From Hooking-Up to Finding LoveIs dating dead? That’s the popular question from those seeking to understand the hookup culture and the technologically-driven, casual romantic meet-up.Young adults are taking their...

The internet and social media have created a number of new ways we can conceive our identities and relationships.It has impacted the way we form social comparisons and evaluate our own achievements and relationships; as...

One thing I enjoy about being a member of Southeast Psych was their initial suggestion that I pick a heroic alter-ego for myself. I mean, how cool is that?Occasionally therapists get accused of...

FOMO: Meaning and DefinitionTechnology impacts the way we think about, understand and interact with the world. Undoubtedly there are some implications for how this impacts our psychological well-being.There are a number of...

Social Media and RelationshipsSocial media has undoubtedly blown up the world of beginning, maintaining, and ending relationships.While I’ve aged out of the dating pool, I remember the discovery of instant...

 “Ugh it’s so dark down here.” You share as yet again you both are back in that space.“Yea…” She mumbles back at you.How does this always happen, you...

3 Signs You Are Experiencing Caregiver BurnoutWhat are some signs of caregiver burnout?Burnout can take place over weeks, months, or seven years. Here are some signs of caregiver burnout.

Sometimes it is not the person with a mental health diagnosis that needs therapy. Sometimes, it’s a loved one who is struggling the most.“Why am I in therapy? They’re the ones with the problems!”

The Psychology of Texting BackRecommended listening: Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) – Backstreet Boys"Don't leave me hangin' here forever"The three dots and screenshots. Navigating...

What is caregiver burnout?Caregivers are often family or friends of somebody who has a debilitating illness, or disability, that require care far beyond the scope of medical resources.Caregiving can...

Do you suspect that a friend has an eating disorder? It is likely that at some point in your life, you will have someone you care about that will struggle. Research tells us that over 13% of...

What does it mean to be a family? Some exclude families to only parents and blood relatives. Others define families as people who you genuinely love, trust, and care about.In this episode of...

Many loved ones and friends often struggle with knowing what to say to someone who is struggling with an eating disorder. Eating disorders are very complex and they cannot be ignored.Recovery from...

The dating landscape is constantly changing due to societal factors, personal values, and of course, technology. With hundreds of dating apps and websites flooding the market, connecting with likeminded individuals has never been easier!

As parents, partners, even friends, we tend to fall into one of two categories:An octopus (the pursuer) A turtle (the avoider)Understanding the role we play in relationships is crucial...

Being a caregiver is a challenging and time-consuming job. Caring for someone who is ill or disabled requires energy, time and resources. Often, the caregiver is a family member, a friend or other person that provides care...

Autism, Asperger's, and SexualityGrowing up, I always heard the saying, “never talk about money, religion, politics, or sex.” The assumption is these are obviously emotionally charged topics which could lead to very uncomfortable...

Today I'm going to teach you a game that helps with family relationships. It is called "Start, Stop, and Continue."This is how it works.Gather the entire family...

1. Plan AheadBeing prepared can make a massive difference in managing your stress level. If you are traveling, make sure you have all the proper arrangements that you will need for appropriate accommodations.

Give the Gift of Shared Experiences This Holiday Season I see a lot of clients over the holidays that have conflicting feelings about the holidays.Often times, they find gift giving to be shallow and insignificant. But research tells us that...

Ideally, the holidays are like the inspirational Hallmark holiday films where everybody pitches in, works together, and family members enjoy each other’s company.Realistically, for some families, the holidays are closer to reality television, where strong personalities, conflict, competition, and...

The following is the third and final article of a three-part series exploring how substance abuse and addiction can sabotage healthy, stable relationships. Today’s topic, boundaries.I have found that it is very easy to...

Any day of the year can bring reminders of loss. We each carry around important dates unique to our relationships, along with places, things, and shared experiences that point to memories of life before a loss.Holidays are no exception,...

It is more than half-way through another year and nothing has changed. You thought it would “just get better” eventually. At times life happens and suddenly you find yourself staring at your partner thinking, “How did we get here?”...

What Does It Mean to Be Compatible?In my early 20s as I graduated from UNC Chapel Hill I was in a slew of weddings. Many of my friends had found “the one” and...

Enablers Make Addiction the Center of the Relationship The following is the second of a three-part series exploring how substance abuse and addiction can sabotage healthy, stable relationships. Today’s topic, Enabling.It’s no secret that America has a drug and alcohol...

