The Gift of Fathering…..

What I have come to realize after a decade of practice, as a psychotherapist, is that the fundamental skills needed to be a solid father are not that different from the skills needed to be a good therapist. Learning how to raise up “good men,” and learning how to...

“Accept Negative Emotions”

A core tenet of EFT, and our Hold Me Tight Seattle Couples Workshops – Accepting Negative Emotions “Instead of backing away from negative emotions, accept them. Acknowledge how you are feeling without rushing to change your emotional state.” And,...

“I know that must be tough.”

As someone who has struggled with the “you’re not good enough” voice for his entire life, hearing my partner shift this morning from, “you don’t have to figure that out,” to “I know that must be tough” instantly moved me...

My life is not a beer commercial!

At 12 sessions in a mid 40’s male client shredding through primary shame implanted via his relationship with a profoundly neglectful father and a mother cowed by father’s narcissistic behavior shared, “I am coming to terms that my life is not...

“You need to change!”

“Forget about the notion that our emotions can be kept at bay” Dave Matthews Walking this morning and pondering the hard lessons that creating fundament shift in relationship is deeply challenging with only one trying to change. This hard lesson is coming...

“Not pointing fingers!”

My clients always say it better than I can explain…here is what a recent offered after our sessions came to a close…. “Working with Joseph gave me a framework for identifying the emotions, and root causes, that underlie so much of my behavior. He...