Let’s Talk About It: Suicide

By Rachel D. Miller, AMFT

Suicide remains a taboo topic in our society but failing to talk about it does not prevent it from happening. Instead not talking about it creates stigma for suicide survivors, their families, and those whose loved ones die by suicide. It also reinforces the myth that suicide should not be openly discussed. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month making it the perfect time to talk about it.

Let’s start by looking at its prevalence in the United States.

• Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US for all ages (CDC)

• Approximately 123 Americans die by suicide every day (CDC)

• There is a death by suicide every 12 minutes in the US (CDC)

• White males accounted for 69.67% of suicide deaths in 2018 (CDC)

• In 2018, firearms accounted for 50.57% of suicide deaths (CDC)

• There were an estimated 1.4 million suicide attempts in 2018 (CDC)

• Lesbian, gay, and bisexual kids are 3x more like than straight kids to attempt suicide at some point in their lives (SAVE).

• 41% of trans adults said they had attempted suicide in one study. The same study found that 61% of trans people who were victims of physical assault had attempted suicide (SAVE).

• Lesbian, gay, and bisexual young people who come from families that reject or do not accept them are over 8x more likely to attempt suicide that those whose families accept them (SAVE).

What is Suicide?

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIHM) defines suicide as “death caused by self-directed injurious behavior with intent to die as a result of the behavior.” A suicide attempt is “a non-fatal self-directed injurious behavior with intent to die as a result of the behavior” (NIHM). It may or may not result in injury. The term suicidal ideation refers to the thinking about, considering or planning suicide.

Signs and Symptoms

Knowing the warning signs and symptoms is key to suicide prevention. Some of these are:

• Talking about wanting to die or wanting to kill themselves

• Talking about feeling empty, hopeless, or having no reason to live

• Making a plan or looking for a way to kill themselves, such as searching for lethal methods online, stockpiling pills, or buying a gun

• Talking about feeling trapped or feeling that there are no solutions

• Talking about being a burden to others

• Withdrawing from family and friends

• Changing eating and/or sleeping habits

• Talking or thinking about death often

• Displaying extreme mood swings, suddenly changing from very sad to very calm or happy

• Giving away important possessions

• Saying goodbye to friends and family

A more thorough list of signs, symptoms, and risk factors can be found here on the NIMH website. If you or someone you know is exhibiting any of the above, please reach out for assistance as soon as possible and prioritize safety, particularly if the behaviors are increasing or have developed recently. Crisis hotlines and additional resources are listed at the end of this post.

Myths

Myths about suicide further complicate our ability to talk about and prevent it. The World Health Organization has complied a pamphlet debunking the most common. You can find it here.

What to do if someone you know is in crisis?

It can be scary to recognize the signs of suicide in someone you know. Being uncertain about what to do or being afraid of doing the wrong thing can lead us to doing and/or saying nothing. Despite the myth that asking about suicide increases the risk, expressing your concern, and inquiring about whether they have a plan can be helpful. It is vitally important to let them know you care and to encourage them to get professional help. Learn more about what to do and say here and here.

Additional resources:

National Institute of Mental Health: Suicide Prevention

Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE)

Teens and Suicide: What Parents Should Know

How to Talk to Children and Teens About Suicide: A Guidebook for Parents

How to Talk to Your Child About Suicide

Talking with Kids About Suicide

Talking to Kids About the Suicide of Someone Close to Them

Telling a Child About a Suicide

Speaking with Your Teen About Suicide

What to Say to a Suicidal Teen

If you or someone you know is in crisis call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). Both services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The deaf and hard of hearing can contact the Lifeline via TTY at 1-800-799-4889. All calls are confidential. Contact social media outlets directly if you are concerned about a friend’s social media updates or dial 911 in an emergency. Learn more on the Lifeline’s website or the Crisis Text Line’s website. (https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention/index.shtml)

The Veterans Crisis Line connects Service members and Veterans in crisis, as well as their family members and friends, with qualified, caring Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text messaging service. Dial 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1 to talk to someone or send a text message to 838255 to connect with a VA responder. You can also start a confidential online chat session at veteranscrisisline.net/get-help/chat.

The TransLifeLine is a peer support service run by trans people, for trans and questioning callers. Operators are located all over the U.S. and Canada and are all trans-identified. Trans Lifeline’s Hotline can be reached at 877-565-8860

Sitting In Your Impact

By Michaela Choy, AMFT

Our impact on others can be positive; it can look like encouragement, understanding, support, love, etc. Our impact can also feel negative; it can look like betrayal, hurt, ostracization, misunderstanding, etc. When the latter occurs, and someone has the bravery to share they have been negatively affected by you, it’s important to make space for their experience. This looks like honoring our impact before we share our intent.

In these moments it is most helpful to be curious, to listen, and to validate feelings. These moments can be tough. It’s challenging to hear the ways in which we’ve hurt others. When this happens, we are pulled to respond with our intention - “But you’re not understanding where I was coming from or what was happening for me…if you knew, you wouldn’t feel that way.” We need to resist the urge to respond with our intention first because this sounds defensive and therefore feels invalidating. Here are some helpful responses instead that make space for another’s experience:

- Thank the person for sharing with you.

- “I’m so grateful you told me, otherwise, I wouldn’t have known you were hurting.”

- Speaking to understand. Sharing your intention will come later.

- Be curious and ask questions

- What did you need from me instead?

- What else are you feeling?

- Is there more you need to share with me?

If you feel defensive, try the following:

- Remind yourself of your worth

- You are more than this moment and you are allowed to stumble. This is how we learn and grow.

- Slow Down

- The pull to defend is strong and automatic. Interrupt this by slowing down, take a breath, or restate what you’re hearing.

- Name it

- Share that you are getting defensive and notice that you need to shift modes. This keeps you accountable and will signal to others that you need some time to regulate. You can ask for a short time out if you need to gather yourself.

The appropriate time to share intention is after the hurt person feels understood. The easiest way to gauge this is to ask if they feel understood or if there is more you need to know. Once this is achieved, ask for permission to share where you were coming from. If now is not a good time, establish another time to connect.

The Next Phase & Living in the Grey

Image by Lilli Caré for the New York Times

By Sasha Taskier, LMFT

In the beginning of March, when many of us were beginning to quarantine, there was so much anxiety. How big are the risks? Will we get sick? How long will this last? Will the grocery stores restock? Will we have enough food? Will we keep our jobs? Of course, all of these questions persist, but the palpable anxiety has diminished (for many of us) as we’ve settled into new routines, transitioned from in-person to Zoom meetings and gatherings, and have continued to keep our day-to-day life confined under our roofs.

For many of us, it has been incredibly difficult (isolating, no childcare, homeschooling, more stress and fighting at home, etc.), AND we’ve also had the privilege of staying home, staying safe and staying healthy. Now, as we begin to enter the next phase of all this - and we see our neighboring states open up their parks, bars and restaurants and Chicago begins to “soften” on the lock down - I’ve been seeing another spike in tour collective anxiety. There is a new sense of uncertainty, a new challenge for us -- how to live in a grey area of risk.

Just weeks ago, it was pretty black and white - you can only leave the house for emergencies, essential services and groceries. Restaurants, bars, playgrounds, schools, the lakefront are all closed. Now, we each have a million and one questions to ask ourselves; can a friend come over if we stay outside and are six feet apart? Can grandparents finally come see their grandkids? If daycares reopen, is it safe to send our children? Should we go to a restaurant if outdoor seating is available? The list goes on and on… and unfortunately, there are no clear answers.

Anxiety breeds in uncertainty. When we perceive risk, when we feel scared or threatened, it grows. This is an unprecedented time in our collective memories, and this new phase is no different. Many of us have to ask some really hard questions of ourselves and our families and friends. Navigating school, playdates, gatherings etc, will now all require a new level of personal introspection, couple & family communication and trust in our communities.

Here are some resources that may be helpful as you and your families begin to think about next steps and make decisions about what feels safe for you and your loved ones:

A New Thing to Fight About; Virus Risks, Jessica Grose Interview with 3 couples: When Couples Fight about Virus Risks, Jessica Grose

What Parents Should know as States ReOpen, Annie Sneed

Safety Advice for Reopening, Andrea Petersen

The Horror of the Corona Virus Data Log, Amanda Mull

Growing Your Self Awareness

By Michaela Choy, AMFT

This poem is a beautiful representation of how we grow and change. It acknowledges our pull to the familiar; we are patterned beings, the longer we’ve done something a certain way (manage conflict, date, etc.) the harder it feels to show up differently. And, good news, it’s also very possible to show up differently.

