The Lifeworks Group, Inc.

By: Christine Hammond, LMHC, NCC It was clear that after 7 years of marriage, Jack and Jill still loved each other. But the way they solved problems, or rather, the way they didn’t solve problems, was destroying their marriage. The last argument ended in a physical altercation and a wrestling match that left them ashamed and humiliated. Neither had ever engaged in this manner before so the shock of how quickly they escalated took them by surprise. Jack and Jill lived in an upper middle-class neighborhood with their two preschool kids. They came from stable families, had satisfying careers, and enjoyed spending time together as a family. But years of pent-up unresolved issues came bubbling to the surface over a minor dishwasher loading offense that resulted in broken dishes and a tumble on the floor. Committed to never allow this to happen again, they willingly came into therapy. The first agreement was to establish new rules for engagement going forward. Instead of ca...

 By: Brian Murray LMHC “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31 Loving ourselves can sometimes be difficult and loving another can be even more so, especially if the other person is stubborn and hard to get along with. If we are called to love another and have not loved ourselves first, then what do we have to give? An empty cup cannot fill another. In order to better enjoy our lives and relationships, we often need to implement boundaries.    Why is a boundary so important in a relationship? The purpose of a boundary is to protect ourselves, relationships and marriage. When we do this it’s an act of love, not only for ourselves, but for others as well. Boundaries free us to care for ourselves and to care for others. This is especially true in marriage and family. It allows us to express ourselves freely and to serve our mate without being taken advantage of, or worse, abused. ...

By: Christine Hammond LMHC Mike was confused. Even though he was successful, he struggled with personal connections. He had professional relationships but they were very surface and work only oriented. When he tried to converse outside of business matters, he sounded awkward and unintelligent. Home wasn’t any better. His relationship with his wife centered on discussing only severe matters about their teenagers. For the most part, he had no idea what his kids were doing and who they were doing it with. And even less idea what was happening in his marriage. He felt lonely and isolated both at work and home. So he decided to change by asking more questions. As a naturally analytic person, he was often baffled by why a person did what they did. It seemed logical to just ask “Why”. He thought this would open up more conversation. But instead, it had the opposite effect. Now more confused than ever, Mike sought out help to better understand what was wrong with asking “Wh...