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Articles by nancy travers

Browse published articles attributed to nancy travers, with full-archive search.

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Showing 101–136

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Do You Give TMI on First Dates?

Too much information can put you at risk—or make a bad impression Are you providing detailed, personal, even intimate information on every topic that comes up on your first dates with a new person? If so, you might be sending the wrong signals. Some people will feel uncomfortable hearing these details and wonder why you feel compelled to offer them to a person who is still essentially a stranger. And you could put yourself at risk by offering information that could lead to nuisance or even more uncomfortable behavior from the other party when the dating process does not go well.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

1,092 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Alcoholism

The most severe form of problem drinking is alcoholism. This goes beyond alcohol abuse—alcoholics physically depend on alcohol to function. Without it, your body responds with withdrawal symptoms like the shakes, depression, nausea, irritability, sweating, anxiety. These are serious danger signs indicating you need help. The Problem

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

1,089 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

5 Reasons You’re Not Having Sex

There are all sorts of reasons couples’ sex lives have stalled. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of identifying where you got off track so you can make adjustments to resume a satisfying sex life. But in the end, there is really one main reason couples don’t have sex: It’s not enjoyable. The reward they get from having sex is not enough to justify going to the trouble.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

1,088 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Behavior Patterns Happy Couples Share

I’ve been talking the last couple of weeks about happy couples. Although everyone’s different, there are certain patterns that recur among those who have solid, happy relationships. They’re friends, they laugh together, they pay attention to one another, and they communicate well. What else?

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

1,083 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Is Your Partner Depressed?

If your partner is depressed, your relationship suffers, and may even cause you to feel a bit depressed yourself. If you have trouble determining whether your partner is depressed, take heart. You’re not alone. The word ‘depression’ has been used to describe everything from being in a bad mood to having a depressive illness. A bad mood will pass, but a depressive illness is not something you can pull yourself out of at will. Is your partner - withdrawn, - lacking energy, - losing interest in normal activities liking eating or having sex,

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

1,076 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Healthy Sexual Relationships

A healthy sexual relationship is an integral part of a fulfilling partnership, which is reason enough to make good sex a worthy pursuit. The trouble is, while sex often provides great pleasure, it can just as often provoke stress. Are you satisfying your partner? Are your sexual encounters frequent enough? Do they last long enough? There are all sorts of questions you can ask. But really only one is relevant: Are the needs of both partners being met?

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

1,068 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Sex Addiction and Attachment Problems

The very words ‘sex addiction’ are controversial. It’s a term that some are not certain is a legitimate designation. But a Newsweek article (November 25, 2011) declared sex addiction a national epidemic, estimating about 9 millio Americans—or 3 to 5 percent of the population—suffer from compulsive sexual behavior. That means they masturbate compulsively, watch excessive pornography, practice exhibitionism or voyeurism, engage in frequent anonymous sex, pay for sex or to watch sex, or behave in sexually compulsive ways that cause shame.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

1,068 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse

Did you grow up in a household where cocktail hour was a nightly affair? Do you cope with stress by having a glass of wine? Or two? Do your friends drink heavily?

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

1,040 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

What is Emotional Intelligence? And Do You Have It?

Everyone knows at least vaguely about general intelligence, or IQ, but what about emotional intelligence, or EQ? For the vast majority of us, emotional intelligence is more important to our lives tha IQ. Harvard theorist Howard Gardner explains, “Your EQ [or emotional intelligence] is the level of your ability to understand other people, what motivates them, and how to work cooperatively with them.” Today, our success among our peers and in our careers depends on our ability to interpret the signals from the people around us, and to react appropriately.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

1,014 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Good Listening Means Good Relationships

Happy people make it a point to listen to others. They like to learn new things, take an interest in others and generally feel good when they listen. In the process of listening, they are also showing respect for others’ thoughts and ideas, and that, in turn, demonstrates their self-confidence. They are secure enough to let all sorts of ideas and opinions enter their lives—even those with which they disagree. They radiate positive energy.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

1,007 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

When ‘Sorry’ Is Not Enough

Apologies are an important component of repairing a relationship, but they only work if the apology is heartfelt. Saying “I’m sorry you feel that way,” or “I’m sorry you misunderstood,” may only exacerbate the problem and make your partner madder. For an apology to begin to work, it must be absolutely sincere. Even then, an apology alone may not be enough to put things back together and make the relationship right again.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

991 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

So You’re Having an Affair

You didn’t mean for it to happen. It started so innocently, with just a flirty conversation. Then it escalated to an emotional attachment. He so gets you, and you talk into the wee hours, if only clandestinely on your cell. And you feel so wonderful you don’t want it to end.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

990 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

When Is It Okay to Lie?