The path to growing our self awareness is winding and not linear. It’s common to have moments where you break harmful patterns and then moments of sticking to them. Just because you fall back into a pattern doesn’t mean you’ve regressed. It means that is a big pull for you that you will need to watch and take care of.

As we are confronted with our patterns, we build awareness of what we are doing. And we must give ourselves compassion in choosing the familiar path even when we see the alternatives. I have deep respect for where old patterns come from and how they’ve benefited us. At some point, your old pattern most likely served, protected, or helped you survive.

Too much compassion, however, can leave you stuck, so we must be accountable for our behavior. We must commit to building awareness of our patterns, find choice points, and do the newer, harder thing. When we deepen our self awareness, we must hold compassion AND accountability tightly.

Equal or Equitable? Deciding what to spend on your kids.

By Rachel D. Miller, AMFT

With graduation season right around the corner, the issue of what or how much to give your graduate will be much discussed in the coming weeks. And it raises the larger question of equal spending on gifts when you have more than one child. The Wall Street Journal recently asked me my thoughts on this topic. I’ve shared and expanded on them below for those who are not subscribers.

Parents typically want to spend the same amount of money on each child in the spirit of fairness. But an event like graduation complicates the situation. Birthdays happen annually for each of the children, but a graduation is a one-off situation, causing parents to calculate amounts in their head and strain their memories to remember what was gifted older children for comparable graduations.

Spending equal amounts on children, generally, is a sound policy, though it is a complicated formula. When you have siblings in varying age categories, or when parents’ financial circumstance change over time, or parents split up and re-partner – those are circumstances that can affect an “equal spending” mantra. Additionally, there are many other places parents spend money on children throughout a year that might need to be part of the equation.

Instead of pure equality in dollar amounts, parents should strive for fairness over time rather equal spending at each gift giving opportunity. Fair does not necessarily mean equal. Fairness considers the larger context, specific circumstances, and each child as an individual.

Suppose your middle schooler wants a pair of super pricey sneakers for his or her birthday. While this means nothing to a 7-year-old sibling at this juncture, when that child reaches middle school but is told, for example, she cannot have the expensive hair straightener she is requesting that cost about the same. These feelings may be directed at you the parent, the sibling, or internalized to mean something about how you feel about her.

You’ll also see this in reverse as parents are able to spend more on younger siblings as the older ones move out or parents begin to do better financially. An older sibling may feel some kind of way when his younger brother is given a brand-new iPhone for his 14th birthday but at 14 all he got was “crummy refurbished laptop.” Again, these feelings may manifest as resentment and anger at the parents, the sibling or both. Or the child may internalize this to mean their parents have a favorite child.

With a goal of fairness over time it becomes easier to consider other costs such as extra curricular activities. If one child is involved in travel sports that eats greatly into a family’s budget, and another child is into electronics, it might be fair to spend more on the second child’s electronic gifts at Christmas or their birthday than the gifts purchased for their athletic child. These things can and typically do balance out over time.

It’s also important to consider your individual children. Some children care more about these things than others. It can be helpful to know your child’s love language to you can better assess what each most needs and deems important. A quality time or acts of service kid might not pay any attention to the gifts given to a sibling if they are personally getting the quality time or meeting their acts of service needs consistently. This is also a way to consciously attend to the ways equity and fairness are not always about equality. Parents can discover their child’s love language via this site.

There are different quizzes for different age groups.

I believe in being as age appropriately open, honest, and transparent as possible with your children when it comes to most issues, this includes money and finances. Open up around how you make decisions around buying gifts and spending money in general. Kids don’t need all the specifics, but you can let them in on your process. This is how they begin to learn about making financial decisions. These are great topics for family meetings and a positive way to break the taboos many families have around not talking about money.

When children are included in conversations and provided insight into how you make decisions, resentment is less likely and securing their buy in and cooperation becomes easier. When you don’t talk to children, they fill in the blanks themselves and make up their own stories about what things mean in relation to themselves. Children understand more than most parents give them credit for, and even if they don’t fully understand, they’re willing to go along If they are made to feel included and allowed to have a voice in the process.

Lastly, if there are wounds that around this topic impacting sibling and/or the parent-child relationship, a family therapist can help you navigate the healing process.

Love Languages

By Sasha Taskier, LMFT

We all give and receive love in different ways. However, many of us believe that once we’ve fallen in love and have partnered, we assume we’ve already mastered the ways to our partner’s heart. That, of course, may be true for some - yet, I sit with couples every week and continue to see the same dynamic in which both partners feel they are showing love, but neither of them feel themselves to be the recipient of that love. Both are trying, in their own way, and both are falling short.

Gary Chapman’s theory and approach to Love Languages tends to be a great entry point into this conversation, and one of the simplest ways to address the disconnect these couples are experiencing. His book, The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts, helps to explain the importance of speaking and understanding your partner’s love language and vice versa. After years of clinical experience, he formulated five ways in which people tend to feel loved.

1. Words of Affirmation

2. Quality Time

3. Acts of Service

4. Physical Touch

5. Gifts

Words of Affirmation

“Actions don't always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, "I love you," are important – hearing the reasons behind that love sends your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten. Kind, encouraging, and positive words are truly life-giving.” (5LoveLanguages)

Quality Time

“In the vernacular of Quality Time, nothing says, "I love you," like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there – with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby – makes your significant other feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed dates, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful. Quality Time also means sharing quality conversation and quality activities.” - (5LoveLanguages)

Acts of Service

“Can vacuuming the floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an "Acts of Service" person will speak volumes. The words he or she most want to hear: "Let me do that for you." Laziness, broken commitments, and making more work for them tell speakers of this language their feelings don't matter. Finding ways to serve speaks volumes to the recipient of these acts.” (5LoveLanguages)

Physical Touch

“This language isn't all about the bedroom. A person whose primary language is Physical Touch is, not surprisingly, very touchy. Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face – they can all be ways to show excitement, concern, care, and love. Physical presence and accessibility are crucial, while neglect or abuse can be unforgivable and destructive. Physical touch fosters a sense of security and belonging in any relationship.” (5LoveLanguages)

Gifts

“Don't mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift. If you speak this language, the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you. A missed birthday, anniversary, or a hasty, thoughtless gift would be disastrous – so would the absence of everyday gestures. Gifts are visual representations of love and are treasured greatly.” (5LoveLanguages)

How do you use Love Languages?

We tend to rank one or two of these languages highest - which is a great indicator that these are our primary and secondary love languages. Within each of these ‘languages' there is a wide spectrum; Chapman describes it as having multiple dialects through which we express affection. This allows us to become creative in how we can show our partner love.

I tend to have my clients each take the quiz, (provided for free online) and first examine their own results. As with any online quiz - it is not perfect and sometimes the questions can feel a little black and white, BUT it does begin to help you think about what does feel good for me? What is meaningful and why? A little curiosity can go a long way; many of my clients have explored the ‘why’ behind their primary and secondary love languages and have realized that much of it comes from their families of origin, or what was deeply lacking in prior intimate relationships. (For example, someone whose primary love language is Quality Time may have grown up in a home where their parents were always busy, and they desperately wanted undivided quality time, OR, perhaps that was the primary way their parents showed them love and care, so that has become the clear sign and pathway to feeling loved.)

Then - after each member of the couple has their individual results (and some insight and understanding around them), I invite a conversation of sharing. Partner X, can you share your results and insights with your partner, and give examples that would be helpful. Partner Y, can you listen, reflect back what you are hearing, and ask your partner how you can become an expert in their language. (Remember, you can have the same primary love language as your partner, but a different dialect -- this means, physical touch might be important to both of you but sexual intercourse might be the most meaningful way to connect for one partner, and holding hands in public might be more important for the other. So, better to ask than assume!) And then, switch! Partner Y will share their results and insights, and Partner X will listen, reflect and probe for examples.

In my experience, the most important part of this entire process is follow through. Especially after this exercise, keep your ears and eyes open for the ways in which your partner is trying to use your love language. If your love language is Acts of Service, and you see that your partner filled up the car with gas - thank them. If physical touch is your language and your partner offered to give you a foot massage after a long day, or you’ve noticed them initiate more physical intimacy between you - tell them you appreciate them and their efforts to show you love.

As with any new habit or practice, we are far more likely to continue doing something (that may not be comfortable or ‘natural’ for us), if we see the positive impact of our actions. This practice can become an incredibly rewarding positive feedback loop of love, or it can stop after one attempt. The difference between those outcomes is vocal acknowledgment of your partner’s efforts and words of appreciation (even if they don’t hit the nail on the head on the very first go.) Even better, if you swiftly reciprocate by practicing their love language.

