My women's group just finished reading Theo of Golden, by Allen Levi, which has spent an amazing forty plus weeks on the NY Times bestseller list. We debated back and forth on why this story has touched so many readers. Theo is an elderly Portuguese man who quietly arrives in the southern town of Golden. He is a bit mysterious to the townspeople but steadily endears himself to them. (We examined) What is so appealing about this stranger? He connects with the townspeople in the local coffee...

I often get asked "How does therapy work? How does it actually help people?" If I am at a party the answer is typically, "Well, I rely on my trusty magic wand and the rest just happens." If I am talking to a potential client, I am honest and explain it's not magic but starts by believing that change is possible and can begin right away. The "As If" principle in the field of psychology shows that you can become the change you want by acting AS IF the change has already occurred. Another way...

His anguished voice catching, my firefighter client said to me, "I couldn't bring back that toddler who fell in his family's pool. She was lifeless in my arms no matter what I did. I can't get her out of my head." I asked him, "If you wrote a letter to that little one, what would you say to her? What do you want her to know?" I am often asked by my clients how to cope with and heal from a devastating loss or when something ends. Research shows that writing about one's loss and grief can be...