Blog for Better Living

How Does Positive Reinforcement Change Behavior?

By: Jen McWaters, Psy.D. | February 16, 2018

We recently welcomed a new canine into our family and are in the process of behavior training and housebreaking. By working with an experienced trainer, I learned that training is more about changing human behavior than it is about changing the animal’s behavior. What’s fascinating is how the most subtle behaviors impact my dog in […]

Personal Improvement, Relationships

Simply Living by Living Simply

By: Other | January 26, 2018

Written by Joy Francisco, Ph.D. Has life become a hectic struggle? Have we become overly busy chasing for more that our lives have become cluttered with unnecessary belongings, responsibilities and extra burdens? These things can cloud our lives so much that we cannot focus on the things that are really important and meaningful to us. We […]

The Power of Gratitude

By: Other | November 10, 2017

Written by Jennifer Wendt, Ph.D. “Gratitude opens the door to the power, the wisdom, the creativity of the universe. You open the door through gratitude.” — Deepak Chopra This is the time of year we discuss the concept of gratitude and being thankful. Some of us will take it to heart and practice gratitude at […]

How to Get What You Need in a Relationship

By: Other | August 25, 2017

Written by Paula Fortune, Intern We all have needs. We recognize the most basic needs when we feel hungry, tired, or unsafe. These needs have simple solutions that we can accomplish independently. Emotional needs, however, become more complicated when we ask them to be met in a relationship. You may not want to appear needy […]

Relationships, Therapy

Getting to Goals in Therapy

By: Jen McWaters, Psy.D. | August 11, 2017

You have made the difficult decision to meet with a therapist. But, what will you work on in therapy? What will be the goals of your treatment? Deciding to meet with a therapist for the first time takes strength and courage, especially while experiencing emotional pain and life difficulties. You should know that most therapists […]

Protecting Our LGBTQ+ Youth

By: Other | July 7, 2017

Written by Paul Paris, Ph.D. Growing up is hard to do! For all of us, especially adolescents and young adults, exploring who we are, what we want in life, and our friendships and intimate relationships are especially important. It’s not always easy navigating our independence with what our parents and family members may expect or […]

Marrying Young…Can We Do It?

By: Other | June 19, 2017

Written by Tracey Nguyen I married at a young age, and people often wonder why. Was it because I got pregnant? Or was it because we were in a rush? My husband and I married after knowing each other for little more than a year and a half. Marrying at 21 was scary, but especially […]

Relationships

What Stage of Life are You In?

By: Other | March 4, 2017

Written by Jennifer Wendt, Ph.D. Our lifespan is comprised of a progression of stages during which we face new dilemmas and experience new accomplishments. From early childhood thru the retirement years we all endure similar phases of life: childhood, adolescence and various stages in adulthood. We also tend to connect with others who are living […]

Loss of a Role Model

By: Other | February 10, 2017

Written by Eli Aguilera, Intern Emotions are what drive humans through their everyday lives. They come together as the art on the canvas of what we feel. They collect as the mosaic of instincts our minds produce following the circumstances of situations we face. When a positive event occurs, happiness is the default reaction of […]