Deepening Your Listening with Validation

By Michaela Choy, AMFT

One of the most powerful and connecting tools I use in my personal life and in therapy is validation. Validation is the act of acknowledging and honoring someone’s experience. When done well, the speaker will feel seen and heard, and the listener will be taking in what the speaker intended. It’s very simple and very powerful. Without it, we run the risk bypassing someone’s experience, inserting our own spin on what’s happening (so dangerous), and can leave people feeling dismissed.

How do I use this?

Validation comes in a variety of forms listed below:

Reiterating what you’re hearing:

• “What I’m hearing you say is…”

• “It sounds like…”

• “So when X happened you felt Y.”

Giving non-verbals that indicate you’re present

• Head nods

• “Mm Hmms” or other sounds to indicate you’re tracking

• Eye contact

• Let your body lean in

Asking curious questions

• Tell me more about that.

• What was that like for you?

• What were you hoping would happen?

What challenges can I anticipate?

The number one fear around using validation is that validation equals agreeing with the speaker. And if the speaker’s experience is different than your own, why would you betray your own experience? Validation does not equal agreement. Validation is an acknowledgment of another person’s experience; Validation honors that someone has their own unique experience that may be similar or different from your own. There is always space for different experiences.

Additionally, you may be in the habit of waiting to talk versus listening to respond. It’s okay if this happens. This is such a familiar pull for all of us. Listening is hard. Take a deep breath when you notice this comes up. Take ownership for not taking in what the listener is saying. And ask for them to repeat what they said.

When should I do this?

As much as possible. This is especially helpful when a conversation gets heated or a conversation is hard. It will prevent the speaker and listener from rapid-fire responding. Rapid-fire responding is automatic which means you’re not listening, inserting what you think the other person thinks and feels, and will lead to fighting more times than not.

Reflection

Challenge yourself to incorporate validation into your daily life. If you do, ask yourself these questions:

-       How did people respond after I validated them? Is this different than what normally happens? If yes, how so?

-       What did it feel like to tune into someone else’s experience?

-       What makes this challenging to do? What makes this easy to do?

Understanding Anger

By Anne DeCore, AMFT

Many people have a hard time managing anger. Some deny it completely, splitting off their emotions and suppressing their needs. Others experience it intensely, escalating into anger quickly when in conflict with a spouse or child, for example. Few experience it in a productive way. Much of how we respond to anger is based on how anger was modeled for us in our homes growing up. Was it the primary way of communicating? Was it deemed shameful? Could anger be talked about in an open way? Do we shut it down in ourselves because we had a parent who was quick to anger? The good news is that despite how we were conditioned to orient ourselves toward the emotion of anger in our early lives, we can learn to gain control over it in adulthood and even use it to our benefit.

When anger is excessive, frequent or disruptive to our functioning and relationships we need to work on anger reduction. Here are some key methods.

PHYSICAL AROUSAL SELF-AWARENESS

When an aversive thought or incident occurs that triggers our brain’s fight or flight response, a cascade of physiological reactions follows: stress hormones are secreted, the heart speeds up, our muscles tighten, breathing increases, and sweating may occur. In this state, our bodies are readied for action and our behavior becomes hyper-reactive. Practicing physiological awareness, or “self-monitoring” means we are able to identify that our fight-or-flight system has gotten the better of us and we are able hit the pause button. Interrupting the amygdala’s activation and letting the mind and body cool down is a simple, yet critical step in taking control over anger. Labeling what we are feeling, deep breathing, meditation, exercise, and yoga are some proven ways of regulating emotion.

RECONNECTING TO OUR PROBLEM-SOLVING CAPACITY

Writes Greenberg and Goldman in Emotion-Focused Couples Therapy (2008), “in couples conflict, partners rapidly explode with rage or freeze in fear well before they have any conscious sense of what is happening or can regulate their emotional response (p.21).” Practicing a time-out when one or both partners is flooded with anger increases the likelihood that, upon reconvening later, the capacity for problem solving and perspective turn-taking will have returned. This is because when we are filled with anger our capacity for creative thinking and problem solving is blocked. The part of the brain engaged in these processes, the pre-frontal cortex, goes completely off-line. If we can reduce the anger to a moderate level of arousal, we can engage in a thoughtful, systemic examination of the problem. Taking a break/hitting pause allows us to slow down and get in touch with our ability for reflection. I advise clients to use the time-out to focus on what you want the other person to really hear and understand about you. I remind clients that the anger response does the opposite – makes it near impossible for people to hear your needs. And, the anger response almost always leads to more conflict. This is because anger causes us to experience cognitive or perceptual distortions and deficiencies. We become governed by biased attributional thinking, meaning the stories we tell ourselves about why things happen are inherently negative.

SHORT TERM V. LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES

In the short term, anger often leads to compliance. However, intimidation to get what you want is irrevocably costly to interpersonal relationships. Your child or spouse may do what you want, but lose respect for you, carry resentment, and conceal things from you in the future to avoid your reactivity. Remembering that frequent and excessive anger will lead to dishonesty in your relationships long term is a tool to help you choose the pause button.

PAY ATTENTION TO THE THOUGHTS

To adopt alternative responses we need to first understand that our thoughts drive our feelings. Identifying the thoughts that are associated with anger episodes is the first step to reclaiming control and choice. When we become conscious of the self-talk that precedes the anger, we can begin to build flexibility around those rigid thought patterns or core beliefs. We can draw out the thread of self-talk and engage in a meaningful dialogue with that narrative which underlies the anger. If we learn to tune in our inner worlds, anger can cue our attention toward a more vulnerable primary emotion like shame or fear that is the root cause of the anger. The Tree Metaphor (see image) is one I share with clients often to help them understand that our behavioral displays are the surface level defenses that we use to manage and hide our underlying emotional experience.

USING ANGER TO OUR BENEFIT

Suppressing anger is not a healthy alternative either; internalizing anger can lead to depression and deteriorate self-esteem. Therefore, we want to strive for the healthy middle ground where we are open to what anger wants us to pay attention to, but we aren’t carried away with angry behavior. Anger can be a very valuable emotion, in fact. It can alert us to important boundary violations. Anger tells us that we need to pay attention to our needs. When we, in turn, express ourselves respectfully to others, this feedback loop is working successfully.

Gift Ideas to Promote Mental and Emotional Wellness All Year Round

By Rachel D. Miller, AMFT

Gift giving is part of many family holiday traditions. Trying to find the perfect gift can add pressure to an already stressful season. If you’re searching for some last-minute gift ideas, consider contributing to the mental and emotional well-being of your loved ones with one of these suggestions.

Tiny Humans

Slumberkins

These adorable stuffed creature and book sets were designed by two mothers with backgrounds in family therapy and early education to support a full range of early emotional wellbeing. Their goal according to their website is to “help families raise resilient, caring, and confident children.” The one pictured here is the Authenticity Unicorn. They also have a Mindfulness Yeti, Gratitude Honeybear, and Conflict Resolution Hammerhead. These are great for the littles on your list and might even be loved by some of the bigger kids.

Elementary Schoolers

Mad Dragon

A card game geared for ages 6-12. Fans of Uno will already understand the basic concept. Kids learn through this interactive game about the many choices they have around how to express and process anger. This is a favorite with my younger clients. It has even made its way to family functions where the kids have a great time getting the grown-ups to talk about what my nephew has dubbed “hard feelings.” Mad Dragon is perfect for those needing a gift under $25.

What you Do Matters Books

This box set includes the titles, What Do You Do With an Idea?, What Do You Do With a Problem?, and What Do You Do With a Chance?.

What Do You Do With an Idea? is a story for anyone, at any age, who’s ever had an idea that seemed too big, too odd, too difficult. It’s a story to inspire you to welcome that idea, to give it space to grow, and to see what happens next.

What Do You Do With a Problem? is the story of a persistent problem and the child who isn’t so sure what to make of it. The longer he avoids the problem, the bigger it seems to get.

What Do You Do With a Chance? inspires kids of all ages and parents alike to find the courage to go for the opportunities that come their way.

Tweens and Teens

Big Life Journal

For the tween/teen in your life who is looking to discover the power of their brain and mindset and needing understand they oversee their own happiness, this might be the right gift. This journal will help turn their self-talk from negative into positive and empowering. It will guide them through setting goals and learning to overcome challenges and setbacks. The Big Life Journal uses science to help teens “develop a resilient, growth mindset so they can grow into confident, happy adults.” The company also has a version for the elementary school set.

