dr_j_raymond, Author at LA Westside Therapy

The Main Barrier to Communication in Marriage is Fear of Listening Empatically
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The Main Barrier to Communication in Marriage is Fear of Listening Empatically

Anxiety therapy, Communication Issues, Communication Problems, Intimacy, relationship issues

The Main Barrier to Communication in Marriage is Fear of Listening Empatically

By dr_j_raymond|2016-12-13T05:19:18+00:00February 19th, 2013|Anxiety therapy, Communication Issues, Communication Problems, Intimacy, relationship issues|

At 8:00 pm one Wednesday night forty-three year dance teacher Erica was paying bills online when her forty-five year old partner Damien, a podiatrist, rushed into the room with a stack of papers that he wanted her to see. He was going on about being sued for malpractice, cussing out the patient and the lawyers. She waited till he finished and then told him it was a legal issue and went back to her bill paying. The tsunami of vitriol that Damien threw at her for not listening or caring made her speechless with rage.

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Self-Compassion Makes You the Partner You Want to be Toward Your Loved One
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Self-Compassion Makes You the Partner You Want to be Toward Your Loved One

Anger Issues, Anxiety therapy, Intimacy, relationship issues

Self-Compassion Makes You the Partner You Want to be Toward Your Loved One

By dr_j_raymond|2016-12-13T05:19:18+00:00February 13th, 2013|Anger Issues, Anxiety therapy, Intimacy, relationship issues|

After chiding her live- in boyfriend of five years, thirty-three year old boutique owner Nicole was full of self-loathing. She was angry that she had lost her temper with thirty-five year old car service manager Craig who was constantly letting her down. Nicole watched herself berate him for his sloppiness and half-finished chores. She saw Craig cringe and it reminded her of the times when her father laid into her for not doing as he expected. She didn’t want to be anything like her father. She was alarmed and ashamed that she behaved exactly like her dad, and wasn’t able to do anything to stop it.

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How to Get What You Want From Your Valentine
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How to Get What You Want From Your Valentine

Communication Problems, Intimacy

How to Get What You Want From Your Valentine

By dr_j_raymond|2017-09-14T20:26:48+00:00February 9th, 2013|Communication Problems, Intimacy|

Do you have a fantasy about what you want from your valentine? Would you like action in the form of receiving gifts and treats at a fancy restaurant? Or would you prefer a few genuine and sincere words that touch your heart and make you feel special, loved and treasured? Do you care more about spending time with your valentine or is it more important that your loved one spends a lot of money and spoils you rotten?

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Where to Find a Boyfriend When the Current One is No Good?
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Where to Find a Boyfriend When the Current One is No Good?

Anxiety therapy, Dating, Intimacy, relationship issues

Where to Find a Boyfriend When the Current One is No Good?

By dr_j_raymond|2017-09-13T17:41:18+00:00February 6th, 2013|Anxiety therapy, Dating, Intimacy, relationship issues|

As the six week new beauty product launch project wound down thirty-six year old Gina felt sad that the closeness and unity of the team was about to shatter as they all went their separate ways. She would miss the happy family they had created in order to get the job done, but understood that good things came to an end. What she couldn’t let go of was the fluttering of excitement and hope she felt when she thought about getting to know Brett on a more personal level.

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Are You Ready For Couples Therapy?
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Are You Ready For Couples Therapy?

Anxiety therapy, Communication Problems, Couples Counseling, relationship issues

Are You Ready For Couples Therapy?

By dr_j_raymond|2017-09-11T18:14:31+00:00February 2nd, 2013|Anxiety therapy, Communication Problems, Couples Counseling, relationship issues|

When you have tried as hard as you can to get through to your partner without success you may feel unheard, unseen and misunderstood. You try even harder to make your point, to show where you are coming from and what upsets you so much in the relationship. Your partner may be feeling equally frustrated and exasperated with failed attempts to get through to you about what's going on for them. So you both escalate, get even more angry and disappointed and worst of all you both end up terrified that you are never going to be able to communicate in a way that allows you to feel understood and attended to. Your arguments and fights get increasingly bitter with accusations and blame used as cannons in an attempt to break down the barricades of your partner's apparent refusal to see it your way. At that point you may think that the only way you can salvage the relationship is to go to couples therapy. Maybe an outside person can be more objective and act as a referee or mediator. Before you go to couples therapy, there are some crucial things you should be aware of:

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Is Family Conflict Making a Friend Out of One Loved One and an Enemy of Another?
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Is Family Conflict Making a Friend Out of One Loved One and an Enemy of Another?

