If Hashem were talking to you, would you interrupt to answer your cell phone?
Hashem gives us a refuah; how dare we not use it?
What should I say if someone asks me what happened?
There are times when a psychiatrist will over-medicate, which is why it's important to find a psychiatrist whom you trust and feel comfortable with.
My husband is a great guy and very loving - except when things don't go his way.
A great portion of mental illness stems from a defect in the body.
Personally I wish that I had a mother like my wife.
Why should any girl deserve to end up with a guy who can't even think straight?
Most people know that in therapy they will be asked to talk in depth about their personal lives and to describe their day-to-day struggles with specific people, whether it is with spouses, family members, bosses or neighbors, etc. They are therefore surprised to learn that this is not permitted in EFGT.
Women don't often realize they are being abused, especially if the abuse is emotional rather than physical.
You're not seeking perfection. You're seeking a life that an average person can manage and feel good about. Don't feel pressure to change everything at once.
My children encouraged me to date and even set me up with a very special man.
It is very hard to build a healthy marriage when you do not have good role models.
When they all try to speak at once, I will ask them to stop and speak one at a time.
In America one has to either be very rich or impoverished to receive care – the middle class seems to get taken advantage of.
Growing up, I saw the respect my parents had for each other. Then I got married...
When I complain, she tells me it is retail therapy.
This therapist kept focusing on how "I could do better," never on how we could make the marriage work.
Unfortunately, the probability is that he will not see a reason to change as he has been acting this way for a long time and clearly has some issues with respecting women.
Returning to visit my family for Yom Tov has become torturous for me.
Someone close to us knew that you were good at saving marriages and begged us to give therapy one last chance,
My mother-in-law and I have had our problems since the beginning of my marriage.
By Pnina Baim
By signing the document, my husband and I are saying that our love and devotion to each other are so strong that we do not want the power to hurt each other.
It is very natural for kids to want attention and to be jealous of each other, especially when there is a new baby.
How can you expect people who go through such gehenom to even know how to give warmth and love?
Are we allowed to lie for shalom bayis? It would seem so, but what might be a healthy guideline for when it’s okay and when it’s not?
Isn't therapy about being yourself; aren't there different ways for people to communicate with each other?
I believe that Hashem will only bring Moshiach when we finally achieve achdus.
I love my husband dearly and I do everything to make him happy.
Men and women have different roles to play in marriages and as parents.
Whenever he did anything loving for me, I made a big deal about it.
She says that they are our children and since she brings in half, or sometimes more than half of our parnassah, we need to be full partners in their chinuch.
I surprise my wife with gifts, large and small.
They are like children keeping count of who changed how many diapers each day.
I find his mother to be a difficult person and my nature is to stay away from people like that.
Often both girls and boys compare their date to their parents.
Perhaps today’s accomplished woman can wrestle all the lions and tigers and bears by herself, but when she does, she may not have a lot of room left in her life for vulnerability.
The Moroccan wife's chief pride is showing that she ought to win the prize for the most attentive and solicitous spouse and mother.
Both parties need to become more tolerant of one another.
How many potential shidduchim are not coming about because we, the mothers, are not allowing them to go through?
I so desperately want to have a loving relationship with my stepsons.
Isn't there anyone making a simcha who understands that loud music can cause hearing loss?
By Gil Poznanski and Alanna Fine
Some other red flags: when a person spontaneously and angrily talks about exes on dates, reschedules a date more than once without an emergency situation, or talks about engagement or marriage right away.
My mother thinks of herself as a superior person, has very little feelings for other people, and probably suffers from a deep lack of self-esteem.
Sometimes the most powerful countermove one can make when a person is screaming is to calmly say that her behavior is not helpful and then continue interacting with the rest of the family while ignoring the enraged person.
There are many people today with very little training who put out shingles and proclaim themselves to be marital coaches, shalom bayis helpers, advisers etc.
When one marries someone with children, all family members must accept them.
My mother-in-law is totally devoted to her daughters and their children. Her sons’ children on the other hand are treated like second-class citizens.
How can I help my wife learn to say "no," and understand that her first priority must be her husband and family?
It is important for a therapist to focus on a person's strengths as a way of overcoming his or her difficulties.
I went to camp for many years. We cleaned our own bunks and did not have air conditioning.
"I would really love my mother-in-law ...if she weren't my mother-in-law."
Not enjoying saying no, I often succumbed to requests viewing them as demands I couldn't refuse.
It’s fair to say that we all know or have someone in our family who is divorced.
I recently met a wonderful woman who writes poetry. With her permission, I am sharing a poem she wrote about time.
What can we do to help him stop feeling so sad all the time?
Perhaps you can reach a compromise during this news frenzy, whereby you will feel more comfortable while he can still follow the latest events.
There could be no Jewish-themed books and, as such, the lack of knowledge these boys displayed in regards to many of the topics we read about was clear.