Supporting Your Loved Ones with Cancer Cancer affects every individual in unique ways. Family and caregivers are critical for support and comfort.Often times we are nervous about what to say or do. We don't want to respond the wrong way....

Love Your Children by Loving Your Partner Hi, I'm Dr. Frank Gaskill, and I'm here to talk to you about couples therapy. When you're dealing with partners in relationships, you end up having difficulties.We're humans, we make mistakes. Couples therapy...

How to Cultivate a Positive and Healthy Relationship with Your Child 1. Properly Communicate Teach your child how to express their needs and to advocate through proper communication.  2. Be Responsible Children need to learn how to do things for themselves.  3. Problem...

How Substance Abuse and Addiction Can Sabotage Healthy, Stable Relationships The following is the first in a three-part series exploring how substance abuse and addiction can sabotage healthy, stable relationships. First up, Codependency.  What Exactly is Codependency? Codependency is one of the most...

10 Basic Sign Language Signs You Should Know Wherever you go, there's a chance you could meet a deaf person who uses sign language.Wouldn't it be great to know some basic signs so you can chat with them and maybe...

Reasons to Date Your Spouse A date night gives you a break from parenting.Taking the time to unwind and relax with your spouse away from children gives you the energy required to continue parenting effectively without burnout.A date night offers...

Is There a Normal Experience of Grief? Is there a normal experience of grief? In short, no.Grief is experienced uniquely by each person. It captures a wide range of emotional, mental, behavioral, and physical responses to loss and transition.It can...

I’m an only child and an introvert. So, I’m sure you can imagine what my Freshman year of college was like for me, living in a 10’x13’ room with a roommate, paper thin walls with neighbors who...

Saying goodbye to a pet is not an easy decision to make. The saying goes that a dog is a man's best friend and without a doubt, I believe this now more than I ever had in the past.When...

You are shell-shocked. It feels like the floor has fallen out from under you and all your hopes, dreams, and visions of your life together with your spouse fell right down with it. This is a normal response from...

How do you maintain a relationship after many years of being together? Having a healthy relationship involves a lot of maintenance, and the romance department is not excluded.It can be easy to take...

We have a big birthday coming up this summer in the Daley house, and have decided to celebrate it through a big family vacation. As we have been working to plan our trip, I have been reminded of one...

One of the favorite parts of my job is the work that I get to do with families in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). When there is a meaningful change in an unhealthy dynamic within a family system, we often...

The Impact of Online Gaming Some wonder what the long-term impact of the increasing extent to which we socialize over the internet will have on real-life social connectedness and interaction.  As noted in previous articles on this topic, social media has...

Take a moment to open up your messaging app. Which emojis fill the spots in your frequently used? What does your favorite emoji say about you? I’d be surprised if any two persons had an identical combination of frequently used...

When I am working with families or individuals who are experiencing relationship struggles, there is one essential skill that I try to get them to master as soon as possible: validation.Get this one thing right, and your relationships will...

Sexual Content is Everywhere... With easy access to MA (mature) material on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Hulu, I have begun noticing myself not so easily phased by sexually explicit material that once elicited a cringe or embarrassment. After shows like...

It can often be really hard to say “no” to someone in your life, and it can be even more difficult to know when you should or shouldn’t get involved with someone else’s struggle.

Date nights are essential to your marriage and mental well-being. With the day-to-day responsibilities of adulting, it is easy to neglect both marriage and spouse.Break from Parenting

Check out the first part of this series: Your Bed or Mine? The Struggles of Sleeping With a Partner Some Couples Are Destined for Failure in the Bedroom... No, not THAT kind of failure, but failure to sleep well in a...

Check out the second part of this series: Your Bed or Mine? The Struggle of Sleeping ApartPeople who struggle with insomnia face many challenges, and one of the biggest can be adapting their sleep issues when they sleep with...

“Boundaries” Is a Bit of a Buzzword These Days... People like to throw this idea around a lot: when talking about personal space (literal and figurative), when retelling a story of an acquaintance who texts 10 times a day, or...

A recent inbox exchange with a Facebook friend got me thinking about what social media friends really mean and whether or not you can categorize virtual friends as you would the people in your non-virtual life. The exchange was far...