Self Development

I was reminded of an incident during childhood this week. I was twelve years old, sitting at the kitchen table. My mom was upset about something I did, and she started yelling at me. “Why did you do that? What’s wrong with you? Why are you so stupid!” I don’t even remember what I’d done. […]

After working with thousands of couples and individuals over the years, I’ve noticed something. Most people who have been through multiple relationships or marriages — almost always share the same thread. Different partners. Different circumstances. Different decades. But the same emotional experience, playing out again and again. Here’s an example. Let’s call him “James”. James […]

Every December, I do the same thing. I sit down in a quiet place, pour myself a cup of tea, and ask: What were the highs and lows of this year? It’s a ritual I started years ago, and every single time, the pattern is the same. The highs? They’re never about the big achievements […]

Think back to your favorite moments of 2025. Was it a vacation with the family? A quiet Sunday morning with the kids? A milestone celebration with friends? Notice the moments that mattered the most—the ones you’ll remember in ten years—they all involved the people you love. And yet. When January rolled around this year, you […]

You know that feeling when you’re convinced you’re the only one who struggles the way you do? The shame that whispers your childhood wounds are too messy, your relationship patterns too broken, your emotional reactions too intense. That if people really knew your story, they’d see you as damaged goods. Here’s what I’ve discovered after […]

March 8th marks International Women’s Day, which always coincides with my mother’s birthday. This year, the celebration holds deeper meaning than ever before. The most significant woman in my life, for better or worse, has been my mother—shaping who I am in ways I’m still discovering. My mom has been my only consistent parent throughout […]

A Lesson in Becoming Truly Great There’s a profound difference between being successful and being impactful. This distinction became crystal clear to me through an experience with one of my former counseling psychology students—a lesson that continues to shape how I understand personal growth and professional development. The Lawyer Who Wanted to Heal As a […]

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. […]

Owning Our Story: A Personal Reflection One of my favourite quotes is from Dr. Brené Brown:  “Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy–the experiences that […]

Is It Possible? There’s a question that I keep getting asked over the decades when helping couples. It is one of the most challenging and loaded questions. It’s also a question that is tender to me because it reminds me of one of the main reasons why my parents’ marriage failed… How do I move […]

Transforming Past Hurts Into Secure Connections Life has a funny way of teaching us lessons, sometimes through the most unexpected – and occasionally unpleasant – experiences. Here’s mine… Believe it or not, I’ve had the dubious honour of being pooped on my head by a bird twice in my lifetime. Once this week, and once […]

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 […]

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I'm Dr. Gloria Lee, a psychologist, relationship coach, bestselling author, and speaker focused on turning your marriage from conflicted and stuck to close and connected.

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