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The Good Marriage Myth 1
When I was young, I thought marriages could be divided into two discrete categories—good and bad.  Both of my parents had been divorced prior to meeting each other, and having seen first-hand their happy second marriage, and their contentious interactions with their exes, it was clear to me that they […]

The ‘Good Marriage’ Myth

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The Relationship Bank Account
Hi! My name is Maria Perozzi, LMFT. I’m one of the new therapists here at Group Therapy Associates. I’m quite excited to be writing my first article for GTA. For those who already work with me, you know I love explaining concepts and situations using analogies. It’s one of the […]

The Relationship Bank Account

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Fight Night: Creating a Healthy Space for Conflict
The oft-repeated advice “never go to bed angry,” gets under my skin.  The idea that a conflict with your spouse should be wrapped up all tidy and neat with a bow by the end of the evening seems…well, ridiculous to me. More than that, I think it plays into this […]

Fight Night: Creating a Healthy Space for Conflict

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what makes a good marriage?
In the last newsletter, I talked about how one of the commonly asked questions in couples therapy was whether partners should stay or get married.  Given that any relationship, healthy or otherwise, is going to have issues, sometimes it can be difficult to determine whether or not your issues are […]

What makes a good marriage?

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Life's Questions Answered the Quick and Dirty Way
Below, I discus some of life’s questions that regularly make an appearance in the therapy room.  In my office, finding the answers to these questions can involve steady, patient exploration and thoughtfulness.  But this is a blog post, so instead of a gentle meandering, you’re going to get the quick […]

Life’s Questions Answered, the Quick and Dirty Way

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Don't Hold Someone Else's Bag
Despite what this title would suggest, this is not a warning from the TSA or Metro (see something, say something). It’s not folks’ actual bags that I’m concerned about, but their emotional ones.  And I’m suggesting, asking really—that, unless they belong to you, put them down. I think I’ve resisted […]

Don’t Hold Someone Else’s Bag

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your brain is rigged--dealing with unhealthy relationships
Many of us have been there. Seemingly stuck in an unhealthy relationship, carried along on a roller coaster of emotions, and finding ourselves having great difficulty walking away. Some of you may not have been in a relationship like this one, but likely you’ve seen someone you care about, a […]

Your Brain is Rigged

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Giving With Grace
One of the most important skills I’ve learned as a therapist is how to give up. I know, that sounds discouraging, but stick with me here. It turns out giving up successfully can be an incredibly freeing process that helps you take the next step and move forward. It can […]

Giving Up with Grace

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The singular best parenting advice i know
In parenting, it can be difficult to figure out what to do when your child behaves in ways that you don’t like, or can’t seem to accomplish what you’ve asked of them. Difficult is one word for it—maddening may be more accurate. Based on my family therapy work with kids […]

The singular best parenting advice I know

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relationship warning signs
It may surprise you to hear that infidelity is not necessarily the issue that worries couple therapists the most. In fact, while I recognize the emotional devastation and pain that infidelity causes, unless there is a history of habitual indiscretion, cheating on its own rarely makes me worried that a […]

3 Behaviors that Scare Your Couples Therapist

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How to Help Someone You Love
In the newsletter last week, we discussed how to take care of yourself when you’re going through a hard time. This week, we talk about how to support someone else who’s struggling with something difficult. It can be difficult to figure out how to help someone with depression, anxiety, or […]

How to Help Someone You Love

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