“This is what we do in Oregon. We take care of one another.” Governor Kate Brown “Eat good quality food and make good decisions.” Chef Rich Hull at A Broken Angel These two phrases are pinging around my mind this morning. I like many of you have struggled as life adversity has stacked up upon the ambiguous loss from COVID we are all in together. I know I am not alone, these stressors stacking upon us all like a delicately…

I’ve tried many times to write something meaningful since going into COVID lockdown but have come up short many times. The situation feels like it’s continuing to evolve and showing up fresh and ready to serve my clients to the best of my ability via video conferencing has been all I can seem to muster. The common denominator of all the recent events we are experiencing together is that each one of us is being called to evolve. For our…

To be honest, when I leapt into offering phone and video conference sessions March 15th this was my thought too. I was uncertain how it would go but I felt called to protect some of my more vulnerable clients. What really sealed the deal was finding research that video and phone sessions are equally as effective as in person sessions. After five weeks, I can say with confidence, it isn’t awkward! Well, that is probably a nerdy therapist over statement……

The Basics: This  chapter is a bit longer than the last, weighing in at 24 pages.  Despite the added length, I found this chapter to be a very quick read, and most couples should be able to work through it very easily in a week when sharing a single copy of the book.  The date recommendations included in this chapter might require an extra step or two of planning together, so if you are planning on a Friday night date,…

Welcome to the second week of our progress in the Gottman 8 week couples challenge! Quick recap:  Joella and I have decided to read and participate in the activities featured in the Eight Dates: Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by John Gottman, Julie Gottman, Doug Abrams, and Rachel Carlton Abrams and then share some of our reflections on the experience.  Last week, we addressed trust and commitment.  This week, the topic moves on to addressing conflict in our…

At Cascadia Family Therapy, when we begin to work with a couple, an essential task we ask couples to engage in during the course of therapy is date night. Not only are dates an important part of a healthy relationship, they also become time set aside with intention to discuss therapy. It is exciting that the Gottmans have now written a book on this topic. Dr. John Gottman is an incredible researcher who has the ability to take the softer…