Succcessful long-term intimate relationships can offer us comfort and stability. Couples develop daily routines that perpetuate a continued sense of intimacy and security. Yet life's changes can disturb and challenge the web of connectness we have created over time. This article addresses how couples cope with the stress of life's changes on their relationship.

Do you feel anxious about going to the doctor? Although some women can see the doctor without trepidation, many women feel varying degrees of anxiety about visiting with their doctor. This article looks at some of the reasons for this kind of anxiety and offers suggestions about how to cope.

More and more high school and college age women are experiencing blackouts. Blackouts occur when you drink a lot of alcohol in a short amount of time, and an empty stomach or being tired increase the risks of a blackout happening. When blacked out you may say or do things that you would never do sober. This article will help you understand more about blackouts and give you ideas about what to do if you are experiencing them.

From the beginning of time, poetry has been a means for people to express their deepest emotions and create healing in ritual and ceremony. In Greek mythology, we know that Asclepius, the God of Healing, was the son of Apollo, god of poetry. Hermes served as messenger between the two worlds to communicate between the gods and humanity. He carried the caduceus, "the winged rod with two serpents intertwined, which has become a symbol of the medical profession" (Poplawski, 75). Poems have also been viewed as carriers of messages from the unconscious to the conscious mind. Wherever people gather to mark a moment, they speak from heart to heart, with poetry.

At Women's Therapy Services we see many young adult women who have left home for the first time. This time of transition is very important in getting "launched" into adult life. Going through changes like leaving home, moving, starting a new job, can sometimes bring on depression. Read more about how therapy can help if you are struggling to get "launched" in your adult life.

How does post-partum depression happen and why? This kind of depression is similar to other forms of depression, except it happens after giving birth. It is not totally clear why some women develop PPD (as it is called) while other women may have the "baby blues" (a normal affliction including mood swings, crying jags, mild depression/ sleep problems/loss of appetite) and others have no symptoms of depression at all. Learn more about this difficult form of depression.

How could this be me? This is the question most women find themselves asking as they realize they have a drinking or drug problem. This article will tell you more about how drinking affects women, what to do if you think you have a problem, and how childhood trauma may contribute to alcohol and drug problems.

What do women do when hardship/tragedy happens? We connect. Of course we may isolate and get depressed, but usually, as women, we have the advantage of being more open to accessing our feelings and talking to others about our sorrow and fear.

We develop boundaries in our relationships to define and protect us. While we each have our own unique style, healthy boundaries will help us feel balanced, centered and grounded as we open to connection with others. Learning how to set healthy boundaries is an important skill in developing intimacy and handling conflict.

Writing is therapeutic! Any form of writing is okay, and it's very important to put editing aside, and let your words say just what they need to say. What is initially created is the mortar and bricks of healing because it is your authentic and freed-up voice, which sometimes delivers a gift, a surprise, a glimpse of something important. It might be intimidating to see a blank page. Draw a square in the middle and write into that. For more ideas, read further...

How are you feeling about the holidays approaching this year? With all the financial chaos, these holidays may be some of the most challenging in many years. Read here about ideas and suggestions to reduce the stress of this holiday season.