“A truth that’s told with bad intent Beats all the lies you can invent.” – William Blake In recent articles I’ve talked about the importance of honest communication in good relationships. It’s essential that our partners understand us, know how we feel, how we might react to certain situations. We share our most intimate thoughts with our partners because we feel a fundamental need to have someone close to us who gets us—in all our complexities. Who loves us for who we really are. Or maybe despite who we are.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

989 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Recognizing Your Co-Dependency

Co-dependency used to be a word reserved for those in a relationship with alcoholics or other addicted people. But the term has been expanded to include people with lopsided relationships—people who are partners, parents, family or friends with dysfunctional people. Dysfunctions can include all sorts of addictions from drugs to sex, and emotional, physical and sexual abuse.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

987 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Sexpectations 2012

Are you stuck in unrealistic sexpectations? Or ready to create a new language of love? Is your marriage or relationship bogged down in unrealistic sexpectations? Do your attitudes about your body, frequency of intercourse, sexual preferences, and assumptions about orgasm create distance and frustration in the physical relationship with your partner? If so, are you ready to ditch the expectations and create a new language of love that only you and your partner speak? Here are some thoughts that can help you shed some of the unnecessary expectations you may have developed.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

985 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Five Keys to a Happy Marriage

These tips are designed to make life and marriage a little easier, but by no means will they solve all of your issues in one swing. If you need to talk to someone, please consult an Orange County professional today.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

984 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Parenting the Creative Child: The Ten “Commendments”

To nurture your child’s creative talent: commend, don’t command At some point in the early life of your new child, she or he surprises you. She listens intently to the story you’re reading, then adds her own imaginative ending. Or he not only colors out of the lines, but also draws in extra figures, using eye-catching colors. Or she hears a song in the morning, and you find her singing it in the playroom in the afte oon, embellishing it with her own lyrics and dance moves.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

984 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Question for Men: How Do You Handle Stress?

Women support each other under stress. How can men handle it more effectively?

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

974 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

What You Never Knew Before About Love

What’s your idea of love? Is it when you want the best for someone else? When you give up putting your own self first to focus on another’s feelings, desires, needs? When you give your whole self—heart, mind and soul—to another? Scientists have made great progress in understanding love through researching the brain. A few facts emerged: - Romantic love is universal in humans. - You can feel as ardently in love at 80 as 18. - If you’re in love you’re as driven as an addict.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

974 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Experiencing Anxiety and Don’t Know Why? Check the Calendar.

Annually recurring anxiety: you may have it and not know it. Anxiety disorders can be times of extended difficulty for those who suffer from them. Tension, worry, inability to concentrate, mono-focus on a particular thought or person, avoidance of a particular situation or person, irritable outbursts, and feelings of detachment from others are all common symptoms. So are physical symptoms, such as rising blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, sweating, dizziness, loss of or appetite, nightmares, and sleep disturbance.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

968 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Taking Care of the Elderly and Taking Care of Yourself

Taking care of the elderly is becoming a reality for more and more people. Often frustration is an integral part of that task, especially if the elderly person is afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. The question is, how do you deal with a certain amount of inevitable frustration and maintain your equilibrium while giving your loved one the care he or she needs?

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

965 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

What to Tell Our Children When Our Hearts Break

When a terrible tragedy strikes, as it did recently in a Connecticut kindergarten classroom, our hearts break. We don’t know how to mend. If we are directly affected by the tragedy, then professional counseling is imperative. But we also need to pay attention to our feelings, however tenuous our connection to a traumatic event. Even if we have only seen reports of the terrible news in the media, how do we heal? How do we help our children to heal?

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

953 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Are You Stuck in Mou ing That Began in Childhood?

