper, and […]
A Lesson in Human Connection This week, I found myself in New York City on the anniversary of 9/11. The experience was surreal, bringing back memories from 23 years ago when I last visited the Twin Towers—massive, tall, grand, and majestic. Then and Now I vividly recall ascending to the 107th floor observation deck, feeling […]
Attachment & Letting Go This week my husband and I said goodbye to our daughter. Our baby girl moved across the country for college. We’ve been dreading this day. As we stood in my daughter’s dorm room, surrounded by half-unpacked boxes and the nervous energy of new beginnings, we felt a tidal wave of emotions […]
How Connections Shape our Greatest Life Lessons You know, I’ve been thinking a lot about this quote lately from one of my mentors (from afar), the great grief therapist and pioneer, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross: If you go and dance at a lot of weddings, you will cry at a lot of funerals. If you were at […]