Mental Health App Subscriptions

Rates of anxiety and depression are rapidly increasing among tweens and teens. And while there are mixed reports amongst the scientific community about the cause of this rise, there is a way to utilize the phones that are practically an extra appendage for most teens to empower them to manage their mental health. Apps are available to assist in tracking moods, improve emotion recognition, and teach skills such as meditation and mindfulness. Many of these apps are free but have certain paid subscription or in app purchase options. A few worth checking out are: Sanvello, 10% Happier, and Moodpath.

For All Ages

Weighted Blanket

For your loved ones who have trouble sleeping, or struggle with anxiety or PTSD, this gift can feel like a life saver. It helps relax your body by simulating the feeling of being held or hugged. Let’s be honest, we could probably all use one of these in our lives.

Light Therapy Lamp

Winter can be challenging. Light therapy has been shown to elevate mood, improve sleep quality and concentration levels, increase the effectiveness of antidepressants, and decrease the intensity of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) symptoms.

Puzzles

Puzzles have been shown to improve short term memory and visual-spatial reasoning. They are a wonderful tool for practicing meditation and mindfulness. Some studies even suggest that regularly doing puzzles can reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s. Football fans might be interested to hear Rob Gronkowski talk on CBS Sunday Morning recently about how he uses puzzles to help him slow down, reduce his anxiety, and improve his focus. Utilize puzzles to facilitate some needed alone time or make them a connecting activity done with the whole family.

White Noise Machine

There is lots of buzz about the importance of sleep, specifically good quality sleep. It has been shown to elevate moo, increase mental focus, and improve heart health. A white noise machine can assist in helping to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

Sunrise Simulation Alarm Clock

For the non-morning person in your life, or those who struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), this gentle, sunrise simulation wake-up might be the thing they need to start their morning on a better note. This brand’s clinical research claims it will “wake you up with improved mood and energy level.”

While far from exhaustive, hopefully this gives a place to start, or maybe finish, your holiday shopping list. Happy Holidays to you and yours!

December Survival Guide

By Sasha Taskier, LMFT

As we begin to embark on the holiday season, many of us are both excited for the holidays and the New Year, and equally stressed out by the demands that seem to follow in tow. Between social engagements, complicated family dynamics and the financial stressors associated with gift giving and holiday spending - what is meant to be joyful and celebratory, often becomes stressful. I’ve put together a list of topics that tend to come up around this time for many of my clients, friends (& myself!), with some reflections and resources meant to help us better navigate this season with intention and peace.

Schedules

Somehow, it feels like between Thanksgiving and New Years, there are very few, free days and nights on the calendar. Either there are work deadlines that needs to be met, or every spare moment is dedicated to holiday parties, to meals with family and friends and travel. While in theory, many of these things are supposed to bring us joy (and they are all meant to be fun!), it can feel overwhelming.

● What can you say no to?

• In an ideal world we would all have the energy for the dinners, the work events, the cooking, the gift exchanges etc. etc. and that may be too much for some of us. What on your calendar can you say no to? Sending a simple message to the host, explaining that you are overwhelmed and need to cancel (but wish them well, and are thinking of them!), is important for your mental health and stress levels AND sets an example for healthy boundaries that everyone can benefit from during this season.

• This is phenomenal book on helping us to learn to say no to avoid burnout (and lots of other things!)

● Can I take time for myself?

• What does your work week look like? Can you reserve a night (or two?) for some necessary R&R? Perhaps blocking off a few hours over the weekend to relax, recharge and unplug. Maybe this means taking yourself to a movie, or ordering in dinner and eating in your pajamas. Whatever you need.

• If you are partnered, ask him or her to support you in this quest. Can they clean the house for you, or make you dinner? if you are co-parenting, can they occupy the child/ren for a few hours and allow you some quality time alone, or time with friends? Can you gift this to each other?

● Gratitude reframe: While this is all overwhelming, and it is important to honor your limits, a powerful reframe to this conundrum is to focus on how grateful you feel to have friends who invite you places and a community that wants you to be present and involved.

Family

As we’re all riding the coattails of Thanksgiving, it feels important to acknowledge the significant focus on family during this holiday season; it can feel incredibly complicated and charged for many of us. Perhaps there has been a recent loss in your family and that person’s absence is felt acutely; or, perhaps there has been tension and conflict in your family for a long time (for a myriad of reasons) and you are feeling especially anxious to leave your environment to enter theirs for the holidays.

Whatever the reason, this season can exacerbate some of these pain points. The juxtaposition of the ‘cheery, happy family’ expectation (and hope) over the holidays, can feel even more disappointing when it comes up against the reality of the ‘complicated, sometimes happy, sometimes sad, sometimes fighting, family.’ Each year many of us enter into the season wishing for an idealized version of our family, and each year, we are faced with the reality.

● Use Thanksgiving (and Holidays in years past) as helpful data

• Think back to last year, or even this most recent Thanksgiving. How did your family dynamics feel? What were your hopes and expectations going into the day, and what was it really like? Were there specific moments that felt / feel painful; why?

• Use your experience and reflections to help formulate a plan for what you might need. For example: Did you do better when you were helping in the kitchen - volunteer to cook something. Do you know you need a break in the middle of the day - offer to run an errand, or go for a walk!

● This was a fantastic conversation on the topic and a helpful resource. (You can listen to it too, via Kate Arends and Dr. Anna Roth)

● Gratitude reframe: No family is perfect, but it is true that some dynamics are much harder than others and there are some familial wounds that have yet to heal, and may never heal. I invite you to hold that truth, and practice gratitude for our family in whatever way you can. Perhaps it is gratitude for health, for presence, for a nostalgic meal; for the way our siblings can still make us laugh until we cry even as adults.

Financial Stressors & Gift giving

What is meant to be a season of gratitude, giving, peace and joy - has also turned (for many of us) into a consumerism bender. Many of us live in communities in which gift giving is a requisite and the financial expectations around the holidays can be especially stressful. Here are a few thoughts:

● Be intentional with the gifts you are buying

• Many of us already have so much more than we really need. It’s easy to feel stuck on the consumer treadmill that tells us we need new things and we need more of them, but I invite you to challenge that assumption.

• Between Thanksgiving and New Years, we will throw out an extra 25 million tons of garbage this year. (via Simply Zero)

• Can you gift experiences? Rather than gifting toys or things, could you gift someone an a shared memory? (for example, a trip to the Aquarium, or a concert to look forward to together.)

• Presence > Presents! Gift your family and friends opportunities to support each other (for example, babysitting coupons for your friends/family with kids; cooking a delicious meal for someone and sharing it together.)

• Give back.

■ We know that giving back is good for our communities, cities and the world, but it also is good for us. Consistent acts of giving back have been linked to less stress, higher self esteem, lower blood pressure, better mood and longer life expectancy. Win win!

■ In lieu of gifts, you could make a donation for each person in your circle to a cause that they are passionate about!

■ If you’re in Chicago, here is a great resource to find volunteer opportunities this season: Chicago Cares

Wintertime is hard!

On top of all of this, the days are short, the sun can be a bit elusive, and it’s cold outside! These conditions do not necessarily make it easier to keep a positive mindset. Be gentle with yourself and each other.

• Think Hygge / and this

• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression related to the seasons; read about it here; many find comfort in regular psychotherapy, and SAD lights.

• A helpful resource in choosing a ‘happy lamp’

• Get outside! Go for a walk - try to soak up the vitamin D available and get some fresh air when you can!

Wishing you all a restful and joyful holiday season.

Take care of yourselves and each other.

Lessons on Truth and Love from Tara Westover

By Michaela Choy, AMFT

A major way I continue learning as a therapist is through reading. Writers have a beautiful ability to capture what it is to be human. Through stories I am exposed to many worlds that are different from my own which builds my empathy, curiosity, and connection to others.

One of my favorite books that I reference in therapy and reflect on in my personal life is Educated, a memoir by Tara Westover. In her story, she shares the experience of being a Mormon, white woman growing up on a mountain in Idaho with her family. Her world is extreme and insular. Paranoia keeps the family isolated, the children do not attend school, and the family is wary of western medicine. The family is fixated on the end of the world and spends it’s time burying fuel and canning peaches. Some of the details are so shocking, and truthfully, so disturbing, I couldn’t believe this was real or a relatable experience. The more I read, the more I saw the humanity in her story and themes that connect us all. Two of these themes include the danger of mistaking your reality as the only truth and maintaining loving boundaries with difficult and hurtful family members.

