Marriage and Family Therapist in Long Beach, California
Sometimes the hardest realization isn’t that a relationship is difficult — it’s that you’re doing everything right and still getting nowhere. You communicate carefully, take responsibility, stay calm… and somehow end up more exhausted and more alone. You keep believing the next conversation will be the one that finally lands.
But it doesn’t. Why not? And then what?
The number-one reason boundaries fail is simple: they’re never actually set. They’re wished for rather than made. A close second is that they’re framed as requests instead of limits.
Here’s why it’s so hard to set and keep boundaries, and what to do about it.
If someone has told you you’re emotionally shut down, I want you to hear this clearly: It’s not your fault, and it isn’t random. Stoicism is not a personality flaw. It’s an adaptation — usually a necessary one.
Boundaries Aren’t About Them. They’re About You.
Learn how to set healthy family boundaries, reduce stress at gatherings, and protect your peace. This practical guide explains triggers, clear communication, and real boundary-setting—so you can stay connected without losing yourself. Perfect for holidays and everyday family life.
This series looks at how money becomes emotional currency in our relationships — why it can spark so much tension, and how we can build a shared language that balances connection and accountability.
Sharing money is sharing power, and you can’t balance dreams, safety, and groceries on the same scale. The goal isn’t perfect equality; it’s collaboration without fear.
Bluntly: the person you think might be “marriage material” has a dark side. We all do. Stress is what brings out the rough edges. And if you’re counting on “love will find a way,” the divorce statistics suggest otherwise.
Research on everyday marital conflicts finds that money related disputes tend to last longer, recur more often, feel more significant, and are less likely to be resolved than fights about other topics. Here’s a hack that works for most couples.
Sometimes a purchase is just a purchase — a new pair of shoes, a bigger TV, a dinner out. But just as often, it’s not about the thing itself. It’s about what the thing means to us.
We need to talk about money. Which is awkward, because most of us were taught not to.
==>First in a series about money and relationships.
Serving active duty military, veterans, and their families.