The difference between natural mou ing and melancholia could be life-long Call it what you like—chronic mou ing, extended grieving, death-related depression, melancholia—the effects are the same. A person becomes stuck in the past, devastated by the death of a parent, child, spouse, or sibling, and finds it impossible to move on in life, to work, to develop healthy attachments to others, to walk though life with self esteem and optimism. This often occurs at an early age, but can also affect adults, especially with the death of a child or spouse.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

950 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Holiday High Anxiety—Times Two

People suffering from anxiety are often proponents of Murphy’s Law—anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Around the holidays, when we are so busy with many more tasks than usual, there is more potential for something to go wrong. And for couples, one or both of whom may be anxious, that goes double.r

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

939 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Handle Change and the Stress Associated with It

Sometimes it feels like everything is changing! Today, many of us feel like we are being met with both major and minor life changes at an increasing frequency. Of course, the fact that people deal with these adjustments on a regular basis doesn’t always mean that they are prepared to handle them. Some people feel like they haven’t been able to adjust to one life change before the next is thrust upon them! Even those of us who are most equipped to handle whatever life brings can feel out of control and overwhelmed in the face of change.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

911 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Gain Confidence to Improve Your Relationship and Rekindle Your Passion

Confidence is an important factor in our lives. We naturally want to surround ourselves with confident people. We want doctors who are confident in their medical knowledge. We want colleagues who are confident in their ability to complete projects. We want friends who are confident in themselves, and in their relationships. We even want to be confident in ourselves.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

883 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

When Narcissistic Behavior Becomes Narcissistic Personality Disorder

In Greek mythology, Narcissus was renowned for his beauty and was so proud that he sco ed those who loved him. Instead, he fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water, and could not leave the image of himself. Finally, he died, unable to tear himself away. His fixation with himself was his undoing.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

875 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

How Loving Couples Behave

Norman and Norma Burmah, at 102 and 99, have the longest marriage—82 years—on record in the United States. Imagine if they were unhappily married. What a long and dismal sentence that would be. While I don’t know how happily married they are, I do know what they and others do when they are in a happy relationship. Certain behavioral patterns are shared by happy couples, whether recently united or going for the longevity record. Friends

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

863 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

What a Woman Needs to Know before Sleeping with a Man

If you keep making the same mistakes over and over again when in relationships with a man, Orange County counseling may help you figure out how to treat yourself better so you can hook a quality relationship. Sleeping with a man isn't always the event of the century, but very few women ever master the technique of 'casual sex'. In fact, most women expect to feel nothing after the fact, but that's simply not the case most of the time – especially if they like the man they slept with and see some potential relationship material when they stare at him in the morning before he wakes up.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

824 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Whose Home for the Holidays? Simple Ways to Avoid Seasonal Conflicts with Your Partner

Holidays are supposed to be a happy time, filled with food, family and fun. It’s a time of holiday music echoing through the shopping centers, spending long nights indoors with loved ones, and generally being thankful for every blessing that we’ve encountered in the last year. This season is meant to be the most wonderful time of the year, yet more than 80 percent of us admit that the holiday season is at least somewhat, if not very, stressful! The effort to create the perfect holiday gets to many of us, and the resulting anxiety can wreak havoc on our health and our relationships.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

755 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

New Year’s Resolution 2013: Strengthen Your Relationship

It’s easy to guess the number one New Year’s resolution of 2012—Lose Weight. Others in the top ten included Enjoy Life to the Fullest, Spend More Time with Family, Help Others in Their Dreams, and Fall in Love. What do these resolutions have in common? All have to do with relationships, often with your significant other.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

733 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Keep Those Resolutions with Your Partner

When you make New Year’s resolutions, do you feel defeated before you start? Many people don’t even bother to articulate resolutions since so many often fail. But if you make resolutions with your partner, you can support each other, and your chances of success improve significantly.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

722 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Is Avoiding Conflict Helping You?

There is no shame in having communication and relationship problems, and one of the fastest ways to work through them is to try some couples therapy in Orange County. Anything that can positively affect you and the people around you will help you live a more fulfilling life.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

689 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Verbal Abuse in Relationships: How to Recognize the Signs and to Figure out When it's Time to Go

If you are having trouble dealing with the negative feelings associated with leaving a spouse because of a verbally abusive relationship, Orange County marriage counseling can help you sort those out and find yourself again. Verbal abuse is one of the hardest kinds of abuse to recognize. Everyone gets loud sometimes, yells sometimes, says things they shouldn't say to people that they love – that doesn't necessarily mean that it's verbal abuse, and many problems that involve elevated yelling or angry comments can be resolved.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

672 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Men are Afraid of Relationships. True or False? (Usually, False)

This guide is designed as a list if most common reasons a man may not want to commit to a woman – but if you need help sorting this kind of thing for yourself, Orange County counseling may be beneficial to you.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

582 views

By nancy traversRecently published1 topic

Five Things to Avoid on a Date

Here are some things you should avoid when you go a on a first date, or even a second or a third – but these tips are designed with light heartedness in mind. If you need help managing your dating life,relationship counseling in Orange County may be able to help you today.

Primary topic: Relationship Advice

Relationship Advice

552 views

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