Our version of the truth.

“Everything I had worked for, all my years of study, had been to purchase for myself this one privilege: to see and experience more truths than those given to me by my father, and to use those truths to construct my own mind.”

Our perspective of the world is shaped by our personal experiences and the people around us. Much of this is influenced by our caregivers. From this, we develop rules that guide our ability to move through the world informing our choices and how we see ourselves and others. In the beginning of Westover’s story, the rules are clear: men have power and influence, higher education is a waste of time, and the only people you can trust are your family. Additionally, her father encouraged a specific version of history - one that excluded slavery and the Holocaust.

Westover shares that for a long time, she experienced her father’s observations and beliefs as truth instead of truth particular to him. It was only after she spent time learning new versions of history and witnessing other paths in life, did she realize the narrowness of her lens. Westover stresses the recognition that our version of the world is not the only version, rather it is one of many perspectives. Our ability to hold multiple perspectives for ourselves and others, and to entertain many paths for ourselves and others, is crucial in the development of respect and empathy. Many of us accept our family rules and expectations as the only way, and we must all go through the journey of deciding for ourselves what is worth keeping and what is worth expanding.

Maintaining distance in order to love.

“You can love someone, and still choose to say goodbye to them.”

“You can miss a person everyday and still be glad they are no longer in your life.”

Later in the book, Westover is confronted with the agonizing choice to distance herself from her family. Later in her journey, it becomes clear that they do not accept the woman she has become and the way she sees the world. They are challenging and disapproving, and it is painful and unsafe to be around them. Westover concludes that in order to keep loving them, she can’t have them in her life.

Often we conflate love for family with an obligation to persevere through pain and suffering in order to maintain the relationship. Our society stresses that family is everything and we must stay in relationship at all costs. This pressure comes up so much in my work with clients. The guilt from holding boundaries and the pain from missing our family makes holding a boundary seem wrong. Westover’s story offers a compassionate viewpoint on the decision to distance: whether or not her family belongs in her life is separate from her love for them. Westover continues to love her family AND maintains distance in order to protect herself. She recognizes that in order for her family to be in her life, they must change, and whether or not they change is something she has no control over. These are powerful lessons we need to hear especially around the holidays. You have permission to hold boundaries. It doesn’t mean that you love your family any less, and you cannot change them, they hold that power and privilege for themselves.

This book is thought-provoking, validating, and connecting. I’m looking forward to reading this again soon.

References:

Westover, T. (2018). Educated: A memoir. Random House.

Domestic Violence: The Signs, Escalation, and Realization

By Rachel Miller, M.A., AMFT

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

The Department of Justice in 2016 defined intimate partner violence (IPV), more commonly known as domestic violence, as “a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner.  It can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone.”

You’re pretty sure you’d recognize that if it was happening to you, aren’t you? You feel secure in your belief that you would know if it was happening to someone you care about too, don’t you? Unfortunately, that does not often prove true.

IPV rarely starts with a punch in the gut, a slap to the face, a commandeering of your financial resources, or a partner screaming obscenities at you in private. Like most relationships, abusive ones begin with a courtship. A new partner woos you, showers you with attention, affection, gifts, fabulous dates, maybe all the above. You have deep, connecting conversations. It feels like you’ve known each other forever. You fall in love. You begin to plan a future with this person. Maybe you move in together or get married. Things are good. You’re happy.

Along the way small things don’t sit well with you but no one is perfect, right? You can’t expect her to like all your friends or get along with everyone in your family. All couples fight, don’t they? It’s sweet he wants you to spend all your time with him. They’re only thinking of your safety when they constantly ask where you’re going, where you’ve been, and want you to share your location. His jealousy is kind of endearing, isn’t it? It shows how much he cares. You’re fine sharing all your passwords with her. You don’t have anything to hide. Their critiques and criticisms are just their way of trying to help you become the best version of yourself.      

You don’t see family and friends as much these days. Those nasty things he said were “just jokes” or maybe you really were being “too sensitive.” She has trouble managing her temper, but lots of people do. She always apologizes. When did you start spending so much of your day walking on eggshells trying to manage his emotions, prevent a fight, or avoid the barrage of criticisms? Why can’t they just be at home the way they are when you’re out with friends? It’s like living with two different people.

But it’s not all bad. You have good times too. And you really love the fun, kind, loving, generous side of him. Vacation this year was amazing. She was so supportive when your dad passed. You had a fun date night last week. He was wonderful when you lost your job. She’s a great mom. He does so much for the community. You have an incredible life on the outside. Maybe you shouldn’t complain, it could be worse. Maybe you just need to go to couples therapy to work through some of these issues because you truly love each other.

As more time passes you start to wonder if you’re losing your mind. Things you know happened, things you said or heard are denied with such conviction you doubt your own memory. Is this gaslighting? No, it can’t be. Gaslighting is abuse, isn’t it? You’re not being abused. You’d know if you were being abused. He doesn’t hit you. You’re a man. Would people even believe you if you said your wife was abusing you? You still go to work, see friends, spend time with family. You’re not isolated. It can’t be abuse. You’re gay. IPV doesn’t happen in non-hetero relationships, does it? You’re a strong, educated, successful person. People like you don’t end up in abusive relationship, do they?

An abusive relationship can escalate quickly, or the abuse can intensify over years. The tactics can be overt, or subversive and coercive in nature. When you’re in it, you rarely see the patterns of the violence or the power and control being wielded. Think of the frog in placed in cold water who never realizes he’s being boiled to death as the temperature is slowly turned up. As much as we want to believe we would recognize an abusive relationship if we were in it and we’d leave the minute we realized it, the research and statistics indicate these are not true.

Domestic violence does not care about your gender, age, race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, or level of education. It does not discriminate. It impacts all of us. October is the perfect time to educate yourself on not only the signs of an abusive relationship, but also the hallmarks of a healthy one. Society, the media, and abusers perpetuate many myths about domestic violence. Take this opportunity to determine how many of these you have taken as truth. Learn how you can help those you know and love who are being abused. This is also a good time to sit with the idea that if you know someone who is being abused, and since according to statistics 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men experience IPV you clearly do, you also know someone who abuses. We all have a responsibility to hold abusers accountable as well as believe and support victims and survivors.

If any of the scenarios presented above resonate or feel familiar, help is available.

National Domestic Violence Hotline

Between Friends Chicago

Arab American Family Services

KAN-WIN

Center on Halsted

Other Chicagoland resource can be found here.

If you are recovering from an abusive relationship, therapy can help. Contact our office today.

How to Better Cope, Help, and Balance Your Needs in Our Political/Environmental/Emotional World

By Sasha Taskier, LMFT

As of September 1st, 2019, “which was the 244th day of the year, there have been 283 mass shootings in the U.S.” (source); we have experienced more shootings than days. As I type this, Hurricane Dorian is barreling its way across the Bahamas and towards the southeastern coast of the United States and families are still being separated at our borders and within our country. Between these catastrophic natural disasters and terrifying acts of terrorism, we are living in a climate of fear that can wreak havoc on our emotional wellness and mental health.

I know I have struggled to navigate my own feelings on these topics and the state of our political and environmental climate, but it comes up in my therapy sessions on an almost daily basis. I have cried with parents who cannot fathom the idea of their child being taken away from them and I have empathized with parents who are scared to send their kids to school or let their teenagers go to outdoor concerts for fear of yet another mass shooting. People are trying to understand how they can be more mindful of the environment and how that can impact some of their most intimate choices (like, should we have children if we do not know what the planet will look like in the next 50 years?).

Most of us are trying to understand how to live our normal, daily lives while we simultaneously fear for the safety of ourselves and our loved ones. It is taking an emotional toll, and it’s creating a spike in our collective anxiety.

Here are some topics to consider on the subject:

Media Intake

Limit your media; Either tune in occasionally in order to stay engaged and informed, or curate your intake very intentionally (ie. choose one podcast, or one newspaper), but do not feel bad turning off your twitter feed, turning off the news or closing your computer for some time. You are not disengaged or unfeeling if you decide not to watch violent footage, or become inundated with negative news cycles. It is imperative to create boundaries to protect your mental health and to respect your own limitations.

Meaningful tips on media consumption, from Brené Brown.

Seek Support

If you notice a rise in your fear and anxiety, or you’re struggling to manage your emotions as these tragic events continue to unfold, it might be worthwhile to seek some additional support. You can search for a therapist by zip code and/or specialty through Psychology Today.