Upon hearing that he did, the owner sent him the atarah – all shiny and new – to be returned to me. I was reunited with my father’s precious gift.
Sacrifice is the backbone of our souls. It indicates self-regulation for a higher purpose.
A prominent shadchan recently articulated a dilemma she’s facing.
The real solution to bullying is to empower the bullied child.
My teachers like me and they tell my parents that I am a great girl with good middos.
Some yeshivish couples do not believe in going out with other couples, but that does not mean that the women cannot have social lives.
In my experience, modern schools tend to be more open-minded toward other flavors of Judaism.
I was called to the principal's office and shown a picture my daughter had drawn.
"Where was this guy when I was dating?"
We must be honest about whether this shidduch "crisis" is self-made, and how much of it is really a crisis at all.
With regard to prevention, this is best accomplished by putting one's spouse before oneself in every way.
Being a teacher requires more than just knowing the material.
She compares me to her romance "heroes," and I seem to always fall short of her expectations.
Many couples benefit from premarital counseling to increase the chances of avoiding issues during the marriage.
You obviously made the right decision to leave your mentally ill and emotionally abusive husband.
I strongly urge parents to research the value, or non-value, of the school credits their children are taking. Successful research will enable their children to receive a better education.
In fact Hashem sets up couples that have opposite traits as an opportunity for each to help, learn, and heal the other.
Humor is also a great tool to use. If your daughter says no when you ask her to do something, smile and say, “Oh, is it opposite day? I guess this means that you will do it with pleasure. Thank you, my beautiful mitzvah girl.”
By Leah Field
We peel away one layer after the next, our eyes tear up and it becomes harder and harder to see as we get closer to our innermost insecurities and fears.
Dear Dr. Yael: My heart is breaking; my husband’s friend has gotten divorced. While this type of situation is always sad, here I do believe it could have been avoided.
I agree with the letter writer that a shadchan should respectfully and graciously accept a negative response to a shidduch offer.
Your husband seems to have experienced what we have described as the Ambivalent Attachment.
The budget allotted to shelters by the Welfare Department is configured by a set criteria for every family nucleus. The difference is that while a non-religious family averages 2.3 souls, the families at Bat Melech average 4.6.
By employing this new countermove, the scenario will likely change.
I bring the results of this study to demonstrate that although in a frum world we should rise above the gashmius, unfortunately, we still live in a secular world in which we are affected by that gashmius.
The obstacles the religious woman faces upon deciding to leave the house are much more difficult to overcome than those of her non-religious counterpart.
It is a shame that when one sincerely wishes to help another person, he or she often must avoid telling the truth.
They arrive here in a blind rush, at times in the middle of the night, wearing nothing more than pajamas, an attempt to escape years of sadistic abuse.
Dear Anonymous: Thank you for your amazing letter. I wish you hatzlachah in your new marriage, and may your letter bring more sensitivity to others regarding this issue.
JetBlue flew an empty aircraft from Boston to JFK to assist us. The care and concern of the flight attendants was amazing. They were astounded by our group, so much so that at the end of the flight, the captain related for all to hear that he was truly impressed by the care that the HASC counselors provided for the special-needs campers – all of whom have physical, mental, or emotional disabilities. We did our best to demonstrate a true kiddush Hashem.
I had a great figure and dressed well, but the only thing wrong with me was that I had a very long nose with a huge bump.
I know of all Dr. Yael's techniques and I will tell the people in front of me, with derech eretz, that it is my turn.
Who created the current rules of dating? Why must the guy always pick up the girl by car, and pay for tolls, gas, etc., if things are not guaranteed to work out? After all, I may not be attracted to the girl, or our personalities may not click; thus, it turns out to be a waste of money and time for me.
When adults cut in front of my child, they are stealing from her and me, as her delay in returning home affords me less help.
By Alanna Fine
I once commented during a lecture that so many guys are just looking to play and not get serious. The speaker responded, “You’re not looking for a guy, you’re looking for a husband.” He was right. Making general statements about all men or women does everyone a disservice.
She should be grateful that her father is at least talking about his past and that he appears to be taking an active part in his daughter's and her family's life.
Many times when a couple is arguing they may, unconsciously, trigger childhood anger. So much so, that if we would stop and listen to what they are arguing about, it would sounds like two eight year olds fighting in the back yard.
But people who are very embarrassed about their issues will sometimes be more open over the phone.
It is possible that your father is attempting to transfer his wartime experiences in the direction of your 11-year-old grandson since he was the same age when he endured them
Spoiler Alert: Going to see the movie “Saving Mr. Banks”, starring Tom Hanks is not like going to Disney World. Well, it is like going to Disney World if you go mid-August with your triplet toddlers, feed them all cotton candy, and lose your car because you forgot you parked in Pluto 7.394. It's not a happy Disney movie.