Collaborative Practice is a way to resolve disputes in a fair and respectful manner, without going to court. In Collaborative Practice, the goal is to reach a mutually agreeable settlement that takes into consideration the needs and interests of each party. People who are divorcing can now retain Collaborative Professionals to help them reach agreements that settle the issues in ways that they both feel good about, rather than facing adversarial and expensive court battles over custody of children and financial settlements. Instead of increasing emotional stress and hostile feelings, Collaborative Practice provides an opportunity for divorcing couples to navigate the breakup of their marriage with respect and lays the groundwork to maintain a respectful relationship after the issues are resolved.
Read more...

It is a misapprehension that admitting a mistake makes one weak. For it is the big person who admits he is wrong. Not only does he gain in esteem, but he diffuses conflict and reaches agreements with others. A bully does not make friends, is never a hero. A hero listens to others' differences and reaches compromise through negotiation, thereby retaining connection and building bridges.
Read more...

As human beings we cannot avoid suffering, but we do have a choice about how we respond to that experience. Unfortunately, most of us tend to respond to emotional distress with self-judgment. We condemn or criticize ourselves for our feelings, rather than feeling empathy for our circumstance. Our feelings become something to be avoided (denial) rather than listened to and understood. When our response is self-judgment, our hearts harden, our capacity for growth and insight constricts, and we are often flooded with feelings of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness. Self-judgment arises from an over-identification with our ego, it is a harsh and demanding response, and it often engenders feelings of shame and self-doubt.
Read more...

> back to top

In the beginning Freud, Jung, and Adler sought to create the "science of the soul"--psychology. While Jung almost immediately went off in a direction uniquely his own, Freud and Adler remained colleagues for many years.
Read more...

Yoga practice can be a supportive aid to psychotherapy by increasing awareness of feelings in the body; that experience complements our thinking function. The intense pace of life for many people requires some intent to find balance in the midst of demands on our time and attention. Opening to the body as a vehicle of self-awareness supports physical well-being and emotional balance as well as a deepening connection to ourselves and to our world.
Read more...

12-Step Fellowships collected by Gudrun Zomerland, MFT
AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) http://users.ap.net/~aa/ AlAnon (for AA family members) http://www.ncwsa.org/d05/meetings.html CoDA (Codependence) http://www.sfbaycoda.org/Sonoma.htm NA (Narcotics Anonymous) http://www.norcalna.org MA (Marijuana Anonymous) http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org		DA (Debtors Anonymous) http://www.ncdaweb.org Nicotine Anonymous http://nica-norcal.org/meetings.html#sonoma OA (Overeaters Anonymous) http://www.oa.org/index.htm?state=CA EA (Emotions Anonymous) http://nica-norcal.org/meetings.html#sonoma ISA (Incest Survivors Anonymous) To start a meeting, contact (562) 428-5599; P.O. Box 17245, Long Beach, CA 90807 no meetings currently in Northern CA
If you have questions about 12-Step Fellowships or want to discuss Chemical Dependency counseling, contact Tom Hurley, MFT or Gudrun Zomerland, MFT. > back to top

Recommended Reading:

reviewed by

Stop Gaining Weight
I came across this book at a workshop on aging and thought it useful for most people, not only those with real or perceived weight problems. Dr. Pawlak offers a thorough analysis of the evolution of human survival methods, body chemistry, why dieting doesn't work, and suggestions of what does work. She also makes it clear that almost everything she is describing does not apply to food alone but to other possible addictions.
Read more...

Getting Up, Getting Over, Getting On: A Twelve Step Guide to Divorce
Reviewer: "Micki McWade succintly captures the 12 step philosophy while providing a practical yet spiritual path to recovery for those going through divorce."
Read more...

Chinn Street Groups:

Separation/Divorce/Transition Group for Women: ongoing weekly support group for women in any stage of separation from a long term relationship. Facilitated by