Collective Healing

Reach out to friends and family. We are creatures of connection – and in times of threat and despair, we sometimes need to embrace our inner ‘pack animal.’ Put down your phone, and spend time with your people IRL; presence can be healing. Additionally, if you know someone who may not have family or friends nearby, reach out to them: invite them for coffee or have them over for dinner. Even something as simple as a text to tell someone you are thinking of them and hoping they are ok, means more to them than you realize. No one should have to feel alone during such a scary and uncertain time.

Get Involved

There is nothing worse than the feeling of helplessness that follow these horrific events; No, we cannot change what has taken place, but there is enormous healing in engagement and collective action. You can turn towards your local community and find a volunteer opportunity nearby. Connecting and helping in person may feel especially rewarding.

• If you’re in Chicago, this is a great resource: https://www.chicagocares.org/

If you are feeling compelled to turn your attention towards gun reform, these organizations have opportunities both to donate and volunteer. There are numerous events and meetings around Chicagoland - just search below:

• Every Town for Gun Safety: https://everytown.org/

• Moms Demand Action: https://momsdemandaction.org/

Red Cross - you can donate directly to those who have been impacted by Hurricane Dorian

[Unfortunately, I felt inclined to write a similar blog post almost two years ago after the Las Vegas shooting, which occurred right on the heels of a shooting in Texas, and the horrific earthquake in Mexico City. You can read my thoughts and many recycled tips from October 2017, here]

The Both/And Perspective

By Michaela Choy, AMFT

What is the both/and perspective? It’s the ability to hold seemingly opposing ideas or many concepts at once. It can feel unnatural to think this way. Our brains like a clear story (as Brené Brown discusses in her talk: The Call to Courage). We like to know what’s good or bad and what’s right or wrong (Restrepo, 2019). This creates a false sense of reality because it’s not the full story. Our human experiences are far more complex. In my work as a therapist, I’ve witnessed heartbreak in the same moment as deep connection, and I’ve seen moments of anger alongside compassion. It’s more accurate to hold the both/and perspective, and it’s far more connecting.

Think of areas in your life where the temptation to categorize in an either/or way come up for you. Some obvious examples are politics, friendships, and how we reflect on our days. If we disagree with someone’s political views, we are quick to categorize them as bad people when perhaps they are well-meaning people who have hard views (this is particularly challenging to shift into today). If you are hurt by a close friend, you may be quick to label them as careless and hurtful, when perhaps they did hurt you and are also a loving and loyal presence in your life. If you made a mistake at work and have a difficult day, you may characterize the day as disastrous. Consider, however, in the same day, good moments where your coworkers rallied around you, your boss showed compassion, and other moments where you had small successes. It’s more accurate to say you had a hard day AND good moments peppered into it.

If you find yourself using an either/or mindset, attempt to pause and challenge yourself. Is this person wholly evil? Was my day all bad? Shifting into the both/and perspective opens the door for connection, understanding, and compassion towards your experiences and people in your life. You can honor your true experience and make space for more information in the story.

Below are some areas I suggest practicing your both/and lens.

- Politics

- Holiday experiences

- Moments with family or friends

- Work days

- Reflection on past romantic partnerships

- Race (For all – especially multiracial people. See this talk for more perspective and information.)

- Gender (see the genderbread person for more information)

Resources:

Killerman, S. (2017). Breaking through the binary: gender explained using continuums. Retrieved from: https://www.genderbread.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Breaking-through-the-Binary-by-Sam-Killermann.pdf

Meraji, S., & Demby, G. (2017, June). Racial imposter syndrome. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/06/08/462395722/racial-impostor-syndrome-here-are-your-stories

Restrepo, Sandra. (2019). The Call to Courage. United States: Netflix

3 Common Relationship Myths to Unsubscribe From

By Caitlin Nelson, LMFT

1.     Never go to bed angry

While the intention behind this belief is positive, the application of it can actually cause some conflict to escalate. When we are tired, we become more irritable and quick to anger. Often times sleep is all that is needed to calm yourself down and regulate your emotions. Next time you are arguing before bed, agree to set it aside and try again in the morning. Remind yourself that the relationship is ok even though there is conflict. A helpful way to acknowledge this is to find some way to still say “I love you” or “I still care about you even though we are fighting” before going to bed. You may find that after getting some sleep you are less upset the next morning and better able to have the conversation.

2.     If they cared, they would know what I need/feel

Your partner is not a mind reader, and neither are you. The only way for your partner to know exactly what you need, or are feeling, is for you to tell them! We are each responsible for our own emotions, and for communicating those emotions and needs to our partner. If you need more physical touch in the relationship, ask for it. If you are stressed out and need a break from the kids, ask for it. If you are feeling sad and need some one-on-one time with your partner ask for it. Your partner cannot give you what you need if you do not tell them what that need is.

3.     If it’s meant to be, it should be easy

Relationships are hard work! Our society has ingrained in us that love is easy and conquers all. This has done us a huge disservice in our understanding of a healthy relationship and our ability to have a healthy relationship. We have to put work and effort into most things in our lives - careers, kids, working out, eating healthy, financial planning, etc - so why would relationships be any different? Try thinking about relationships as one of the most important investments in your life (we are social creatures and all need to be in relation with others) and begin valuing the work you put into them, instead of resenting it.

What is your relationship to your screen(s)? And how does it show up in your relationships?

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By Sasha Taskier, LMFT

There may be hours throughout the day when I haven’t looked at my phone, and haven’t even picked it up from my night table the evening before. But there are certainly many (many) other moments when I find myself mindlessly scrolling, using my phone for one thing (like, checking the weather) only to find myself texting, or on Instagram, and completely forgetting to check if it is actually going to rain. Perhaps worse, my partner or my child will be talking to me, needing my undivided presence and attention, and I will be distracted by my phone. I will readily admit that my relationship with my screens, isn’t where I’d like it to be, nor is it what I want to be modeling as a parent.

I know I am not alone in this quest. Almost every client (or friend, or family member) I talk to about their phone use, will readily admit that they use their phone too much. That social media brings depression and anxiety to their lives yet they can’t find a way to stop. For many of us, our phones are the last thing we look at before bed, and the first thing we look at when we wake up. And it is making an impact on us, and our relationships.

A few thoughts for those of us who may be wanting a reset button on our screens:

• Designate a few times a day when you do not have your phone out. Perhaps this is during your morning routine, as you make coffee and prepare for the day. I would highly recommend tech-free meals - which creates an opportunity to have a more mindful eating experience, but also, to connect with your colleagues during lunch time (or quietly by yourself!) and your loved ones at the end of the day.

• Utilize your screen time app. Apple came out with the capacity for us to better track our phone usage. You can set app limits (I try to do only 30 minutes on social media a day!) There is a “downtime” option, which allows you to go semi-dark from your calls and apps. Overall, it’s helpful to see how much time you are on your phone. The number might be absolutely shocking, and can be a great starting place to reassess your usage. Some tips on how to do this effectively, here.

• How much do you talk to your partner during the day? Many of us are in constant contact with our partners and friends throughout the day. Whether that is texting, Instagram messaging, Snap chatting etc. Try limiting your contact throughout the day, and make the moment when you get home from work an opportunity to actually hear about your partner’s day. It’s easy to tune out if you have already heard everything through text in a play by play starting at 9 am. Make the end of day reunion a meaningful opportunity to connect, tech-free.

• Make a tech-free date night. The majority of the couples I work with talk about increasing intimacy, connection, and communication as their main goals. One of the go-to interventions is date night. But, if date night is spent with one or both partners on their phones, or constantly being pulled out of the IRL conversation to respond to a text or a call elsewhere, our ability to open up, become more vulnerable and intimate is hampered. Turn your phone on silent, put it away and look at each other.

A few other articles on the topic:

How Your Smartphone Might Sabotage Your Relationship

Tips for Parents to Put Away their Phones

Screen Time is Sabotaging Our Relationships

Does Screen Time Mess Up our Relationships?

Using a Time Out

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By Michaela Choy, AMFT

Conflict is an inevitable part of being in relationship. It can be productive, but it can also be hurtful. When conflict becomes reactive and explosive, we need to find ways of calming down in order to prevent further damage. During these times, our brains respond by initiating a fight, flight, or freeze response. When this gets activated, we are no longer in the conversation to connect and understand our partner, but we are attempting to survive and defend using any means possible. This is very dangerous territory for relationships. When this occurs, consider taking a time out (Fishbane, 2013).

To be effective, time outs must be used with intention. It’s recommended that couples discuss guidelines before using this tool. This helps partners develop a sense of safety during their time apart and know exactly what to expect. Here are some great guidelines to consider.