Anxiety therapy, Communication Problems, Intimacy, relationship issues

Is Family Conflict Making a Friend Out of One Loved One and an Enemy of Another?

By dr_j_raymond|2017-09-13T19:54:54+00:00January 30th, 2013|Anxiety therapy, Communication Problems, Intimacy, relationship issues|

After a heated argument about being late for dinner, thirty-four year Gemma threw insults at her forty year old husband Jordan who told her that she was overreacting. She stormed out of the house when she heard that he had been finishing an online checkers game with a manufacturing client in Russia. Inflamed at being so disrespected and getting no apology to boot, Gemma drove to her mother’s home with a rush of indignant adrenalin propelling her tired body. Her outrage spilled out before her mother Gloria could make sense of the latest problem that Gemma and Jordan cycled though in their stormy three year childless marriage.

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Breaking Up Doesn’t Have To Be so Hard To Do!
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Breaking Up Doesn’t Have To Be so Hard To Do!

Breakups and Separation, Communication Problems, Intimacy, relationship issues

Breaking Up Doesn’t Have To Be so Hard To Do!

By dr_j_raymond|2016-12-13T05:19:19+00:00January 25th, 2013|Breakups and Separation, Communication Problems, Intimacy, relationship issues|

Do you want to break up with your partner but just can't bring yourself to do it? Are you wracked with guilt every time you think of telling your partner that you want to end the relationship? Do you feel ungrateful and selfish because your partner is an angel and hasn't done anything to deserve being rejected? What you want most of all is for your partner to be the one to walk away so you don't have to be the bad guy. But that doesn't happen, so you start being a little bad here and there hoping your partner will stop loving you and break up the relationship. This cycle of silent and undercover attempts at breaking up can go on for ever and take up a lot of energy. You can get depressed and turn into the exact evil monster that you were trying to avoid, just to set yourself free. Mandy and Chris were both trapped in the same spot.

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Complimenting Your Partner Can Cause Relationship Problems!
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Complimenting Your Partner Can Cause Relationship Problems!

Anxiety therapy, Communication Problems, Intimacy, relationship issues

Complimenting Your Partner Can Cause Relationship Problems!

By dr_j_raymond|2017-09-13T18:44:37+00:00January 22nd, 2013|Anxiety therapy, Communication Problems, Intimacy, relationship issues|

Thirty-two year upwardly mobile grocery store manager Danny approached life with eager optimism. His colleagues and workers revered him for acknowledging their good points, but his thirty year old wife Rayna, a successful beautician threw his compliments in the trash as if they were dirty wasted hair clippings from her customers. Danny’s patience was tested to its limits one evening when he came home and found Rayna tearing her hair out with problems printing out flyers for a special offer at her salon.

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Uncover Your Hidden Motives That Sabotage Your Success!

By dr_j_raymond|2017-09-14T20:27:18+00:00January 19th, 2013|Uncategorized|

It's infuriating when your best laid plans fall apart at the last minute. You had it all going smoothly. You took care of all the snags, got everything prepared in the right order and had all the necessary funds for your plan to succeed. But then out of the blue it crumbles. You are angry, bitterly disappointed, and want to give up. The stress wears you out. This pattern happens over and over again, that just when you are on the point of success and growth you find yourself back at the start line! Why does this happen to you on a regular basis?

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Develop Good Communication Skills and Solve Marriage Problems
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Develop Good Communication Skills and Solve Marriage Problems

Anger Issues, Anxiety therapy, Communication Issues, Communication Problems, Intimacy, relationship issues

Develop Good Communication Skills and Solve Marriage Problems

By dr_j_raymond|2017-09-11T18:47:25+00:00January 15th, 2013|Anger Issues, Anxiety therapy, Communication Issues, Communication Problems, Intimacy, relationship issues|

Gina a twenty-seven year old recent law school graduate was bubbling about her acceptance as an intern at a prestigious law firm. She jumped into the car when her thirty-two year old boyfriend Jake, vice-principle at an elementary school came to pick her up. She started talking excitedly before she strapped her seat belt on, but was gutted when she was abruptly cut off in mid- sentence. Three sentences in Jake sighed, avoided eye contact and told her he had to concentrate on the traffic.

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About dr_j_raymond