LOS ANGELES -- In the classic TV sitcom "Seinfeld," the boundary-violating friendship is played for laughs. When across-the-hall neighbor Kramer, practically the patron saint of overstepped boundaries, forages fridges, borrows clothes or barrels uninvited into Jerry's apartment, it's comedy gold. In real life, though, setting boundaries with ...Read more

According to the Mayo Clinic, “suicidal thoughts are the result of feeling like you can’t cope when you’re faced with what seems to be an overwhelming life situation.” The tension and sadness of anxiety and depression have led many people to making the ultimate mistake of stepping out of life before their time. This is something that ...Read more

Writing an online dating profile is daunting, but I probably don’t need to tell you that. As if talking about yourself isn’t hard enough already, you have to try to convey who you are, share your hobbies and interests, give a little bit of your background, include elements of your personality and express what you’re looking for in a ...Read more

We learn a lot in school, but unfortunately, information about work relationships is usually not offered, much less required, reading. Once you get into the working world, you may run into people who are difficult or don’t play by the rules. Here are some tips you were probably never taught in school.

1. Do your due diligence before letting ...Read more

I have a client who is lovely. Let’s call her Julia. She’s 55 years old but looks 45 (which I rarely say!), she's extremely physically active, and she has a 1,000-watt smile. I’m helping her manage her Match.com account, selecting men, arranging dates, etc.

She had a first date with a man from the site, and they met at a dimly lit bar. I ...Read more

Every online dater knows the emotional roller-coaster of the process. After spending tons of time crafting your bio and choosing photos, you finally feel all the stress and effort is worthwhile when you start coming across promising profiles and starting meaningful conversations. Things reach a new level of excitement when you finally agree to ...Read more

When things get very complicated and upsetting, feeling low is understandable, and things aren’t going so well in the larger world right now. It’s also not far from the time of year — late spring and early summer — when suicide rates are higher than at any other time of the year.

The thing to remember is that there’s always a better ...Read more

Everyone says, “Relationships take work,” which is true. But finding love also takes work, which many people don’t realize. I wish we were all so lucky to have that perfect-for-us person fall into our arms, but I don’t know anyone who has that kind of good fortune. Just like in our jobs, we have to make our own happiness. We have to do ...Read more

Relationships are great when the two of you are in the same emotional place, but that doesn’t always happen. The cause can be biochemical, work may be getting in the way, or your own emotions may be so powerful that they keep you from seeing your partner’s. Here are five ways to get back into balance again.

1. If either one of you gets your...Read more

I practice positive psychology with both my clients and myself. I am honest about the struggles we have been going through, but I can also almost always find a silver lining. With inflation on the rise and the market in bear territory, right now the best I can do is give you economic insecurity emotional survival techniques.

Like a lot of ...Read more

Perfect parenting doesn’t exist, but a balanced and loving approach to parenting will teach your kids how to get through this wild world. Good-enough parenting from emotionally healthy people sets you up for a more balanced life. Here are a few values you can instill in them.

Appreciation

No matter what your circumstances, when you wake up ...Read more

Let’s talk about the world today and what it’s like being alive in this very different time. We have been living in a pandemic for over two years, and well over a million people in the United States have died along with millions more in other countries.

Now there is a war going on in Europe. Everyone is affected by this, some to a greater ...Read more

Over my career, I’ve heard all the complaints about online dating apps and websites:

“It takes up too much time.”

“I never know when to make a move to meet in person.”

“I don’t want a pen pal; I want a partner.”

Well, there is an increasingly popular new app that is addressing many of those issues. It’s called Thursday — ...Read more

If you were lucky enough to have had a good dad, not a Super Dad but just a regular guy dad, you really hit the jackpot. So many kids grow up (or try to) without the emotional support or even the presence of a father. The idea of not having one is heartbreaking to me, and I know it is all too common.

On this Father’s Day, you have only one ...Read more

Sometimes I feel like Carrie Bradshaw when I write about dating. (Did I just date myself? I loved that show.) Just as Carrie would have shopped for clothes on "Sex and the City," I want to talk about how online dating is a bit like clothes shopping. I know the analogy is a little cringey, but bear with me for a minute.

When most of us go ...Read more

With all the ruminations we go over daily, it is amazing how easily what we once perceived as problems, even some trauma, can disappear instantly when an even bigger problem comes along. I can imagine a family in Ukraine arguing over household chores the night before the missiles started hitting their innocent targets.

We carry with us many ...Read more

If you wanted to play Steve Harvey and survey 100 people about a situation that makes someone nervous, a lot of people would probably answer “a first date.” It may even be the number one answer on the board — and for obvious reasons. You’re meeting someone new, trying to make a good first impression, and trying to decide if this is ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — Shiine and Angel Thompson met at a sorority event and had their first date at a Brandon, Florida, bowling alley.

So when Shiine Thompson proposed, she surprised her intended by doing it at that same bowling alley, even reserving the same bowling lane.

“I would say the first time I met her, I already knew,” she said.

...Read more

If something in your life is giving you anxiety or making you feel depressed, there’s a simple way to deal with your emotional distress. This technique has helped many, many people.

When you have an issue going on, you need to remember a time when things were actually worse. It’s not hard to do, but it can bring up some difficult memories. ...Read more