January 2025
Accountability Relationships for Compulsive Sexual Behavior
In my therapy practice, I often hear about personal experiences of accountability. Usually, though, it’s a description of failed accountability, especially when the accountability issue is compulsive sexual behavior. Let’s explore accountability from the perspective of being set up for success. Accountability can be defined as “an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions” (Webster), and as “acknowledgment and assumption of responsibility for actions, . . . (Wikipedia). Further, accountability for husbands in a marriage is set up for success by considering the following elements: Intentional/voluntary – Husbands, enter an accountability relationship by your own
December 2024
Child-Centered Co-Parenting
Navigating the world of co-parenting can be a real rollercoaster of emotions and challenges for many families, especially if you are newly separated or divorced. Effective co-parenting often starts by putting the child’s needs front and center. By focusing on what’s best for the child, parents can set aside personal differences and work together to create a supportive and loving environment for the child/children. One key piece of advice I always emphasize is never to talk badly about the other parent in front of the child/children. A child carries a blend of traits from both their mother and father, and
November 2024
6 Steps to Handling Mistakes in Parenting
Much is written about parenting, what to do, how to do it, when to do it, and so on. I know there are resources to help parents navigate their shortcomings, but they don’t seem popular or accessible. So, I thought I’d write up something on the topic and how I handle things with my kids. I tell clients all the time that I believe I am a good therapist; however, I am by no means a perfect husband or father. So what do we do when we hit our own negative defaults and wind up creating some sort of emotional
Becoming Empty Nesters
By: Alyssa Hyland, MFT-Intern, Supervised by Dr. Mark White, LMFT-S As a parent have you recently sent off your child to college and become an empty nester? Have you found that you and your partner may have strayed away from each other after all these years, feeling like there is a loss of connection or intimacy within the relationship? This feeling is common among parents who have recently become “empty nesters.” When all of the kids have moved out of the house, and it is once again just the parents. As parents, you focused so much time on your kids
Therapists Need Therapy Too
By Adrienne Rains, LMFT-Associate Supervised by Dr. Mark White As therapists, we carry a lot of things with us in our hearts, minds, and souls. We need a place to get those things out. When in school or newly licensed we have a supervisor that allows us to express ourselves in a safe place. We are constantly talked to about self-care and what our plan is, but what happens when we are finished with school and supervision and on our own in private practice and our self-care falls by the wayside? This is when therapists need to turn to other
October 2024
Burned-out
Did you know the statistics on Burnout? Let me share them with you: 70% of employees suffer from Burnout. Healthcare employees have the highest with 80%. Millennials are the most affected, with 59%. Gen Z grew from 47% to 58% in just a year. 50% of employees will look for another job if they are experiencing Burnout from their current job. 36% of employees complain that their jobs are not helping with this area. Money is not the most significant factor. There is only 6% difference between people who make 100k and 30k. 9.8 million mothers suffer from Burnout. As
June 2024
Let’s Address the Elephant in the Room
Have you ever asked yourself if it is ok to talk about sex with your therapist? The answer to that question is absolutely yes. Therapists have their own realm of expertise; every therapist knows their limits and boundaries regarding those topics. However, sex is a healthy and common thing that most humans have in common. Now, you may ask yourself why this is important. Why should I investigate this part of my life? There is no simple answer to the complexity of sex. However, sex cannot only boost your self-esteem and confidence, but it can also increase your physical health.
February 2023
From Discovery Through Recovery
There are many circumstances in life in which it is intuitive to determine what actions to take to resolve a problem. Discovering that a trusted life partner is emotionally or sexually involved with another person or that they are involved in a sexually compulsive behavior like pornography use isn’t one of those circumstances. As individuals and couples, we are designed for intimate connections, with life commitment and marriage being the most intimate. I like to explain it using the concept of power. We have in us an inborn, God-given, DNA-structured design and desire to be the most powerful intimate connection