1. Call a time out with tact. Saying that you need time apart with a hard tone, exaggerated volume, or nasty non-verbal cues will only make things worse. Take a deep breath and speak as calmly as possible. Some suggested phrases are:

   “Hey, I think I need some time to cool down before we talk about this more, let’s take a time out.”

   “I want to talk about this more, but I need a break. Let’s take a time out.”

2. Agree upon the amount of time that you will spend apart. Research shows that when your emotions are escalated, it takes 20 minutes at minimum to cool off. Your time out should be no shorter than 20 minutes. 30 minutes is my recommendation to couples (Fishbane, 2013).

3. Use time apart intentionally. If you use this time to ruminate on your anger and allow your hard feelings to grow, entering back into a conversation with your partner will cause damage. Take a walk, practice deep breathing, or find alternative ways of soothing yourself. Only when you are calm should you reengage.

4. Decide who will initiate the conversation again. I recommend that the partner that calls the time out is the partner that initiates the conversation again.

Using this tool can help us reach a place where we can find connection during disagreements versus fighting with reactivity. When done well, you can increase your chances of resolving hard conversations without further hurting your partner.

Resources:

Fishbane, M. D. (2013). Loving with the Brain in Mind: Neurobiology and Couple Therapy (Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology). WW Norton & Company.

Transition to Parenthood Series

By Sasha Taskier, LMFT

Conversations for Expectant Parents - Part 2

In part 1 of this series, I discussed the importance of setting some time aside with your partner and/or future co-parent to discuss some of the topics that might be helpful to connect over and learn both how you are feeling and thinking about the topic, as well as your partner/co-parent. It is often surprising what can come out of these conversations, and it is always helpful to learn about your partner’s hopes, assumptions and fears prior to the moment you are faced with a difficult decision or conversation. 

Part 2 is perhaps a little less sexy, but just as important! The topics of discussion in this post are Finances, Maternity & Paternity leave/ Family Leave and the transition to Childcare. Again, the point of these conversations is not to set anything in stone, but to begin to understand your own thoughts and feelings around these topics, and to better understand your partners’ as well. With a deeper, more clear understanding of your wishes and goals in these areas, you can begin to plan and make decisions with greater intention.

Finances

This is a tricky topic because of course, every family has different budgets and financial capabilities and constraints. Decisions around building a family and all that entails, require thoughtful financial consideration; many choices are measured by both priority and financial constraints. A few things to think about and discuss:

-       What does our current family budget look like, and how do we expect it to change?

-       For couples that currently keep separate accounts, and put their shared expenses into a joint account or credit card, how do you hope to divvy up these new financial responsibilities?

-       Have we budgeted for our hospital stay? (despite those lucky few with fantastic insurance, you will likely be required to pay a significant hospital bill at the end of your stay.)

-       It may be helpful to a) talk with your healthcare provider to understand what hospital you will be delivering at and b) connect with your insurance provider to understand a potential range (it will vary for every birth due to length of stay/ procedures done, etc.)

-       Have we created a fund to help us buffer the transition between a two person home and three person home?

-       If one parent decides to stay home with baby, what will that look like for our budget and how do we navigate this shift in roles? (this deserves its very own post!)

-       Are there people in our lives who may have recently gone through this transition? Can we talk to them about their financial experience and things to be mindful of?

-       What are our expectations of ourselves and our partners financially as we transition to becoming parents? Perhaps this taps into our family of origin model, or traditional gender roles we witnessed growing up or are actively working not to replicate.

-       Do we have someone that can help us navigate our financial goals?

-       Have we thought about creating a will and getting life & disability insurance?

-       Are we able to begin saving for our child? Perhaps discussing a savings account and/or a 529 education plan with a financial advisor may be a goal within the first few years.

Maternity & Paternity Leave

This topic aligns really closely with finances. Many parents in the United States do not get paid leave; in fact, the US is the only developed nation in the world that does not have a national mandate for paid family leave. That being said, many companies do offer paid maternity leave for a certain amount of time, and the topic of paternal leave is becoming more open and accepted.

Discussion questions:

-       Do you know if your employer offers paid maternity and paternity leave?

-       For how long?

-       Is there room to extend, perhaps at a partial pay rate?

-       What is the culture around taking this time in your workplace? (this may be especially relevant to working fathers where parental leave has not been the norm or expectation.)

-       What are the spoken and unspoken expectations for yourself and your partner?

-       Ideally, how much time would you like to take off after the birth?

-       How does the idea of taking time off work feel for you? Is it a relief? Is it anxiety inducing? Maybe both!

-       Does it have longer term ramifications on your role/standing/potential for promotion etc.?

-       If there is no paid leave, how will that impact your choices and your family’s financial position?

-       Is this something you can begin to save for, in order to create a financial buffer?

Childcare transition

Depending on where you live, the demand for child care may be very high. In Chicago (and other major cities across the country,) it is recommended to put your name on a waiting list for daycares in the early months of pregnancy in order to get a spot by the time you are ready to go back to work. Or, you may decide you want a babysitter/nanny, you may have family upon whom you can rely for childcare. Or, you may decide to stay home with your child. There is no right or wrong choice - it’s about what is best for your family, your needs, and your budget (and remember, these decisions are not set in stone; you can always alter the plan if one decision is no longer working for you and your family!)

Discussion questions:

-       What are the specific professional constraints of our jobs? (for example: do you work late evenings, weekends, half days, etc.)

-       How do these specific schedules align with childcare decisions?

-       For example: Working late may be challenging with a daycare that closes at a specific hour. Working part time may lend towards a part-time babysitter for flexibility. Working weekends may require a special scenario, unless a co-parent can step in.

-       What is our childcare budget, and how do we decide that?

-       Do we have beliefs or thoughts about what would be best for our family?

-       Do we have spoken or unspoken concerns or fears about this step, or a specific option?

-       Do our families/ support systems/ friends have opinions that they have made known to us? How does that impact our feelings and decisions?

I am sure there are a number of important topics that can be included in this list. Think of this as a place to start, and use this as a resource and a conversation catalyst. See what doors open as you begin to explore and question some of these decisions, individually and as a couple.

You can read Part 1: here

You can read more Transition to Parenthood posts, here:

-       Postpartum Depression

-       Becoming a Mother

-       Couple & Co-Parent Conflict

-       Sex after Baby

-       The First Year of Parenthood

Transition to Parenthood Series

By Sasha Taskier, LMFT

Conversations for Expectant Parents - Part 1

There are a million and one things I wish I had known before becoming a parent; how to put a breast pump together, how to decipher between hungry tears or tired tears, how to manage sleep deprivation without screaming at my spouse, how and when to introduce solid foods successfully. The list goes on and on; the fact is, most of this stuff is learned “on the job” - and that can be hard to prepare for (especially because so many things will be unique to your family and your baby.)

However, there are a few topics that I think every soon-to-be parent would benefit from spending time talking with their partner and thinking about, so that when the time comes, less of your precious energy is spending working through these logistics and making hard decisions, and more of it can be focused on taking care of yourself, your partner, and your new baby.

This is Part One of a two-part series in which I’ll introduce my first 3 topics: Birth Plan & Preparation, Feeding (Breast & Bottle), and Support & Family; I’ve included open-ended questions related to each of these areas in the hopes that it helps you to get the conversation started!

Birth Plan & Preparation

There is often great emphasis on this aspect of the pregnancy; in the US, our medical model requires multiple check ups with doctors and birthing professionals, and even, preparatory classes focused specifically on labor and the birthing process. Of course, these are exceptionally helpful, but I fear they can also give women a false sense of control over a process that requires flexibility, and potentially a last minute change.

There can also be a great amount of shame and pressure attached to this process; some women feel judged for their choices - whether it is the choice to birth without the use of medication, or the choice to use medication and/or an epidural. There is even shame attached to cesarean births - when a mother feels like a failure for not being able to have a vaginal birth or feels like her meticulous birthing plan has already gone awry.

One lovely and comforting response to this topic comes from doula Erica Chidi Cohen & author of Nurture, (one of my favorite pregnancy resources). She writes:

Currently, the term ‘natural birth’ creates more division than cohesion between women, which is what I think makes it problematic. ‘Natural’ is not an explanatory term and it doesn’t give women agency to optimize their birthing experience, especially for the predominant number of births taking place in hospitals. You can advocate for yourself better by using the real terms. When I hear a client say they would like to have a ‘natural birth’ or ‘I’m trying to birth as naturally as possible,’ one of the first things I’ll say to them is, ‘However you’re going to move through this process is going to be natural to you.’ No matter what a birth ends up looking like, there’s nothing unnatural about it, because it’s natural for women to be pregnant and have a baby” (emphasis mine)

Discussion questions:

- Do I have either spoken or unspoken expectations of myself or my partner around labor?

