The Rights of Suicide Survivors

Ten years ago my dad killed himself and changed my life and the lives of everyone who loved him. When he died, I felt isolated in my grief. I wasn’t the only person who loved him, but my relationship with him was different than the relationships he had with other...

Healing Depression

Now that spring is here, depression sufferers in the Pacific Northwest are likely breathing a collective sigh of relief. But while sunshine can help people who suffer from depression, change in season alone is not usually enough to lift the blues. Depression is a...

Winning the Relationship Fight

The success or failure of personal relationships isn’t determined by the absence or presence of struggle. Because life is sometimes painful and complicated, all long-term romantic relationships are subjected to difficult situations from time to time. When we deal with...

Managing Emotion

I am currently on a flight from Juneau Alaska to Portland Oregon, my home state. My fear of heights is nearly debilitating. The word nearly is critical in this context. In fact, I am so afraid of heights that I won’t climb onto a chair to change a burned out light...

Jealousy

When I was seven years old my brother and I spent occasional weekends at our paternal grandmother’s house. We loved visiting because she baked cookies and pies for us and let us eat as much as we wanted. She also taught us to play poker for quarters. Our mother was...