MsShrink

Welfare Reform from this Therapist's Perspective in Politics JoeUser Forums

As a therapist, I am trained to not let my own personal reactions seep into my work. It isn't as easy as it sounds. A couple of summers ago, I'm sitting in the kitchen of one of my patient's home. Section 8 (low-income) housing. A darling little house, nice kitchen. Paid for. I'm talking to her about her plans. She'd just finally rid herself of her abusive, drug-using, controlling boyfriend (and father of her two children) and was starting life over again. I asked her of her

Reply to What's in my child's ear? in Blogging JoeUser Forums

I think there is a glitch :)

Reply to What's in my child's ear? in Blogging JoeUser Forums

How incredibly frustrating! We must become more and more responsible for monitoring our own health care. Pity the person that doesn't have medical background or the wherewithall to research issues/problems.

Reply to What's in my child's ear? in Blogging JoeUser Forums

How incredibly frustrating! We must become more and more responsible for monitoring our own health care. Pity the person that doesn't have medical background or the wherewithall to research issues/problems.

Reply to What's in my child's ear? in Blogging JoeUser Forums

How incredibly frustrating! We must become more and more responsible for monitoring our own health care. Pity the person that doesn't have medical background or the wherewithall to research issues/problems.

Reply to Cat people in Pets & Nature JoeUser Forums

She's simply demonstrating the fact that cats love conditionally (unlike dogs, who love unconditionally). She is giving the cats something..... the cats will reward her for that with their attention. If she stops feeding them, they'll ignore her faster that the Emmy's have ignored Susan Lucci.

Toga, anyone? in Home & Family JoeUser Forums

The first words that pop into my mind.... Animal House.... college.... ::smirk::: So when my 12 year old comes home and says... 'we need to dress in togas for school on Friday,' I have to stop and take a deep breath. Relax, I told myself. There will not be kegs of beer in those middle school classrooms. All of them will be properly attired under their togas. None of them will lie on the floor in their toga dancing to "Shout!" Of course, I didn't tell my daughter any of th

Here Comes the Sun.... in Pets & Nature JoeUser Forums

I had eight new cases last week. In one week. I'm blaming our recent bout of nasty, gloomy, gray weather for the sudden upswing is my caseload and in people feeling depressed. I've noticed my negative mood myself and have been contemplating a trip to the local tanning salon just to get a sunlight fix. We had two inches of rain yesterday. It never stopped, not entirely. Gray lines of rain, running from gray skies to gray puddles of rain on the gray pavement. No color, not any

Reply to Returning to the flute in Blogging JoeUser Forums

Good for you! I refurbished my flute last year and gave it to my 12 year old as part of her Christmas present. She's been taking lessons for almost a year now and is showing such lovely talent. And I'm so impressed that I can still play too! (I started on flute, then did a bizarre switch to French horn...) and I'm proud to have been a band geek!

Reply to Wedding Day in Misc JoeUser Forums

stylistically brilliant! keep up the good work!

Reply to Too much to remember in Blogging JoeUser Forums

Excellent point! Personally, if I'm being robbed, I will give you all my money and my credit cards if you just let me keep my PDA! (and I might add, a differential diagnosis for memory issues, along with other symptoms, might be an underactive thyroid.... a disease that is easy to treat and very underdiagnosed!)

Reply to Really bad Christmas Songs in Blogging JoeUser Forums

Courtney Love sings "White Christmas" We had a well-known cocaine dealer who lived in our upscale neighborhood for quite some time. He got busted after the holiday season and when we were all sitting around talking about it, we were terribly amused because he had a flocked Christmas tree in his living room window. We all speculated with the exact chemical make-up of the 'flocking.'

MsShrink is Being Temporarily Replaced... in Philosophy JoeUser Forums

I spent time in my car today. With a seven minute commute, I don't have a lot of time to listen to the radio, surf channels, etcetera. I'm just thrilled to be able to drive my cute little car. But today was different. I was called as an expert witness in two cases today (something not that unusual). I spent time driving back and forth between home and court and, after being grilled in the morning, I was looking for something soothing to listen to. I hit the button for the 'lit

Reply to Big families seem to be back in Home & Family JoeUser Forums

We deliberately chose not to have #3 because daugther #2 would have made a reallly horrible and difficult middle child! She's high enough maintenance as the younger daughter... middle child syndrome would have done her in! Besides, as I delivered my second daugther and my ob-gyn says... "oh, now it's time to try for a boy", my husband promptly responded "What?? Risk having to pay for THREE weddings??"

