Social connection in America is mired in an ever-increasing chasm of calamitous magnitude. Patients entering psychotherapy are increasingly struggling with feelings of isolation, loneliness, lethargy, boredom, and a loss of vitality and joie de vivre. Of concern is that this trend is escalating, resulting in a mounting sense of existential despair. Recently, I came across…
Men and boys are struggling. For all the talk of “toxic masculinity,” men and boys are losing ground and straining to find meaning in their lives. As the world has changed and women have increasingly found ways to advance, men and boys have lagged behind and have not adjusted well to the realities of an…
For those of you who may not know me, I am a psychologist whose work specializes in the treatment of sexual and relationship difficulties. Much of my work as a sex and relationship therapist involves working with both couples and individuals. In the last 35+ years of psychotherapy, I have frequently encountered couples presenting for…
STELLA! STELLA!! For most of us, the repeated scream of STELLA! brings to mind Marlon Brando’s iconic portrayal of Stanley Kowalski in the marvelous film adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. For me, Stella was my first guitar with whom I parted over 50 years ago. Yet, a few nights ago, my Stella…
Psychotherapists are rarely portrayed with accuracy in films and on television. Typically, we are seen as deranged psychotic murderers, (i.e. Michael Caine in Dressed to Kill), bumbling fools who can barely function, (i.e. Hugh Grant in Nine Months), or genius detectives who solve great mysteries, (i.e. Richard Gere in Final Analysis and Primal Fear). None…
Life moves fast. For many, perhaps too fast. So many of my patients report feeling stressed, pressured, overwhelmed, overworked, exhausted, and always feeling that they are at least one step behind. They report that, while they are aware that much of their lives are suffering, there seems to be little that they can do to…
It’s the first week of January as I sit to write this blog entry, and I suspect my thoughts are focused in much the same direction as yours—that’s right, it’s college football bowl season! Those of you who know me are no doubt aware of my obsessive love for, and dedication to, the University…
When I’m not in my office working with individuals and couples helping them to improve their relationships, I can usually be found on the golf course. Not that I’m a particularly good golfer, mind you, but I do love the game and the myriad challenges it presents. Indeed, I often think of golf as an…
It is virtually impossible today to turn on the news without encountering a story of a man who has behaved badly sexually. Understandably, the initial response of many of us is to be offended, angry, repulsed, and/or demanding he be punished. However, it concerns me that our reactions can be so swift, punitive and judgmental.…
Among psychotherapists, it is a widely held belief that women are more inclined to pursue psychotherapy than are men. While likely true, that is not always the case. When a man’s penis is no longer functioning as he would like, or as he thinks it should, he is highly likely to seek professional assistance. At…