Posted on December 9th, 2024 By Isaiah Oderinde

As you go through life, you’ll face a series of transitions, some expected while others unexpected. These transitions can affect your relationships, whether it’s a relocation or a career change. Getting through these trying times […]

Posted on November 25th, 2024 By Isaiah Oderinde

Taking the next step with your partner is always exciting. Whether you’re moving in together, getting engaged, or putting a label on your relationship, it shows you’re committed and want to consider your future together.  […]

Posted on October 16th, 2024 By Raffi Bilek

Sometimes, family is all we have. Nobody knows you like your parents, grandparents, or siblings, as they’ve shaped the way you are today, for better and worse. They make up an important cornerstone of our […]

Posted on October 15th, 2024 By Raffi Bilek

As we age, performing normal daily activities can become increasingly challenging. Folks in the sandwich generation often discover that their elderly parents require assistance with routine tasks like meal preparation, medication management, and healthcare decisions. […]

Posted on October 2nd, 2024 By Raffi Bilek

Imagine a world where every child grows up feeling safe, loved, and nurtured. Unfortunately, for millions of children, this ideal is far from reality. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events that occur before the […]

Posted on July 5th, 2023 By Raffi Bilek

When service members return from duty, they often carry a lot more than what they began with. For many, the heavy burden of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has a profound effect not only on the […]

Posted on June 7th, 2021 By Raffi Bilek

Divorce stinks. Even when it’s the best option, it’s still a bad option. And this is doubly so when there are kids involved. (Actually, that’s probably an understatement. A divorce with no children is painful; […]

Posted on May 4th, 2020 By Raffi Bilek

If you are an avid reader of this blog, you already know that the three most important words in a marriage are not “I was wrong” – they’re actually “help me understand.” (Check out the […]

Posted on January 15th, 2020 By Raffi Bilek

Family conflict is a part of life. There is no family without some level of discord and disagreement. And most families survive intact despite it. However, in some families the level of conflict is elevated […]

Posted on September 4th, 2019 By Raffi Bilek

Have you seen this alarming article yet? ‘Picky’ teen goes blind after diet of only fries and chips, study says. Apparently a British teenager refused to eat anything but “french fries, Pringles, white bread, processed […]

Posted on August 14th, 2019 By Raffi Bilek

There are many reasons adults may decide to stop talking to their siblings. Old wounds from their childhood interactions are a major culprit, as are ongoing personality differences that cause friction. Often a major life event will lead to a break, such as a Thanksgiving dinner gone awry, or, regrettably, the death of a parent and the inheritance squabbles that can ensue.

Posted on July 22nd, 2019 By Raffi Bilek

In our last post I offered some ideas on how parents can go about reconnecting with adult children who have become distant and disconnected. In this post I’d like to talk a bit more about […]

Posted on June 20th, 2019 By Raffi Bilek

You spent decades of your life raising your children. You poured your love, time, effort, and money into giving them the best life you could. Sure, you made mistakes along the way, but you tried […]

Posted on May 13th, 2019 By Raffi Bilek

There’s been conflict in your family for some time now, and you’re ready to finally get some professional help with it. Strong personalities within a family can make it very hard to change the system […]

Posted on October 8th, 2018 By Raffi Bilek

Recently I had the great pleasure of going to an escape room for a bit of family fun. If you’re not familiar,

Posted on July 19th, 2018 By Raffi Bilek

Most people have never been to therapy before and are understandably a bit nervous about what the first therapy session going to be like.  If you’ve gotten up the courage to make that first appointment, […]

Posted on May 8th, 2018 By Raffi Bilek

Recently I was interviewed on the radio to discuss the question of how to prioritize your relationship with your spouse vs. your kids. You can listen to the 20-minute segment here. Here’s the spoiler: I […]

Posted on September 18th, 2017 By Raffi Bilek

Anger is one of the major destroyers of relationships. People can say and do things when they are angry that are offensive, hurtful, even downright mean. But anger is a normal part of the human […]

Posted on May 25th, 2017 By Raffi Bilek

Another common battleground for parents with young children is mealtime.  Getting kids to eat their proverbial veggies has been a vexing problem since time immemorial.  Just as we noted with bedtime, it’s unlikely you will […]

Posted on January 9th, 2017 By Raffi Bilek

The Five Love Languages® is a great tool for improving relationships, whether you’re at the beginning of a new relationship or you’ve been married for decades.  It is a very simple and understandable method of […]