Marriage and Family Therapist in Long Beach, California
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.
You’ve probably heard it—or maybe even said it:
“She just loves to splurge.”
Or maybe:
“He’s such a tightwad.”
But what if arguments about money aren’t really about money at all—but about power, priorities, and feeling seen?
A friend recently suggested that women overspend while men think more economically. It’s a common belief—but is it true? And even more importantly: is that really the problem?
Polyamory isn’t a free-for-all. It runs on honesty, emotional intelligence, and calendars. When it works, it’s expansive, connective, and healing. When it breaks down, it’s usually because someone skipped one of these…
The old rules of fighting—winning, dominating, avoiding—don’t work when both people matter.
Most of us learned how to fight growing up. Not martial arts—emotional combat. Yelling. Shutting down. Giving the silent treatment like it’s an Olympic sport.
But when those same tactics show up in our relationships, they don’t protect us—they isolate us.
This piece is about how to reframe conflict from something destructive into something connective. Spoiler: it’s not about avoiding fights—it’s about learning how to fight for each other.
Serving active duty military, veterans, and their families.