Reply to Big families seem to be back in Home & Family JoeUser Forums

We deliberately chose not to have #3 because daugther #2 would have made a reallly horrible and difficult middle child! She's high enough maintenance as the younger daughter... middle child syndrome would have done her in! Besides, as I delivered my second daugther and my ob-gyn says... "oh, now it's time to try for a boy", my husband promptly responded "What?? Risk having to pay for THREE weddings??"

Reply to The American Sex Drive in Personal Relationships JoeUser Forums

TexasNurse2: Your communication style is very much like mine and my husband's. I know what his stressors are; he knows mine. I know what he's excited about; he knows what's exciting to me in my career/interests. What you write about looking at life without your partner is excellent -- you've got the right idea going to have a successful marriage and a fun and fulfilling partnership! And thanks to all for the positive comments!

Reply to Europa Universalis Rome & Europa Universalis Rome: Vae Victis Now Available in Press Room JoeUser Forums

Please, give me a geek any day of the week. All the geeks I have known have grown up to be wonderful, successful, interesting men! Give me a man with brains any old day of the week! Pretty doesn't last. Smart does.

The American Sex Drive in Personal Relationships JoeUser Forums

... times per week the average married American couple is engaging in sexual intercourse. Hmmmmm.... I guess as a couples therapist I see it being more like one and a half times per century! Lack of physical intimacy is one of the signs of a marriage in peril. Lack of physical intimacy almost always is a result of lack of emotional intimacy. Rebalance the emotional intimacy -- everyone is a happy camper. Emotional intimacy is really quite simple to establish. Pretend like you c

Reply to Random acts of haiku in Blogging JoeUser Forums

I wanted to resign from my last position using a Haiku commenting on my boss's lack of managerial skills (and other.... body parts). My husband wouldn't let me. Sometimes, he just doesn't see the opportunities for true fun!

Woo Hoo... in Home & Family JoeUser Forums

Okay, maybe this isn't the most politically correct thing to be saying, but I get the bed to myself for five entire days. Before I get deluged with hate mail, I just have to say this. I won't have it totally alone. I will still have the forty-five lb. dog with me. And the six month old kitten. I'm excited because I won't be 'the wedge' for this week! The wedge. Most moms will understand this term. You are the wedge when you are stuck between the child (or the dog or the cat) and

Reply to I hate laundry! in Blogging JoeUser Forums

Oh my... I couldn't agree more! And as my girls get older, the laundry gets more complicated. Cold, gentle cycle. Tumble dry low. Dry flat. Dry clean only. Geesh! And, eat your heart out.... I have a second floor laundry! No hauling clothes baskets up and downstairs, no unsightly piles of clothes! It is what EVERY house should have!

Dining with Teens in Home & Family JoeUser Forums

This evening's entertainment was hauling six teenagers to a local Japanese steak house for Daughter#1's birthday. Freshmen and sophomores gathered around this table and the conversation flew fast and free. No topic was off limits and I just sat and laughed. Covering the pool is the newest euphimism for having sex... at least in this circle. Still, as your baby turns 15, as she readies herself to drive a car, find a job, launch herself into the real world, you just have to sit back a

Reply to It's Time.... in Welcome JoeUser Forums

Thanks... it's a little better now, so time does help. So does him making a better effort at honoring promises.

Recent thoughts.... in Blogging JoeUser Forums

Thursday, November 06, 2003 It's been an interesting day. The Grim Reaper visited my grandmother during the procedure to have a pacemaker... what would be the correct word? Installed? Added? Placed? Anyway, one gets the picture. I guess the surgery was a bit more complicated than expected and the nurse came out to get permission to shock my grandmother's heart during the middle of the whole thing! Isn't that a question that they should ask before hand? The doc

It's Time.... in Welcome JoeUser Forums

...to blog again. I'm not sure how interesting people will find this, but it is a slice of my life. A slice of being a wife. A slice of being a mom. A slice of being a therapist. A slice of being me. As a mom, I have two daughters - one a full-blown teenager and one an almost teenager. I'm learning things that I really thought I knew as a therapist, but they are different now that those things are happening to me. Like the announcement at dinner Saturday evening that two of my daughter