Tag Archives: relationships

Joan and Melissa: Mother/Daughter Bonds

As a daughter, mother and therapist, I can attest to the complexity of these relationships. To some, an extremely close relationship represents bonding, to others enmeshment. According to the media, Joan and Melissa Rivers were not afraid to act out the drama between a mom expecting to have a lot of control and a daughter trying to set some limits. Melissa recalls an argument when she tells her mother that she’s an adult and wants to be respected. And Joan’s retort? “I know about your boundaries and choose not to acknowledge … Continue reading

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Childhood Friends

I’m in Canada for the week, enjoying time with old friends–all born in ’44. We’ll tour the city that shaped us, share photos of our kids and grandchildren, laugh a lot, I’m sure. I look forward to the stories, to reminiscing and savoring the memories of growing up together. In my next post I’ll write about 10 women, friends since primary school, more than 60 years later. We all face transitions at each stage of life. When Rosemary and I began publishing online 14 years ago, we named our newsletter ‘Stepping … Continue reading

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Mother’s Day: Dealing with Disappointment

Have you thought about how you define yourself, like Sally’s mom or Joe’s boss? The greater your sense of self, the more buffered you’ll be from emotional fallout. In times when you feel most vulnerable, you’ll have other characteristics that can sustain you. Core roles change when your daughter leaves for college or your son gets married, when you lose your job or get a promotion. At those times, what matters most to your wellbeing is the impact on your ideas about who you are. But you don’t have to … Continue reading

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Virtual Book Tour: SEX, RAIN, AND COLD FUSION

Today we are delighted to welcome award-winning playwright, essayist, and fiction writer A. R. Taylor. She is the author of the unpredictable winningly bizarre satire, Sex, Rain, And Cold Fusion. A. R. has a wicked sense of humor–go ahead and see for yourself:  Mentors: This book is written primarily from the point of view of a 30-year-old male scientist. Was it difficult writing as a man?  A. R. Taylor: For some reason, not at all. I could hear David Oster speaking, and at one time the entire book was written … Continue reading

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