- Do I have beliefs or fears around the use of medications or epidurals?

- How can my partner support me during my labor and during our hospital stay? (this is one that can be explored more usefully through resources/birthing classes)

- Who do we want in the room? Who would we like to have at the hospital?

- Where do we want to give birth? (Nurture has an excellent section on making this decision and weighing the trade offs for hospital vs. at home births.) Do we agree on this?

Breastfeeding & Bottle Feeding

Recently there has been a more open, honest dialogue about the challenges and potential difficulties related to breastfeeding. It can be painful, not intuitive, and sometimes, women require the help of a professional to teach them how to breastfeed their baby. Most of us no longer live in communities where multiple new mothers gather together at once, taken care of by their mothers, aunts and grandmothers. We are more isolated now that we have ever been in human history, and this is one area of motherhood where we see the impact.

Over recent decades there have been significant policy shifts on the breastfeeding vs. formula debate, and the impacts connected to each choice. Currently, there is a significant push from pediatricians and medical professionals to breastfeed at least until your child turns one (American Academy of Pediatrics.) However, it is important to note, that this is not the model of all developed nations, and this is often not an option (or a desire) for many women.

(I really love this resource: Fed is Best, which offers resources and support to women who are breastfeeding, bottle feeding or a combination of both!)

Discussion questions:

- Do you have spoken or unspoken expectations of yourself or your partner as it relates to feeding your newborn?

- Do you have deeply held preferences or beliefs around the choice between breast milk and formula?

- What are your beliefs around who makes these decisions? Does mom/birthing parent have veto power/ultimate choice, or is this ultimately a team decision?

- Do you know how you were fed as a child? How long did your mother breastfeed, if ever? Does that impact your decision?

- Do you plan to take a breastfeeding course, or hire a lactation consultant to help in this endeavor?

- What are ways that non-birthing parent/father can support breastfeeding partner/mom in her goals, whatever they may be?

Support & Family

There are countless models for how to incorporate family, in-laws and support systems into the arrival of your baby. Some parents want their own parents in the delivery room, some feel more comfortable with the waiting room of the hospital, and some would prefer for their family and friends to wait until they are home for a visit. There is no right answer… and it can be hard to know what you will want because (likely) you’ve never been in this situation before.

Three ideas from my own experience (that will not fit for everyone, but can give ideas!)

1. I once read the advice that after the baby comes there are no guests, just helpers (I wish I remembered who deserves credit for this line!) Meaning, if people would like to come and meet the baby, give them a job, ask them for some help, even in a small way. Perhaps, can you bring over some lunch? Would you mind walking the dog? Can you sit with the baby while I shower? Can you clean the dishes in the sink? This may feel awkward and uncomfortable, especially for those of us who struggle with asking for help - but, I can assure you, that is what your friends and family are there for, and they are happy to do it. [Extra helpful, if non birthing partner/Dad can take this on, that way, birthing partner doesn’t have to use her energy or bandwidth to think about it, especially in the early days and/or if she is breastfeeding around the clock.]

● Another point to mention; in the early days and weeks, mostly if you decide to breastfeed, the majority of the baby work will fall to the birthing parent/mom; much of the help in the early days is helping to take care of YOU (nutrition, shower, sleep, a few minutes to yourself), and your home/pets/other children/etc. Keep this in mind when you think about who can come to help you and how!

2. Create a meal train! Perhaps you’ve heard of this service - you can create a signup sheet for family and friends to bring you meals at your preferred times/dates. They can either drop off the meals or, they can stay and enjoy the food with you! We did this for our closest friends, creating opportunities for them to come over and meet the baby, and cook dinner for all of us to share together. It was a stress-free and lovely way to reconnect with our people and community and it felt a bit like hosting a dinner (without the cooking part!)

3. Be clear about your boundaries and needs. Every family has a different culture around this time; discuss with your partner what you think you will need and how much you can handle. For us, this meant, staggering visits from friends and family so that we wouldn’t be without help for the first 4-6 weeks, but we would never have more than 2-3 people visiting at one time. This will look different for everyone, but it may be helpful to create a calendar for visitors, and this is another task that non birthing partner/Dad can manage and coordinate, in order to take it off of birthing partner/Mom’s plate in the early days and weeks. It is also helpful to be clear with visitors and guests, especially if they are visiting from out of town, that you are a) either happy to host them, or b) prefer that they stay in a hotel/airbnb/with a friend etc.

Discussion questions:

- Do you have hopes or expectations for who will be around during or closely following the birth?

- Are there religious or cultural rituals/practices and expectations that need to be planned and accounted for in the early days and weeks? Who can help you organize them?

- How do you feel about visitors - staying with you, and for how long? How many people at one time would feel comfortable?

- Do you have members of your family who can be helpful at specific tasks? (ie. a great cook in the family can make dinner for everyone during their visit! Dog lovers can be in charge of walking the dog!)

- How do you want to navigate this and communicate it to friends and family? Does non birthing partner/Dad feel comfortable managing these communications, even with non family members or in-laws?

I hope this was helpful and can be a catalyst for further conversation between you and your partner / co-parent. The next conversation topics will focus on Finances, Maternity & Paternity Leave, and the Childcare transition. Keep an eye out for Part 2 in the coming weeks!

You can read more Transition to Parenthood posts, here:

- Postpartum Depression

- Becoming a Mother

- Couple & Co-Parent Conflict

- Sex after Baby

- The First Year of Parenthood

Three Tips for Finding Your Ideal Relationship

By Rachel D. Miller, MA, AMFT

If you’re in the dating game, I’m going to guess you have a list of things you’re looking for in your perfect mate. In fact, I will bet you have a few lists, even if they are just mental ones. The problem with these lists is too often they focus on qualities or characteristics that you either want or don’t want to be present in the individuals you date. You might want someone who is intelligent, well-groomed, has a good job or built like Jason Momoa. You may refuse to date someone who watches NASCAR, has poor hygiene, or is divorced. While I understand how and why we develop these lists, they fail to touch on the things that people truly want in and from a relationship. These lists might actually be keeping you from the person who could bring you the most relationship fulfillment.

When I work with individuals who feel like they just can’t win the dating game, I suggest they toss their lists. Instead I ask them to contemplate how they believe they would feel in a relationship that was deep and meaningful for them. I ask what would need to be present in the relationship, not the person, for them to feel safe, secure, and connected. This new “ideal relationship list” can be challenging so here are suggestions to get you started.

Start with what you don’t want.

Many find it easier to talk about what they don’t want rather than what they do in a relationship. After a few failed courtships, focusing on what to avoid rather than what to find feels like a more reliable endeavor. Mind set and focus can greatly impact your dating experience. When all the focus on is on making sure this new one isn’t like the last three bad ones you risk missing the potential positives.

This is an exercise I learned from Law of Attraction expert and author, Michael Losier. Whether you buy into all the hype around the Law of Attraction or think it’s bogus, this exercise repeatedly creates a shift for the singles and couples I see. Start by taking time to list the things you know you do not want in your ideal relationship. Then one by one, change the wording to figure out what you do want. For example, if you know that you don’t want a partner who takes you for granted, shift that to, “I want to be with someone who appreciates me.” This change in language may not seem like it would matter, but words have the power to change your day to day experiences and expectations. When you focus on what you’re looking for, rather what you’re trying to avoid it becomes easier to recognize it when it appears.

Examine the past.

As challenging as it can be to find the good in failed relationships, it is important to do so. It can be key to determining your needs. If your last partner was attentive and affectionate, even if only in the early stages, and that contributed to feeling loved and appreciated, you know those are things you desire in future relationships. Past relationships are incredible opportunities for learning and growth, if we choose to view them in that light.

Observe others.

We all have those couples we think are perfect. The ones we watch and say “I want what they have.” The question is, do you really? Do you know what it is about their relationship that you admire? I urge you to spend some time with those couples, observe and talk to them. Figure out what it is that makes them work or what they have that you feel you haven’t yet. You might be surprised at what you find.

No relationship is perfect, but we each have an ideal. If you don’t know what yours looks or feels like, how can you hope to find it? A partner can have all the qualities you think you’re looking for, but the relationship can still feel disconnected and unfulfilling. Get familiar with what you need and desire in a relationship. Know your ideal.