By Jonathan Decker (Clinical Director, LMFT) See also: 7 Things Amazing Dads Do In my observation as a counselor, the person who most influences an individual's life is generally their mother. For better or worse, many trace the foundation of their identities back to their relationship with their mom and what they learned from her. Such was definitely the case with me. My mother passed away in 200 ...[Read More]
7 Things Amazing Moms Do
Is it Possible to Cure Entitlement in Your Family?
An attitude of gratitude will dispel the damaging sense of entitlement and replace it with appreciation.
Films for Fathers’ Day
By Jonathan Decker (Family therapist, film critic) Happy Father's Day! Looking for a movie to celebrate with? Scroll on down for my suggestions. So make some wings and pizza, settle down on the couch with dad, and enjoy these touching tales of father-children relationships this week. Here are my favorite films for Father's Day. BACK TO THE FUTURE (buy or rent here) A teenager travels back in time ...[Read More]
Movies for Mother’s Day
By Jonathan Decker (Family therapist, film critic) For moms everywhere, here are my favorite examples of cinematic maternal love. Here's my favorite movies for Mother's Day. BACK TO THE FUTURE What if you could travel back in time and see your parents as teenagers? Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) jumps from 1985 to 1955 and is stunned that his conservative mother (Leah Thompson) was much more like hi ...[Read More]
7 Things Amazing Dads Do
By Jonathan Decker, Clinical Director, LMFT While some dads are deadbeats and some mothers truly do an amazing job raising kids on their own, the lasting effects of a great father cannot be underestimated. I should know, because my dad is amazing. I say this neither to boast nor to gush, but rather because, in both my personal and professional opinion, he's got this dad thing pretty much figured o ...[Read More]
How to Help Men and Boys Be Honest, Accountable
By Jonathan Decker, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Note: this article represents a combination of the author’s insights and information from the book How to Improve You Marriage Without Talking About It, by Steven Stosny Ph.d and Patricia Love. For the record, dishonesty, manipulation, and blame-shifting aren’t exclusively male problems. We all know women and girls who do the same. Also ...[Read More]
Should You Ever Apologize to Your Child?
By Jonathan Decker (Clinical Director, LMFT) For some time I have been struck with just how many of my clients, while dealing with their own mental, emotional, or relational struggles, mention that they had a parent who “always had to be right,” and “never took accountability for anything.” While they cannot ultimately blame their parents for their own behavior, the fact is ...[Read More]
How is Casual Sex Affecting Our Teens? You’ll Never Guess
By Jonathan Decker (Clinical Director, LMFT) For all our warnings of teen pregnancy and STD's, we often overlook that the risks of sexual contact for adolescents also include emotional trauma and long-term problems in future relationships. Such is the conclusion of a fantastic book I recently read. With clear and engaging prose, Dr. Joe S. MciIlhaney and Dr. Freda McKissic Bush report on years of ...[Read More]