Mental Health and Behavioral Health Blog

There are plenty of things couples talk about. Where they're going for dinner. What they're doing this weekend. Who is picking up the kids. What needs to get done around the house. But money? That's often the conversation couples keep avoiding. Many couples live together, raise children together and plan a future together, yet rarely sit down and talk honestly about what they earn, what they spend, what they owe or what they are saving for. Some have separate bank accounts. S

“Why don’t you just leave?” It’s a question we often ask when we see someone we care about in an unhealthy relationship. But leaving is rarely as simple as it looks from the outside. People stay for many reasons. They may still love their partner. They may hope things will change. They may be afraid of being alone, it may be due to financial reasons, starting over, hurting their family, or making the wrong decision. Sometimes they have invested years in the relationship and s

We often think that being close to someone means doing things together, agreeing with each other, and wanting the same things. But what if a healthy relationship isn't about becoming more alike? What if it's about becoming more comfortable being different? In relationships, differentiation is the ability to remain connected to someone while maintaining a strong sense of yourself. It means I can love you without needing to agree with you. I can listen to you without changing m

If you're a grandparent, few things are more painful than watching your grandchild run into someone else's arms while barely acknowledging yours. You may wonder, Why do they seem to love Grandma more than me? The hurt can be surprisingly deep, especially if you've invested time, love, and energy into building the relationship. The good news is that, in most cases, a child's preference has far less to do with love than it does with familiarity, opportunity, personality, and no