Show Details

Biography

DR. BETH ERICKSON

… could tell you that she:

• completed her Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota in 1976;
• then completed two years’ post-doctoral training in marriage and family therapy at The Family Institute, which is part of Northwestern University;
• has practiced marriage and family therapy for over three decades;
• is an executive and life coach, media host, and professional speaker;
• authored three books, the most recent of which is Marriage Isn’t For Sissies: 7 Simple Keys to Unlocking the Best Part of Your Life, as well as a dozen juried articles for professional publications;
• has developed a teleseminar series to accompany Marriage Isn’t for Sissies;
• previously was host of “Mirrors of the Soul,” on which she interviewed bestselling authors, women movers and shakers, and ordinary people doing extraordinary things;
• has been sought for interviews on NBC Chicago, Voice of America, Cosmopolitan, USA Today, Better Homes and Gardens, and The Miami Herald, among others;
• makes her home in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota.

But those aren’t her real qualifications for hosting a show on relationships. Dr. Beth is a proud wife, stepmother of 3, mother-in-law, grandmother of 5, great-grandmother of 1, aunt, great aunt, sister, sister-in-law, cousin, cat and dog mother, friend, coach, and mentor.

That’s good to know. Because she will be talking about the importance of our connections with people to our quality of life and own survival as individuals, and to the continuation of us as a people and even as a civilization. Along the way, she’ll offer tools for evaluating, maintaining, strengthening, and ending relationships of all kinds.

Dr. Beth is a regular columnist for Womens Online Marketing and is known as “The Best Part of Your Life” Doctor.

Archived Shows

• Relationships 101 – Sobriety by a Native American Ceremony, and More on Losing a Best Friend

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) spoke with Robert Hayward (www.thethirteenthstep.com) about his being a drunk and a druggie from age of 14 on. That is, until he hit the proverbial bottom and decided to try a traditional Indian ceremony to rid himself of his addictions. And it worked! He is now a drug and alcohol counselor. His book is The Thirteenth Step.Then Dr. Beth took the second segment to organize, summarize and expand on the information from a previous segment and a teleseminar she di d on losing a best friend.

  
• Relationships 101 – From Panic to Peace, Perspective for Moms

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) first speaks with bestselling author, Priscilla Warner, (www.priscillawarnerbooks.com), author of Learning to Breathe, about her new book on how she was able to end her panic attacks that had plagued her for 40 years by learning to meditate and develop her spirituality. Then she speaks to Kristine Carlson (www.dontsweatmoms.com), author of Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff for Moms, which is a compendium of support and advice for Moms who might feel lost in parenting or expect perfection from themselves.

  
• Relationships 101 – Can Catholic Priests Remain Celibate? When a Service Member Deploys

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) first spoke with a very controversial former bishop within the Old Catholic tradition, Dr. Lou Bordisso, (www.sex,celibacyandpriesthood.com). Dr. Bordisso is now reconciled with the Roman Catholic Church. Then she spoke with Nanette Sagastume (www.wealsoserve.net) about the PTSD of her husband who was a Marine in Vietnam and her own when her son, also a Marine, was deployed to Iraq.

  
• Relationships 101 – Friendship Interrupted, and Lean and Healthy to 100

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com ) first spoke with Judy Dippel (www.judydippel.com) about her book Friendship Interrupted about when you lose a best friend, whether by death, irresolvable differences, or growing apart. This is a profound and unsettling experience that must be grieved to move on. Then she spoke with Gordon Filepas( www.AdviceforMyChildren)  about his 20 years’ research contained in his book Lean and Healthy to 100. He states that the main reason people don’t lose weight and live to their full potential is a mineral deficiency.

  
• Relationships 101 – Surviving the Holocaust as a Child, The Murder of Trayvon Martin

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) first spoke with Rena Wallach Bernstein (www.bitterfreedom.com) about being the only child from her region in Poland to survive the Nazis’ slaughter of thousands in her village. She was sheltered by a Gentile family. She and V.J. Smith (www.MinneapolisMadDads.org) talked about the murder of a 17 year-old black teenager who was gunned down by a self-styled neighborhood watch person who took it upon himself to shoot a young man whose only crime was walking while black.

  
• Relationships 101 – The Power of Introverts, & Children of Holocaust Survivors

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) first spoke with Susan Cain (www.thepowerofintroverts.com) about her new bestselling book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking about how introverts are underrated in favor of extroverts in our culture. We therefore miss much of what they have to offer. She then spoke with Lori Myers (www.lorimmyers.com) about her parents’ heroic evasion of the Nazis by living in the forest of Poland with another couple. Her sister who was was sheltered by a courageous Gentile couple was not so fortunate.

  
• Relationships 101 – Ritual Sex Abuse of a Boy, Mad Dad’s President on Leaving a Gang

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) first spoke with Neil Brick (ritualabuse.us/smart/neil-brick) about his experience from infancy on as a victim of the ritual sex abuse he endured. We also spoke about how being sexually abused impacts the survivor’s intimate relationships in adulthood. Then she spoke with V.J. Smith (www.MinneapolisMadDads.org), the newly inaugurated national President of Mad Dads, a group of 75,000 parents who work to take back their cities. We talked about how to get out of a gang. His strongest recommendation is to get support from adults outside the gang. He offered that if people would like more help, they should contact him through their web site.

  
• Relationships 101 – Reclaiming a Vibrant Life after Being Left for Dead, and Leaving a Gang

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) first spoke with Bob Wieland (www.bobwieland.com) whose legs were blown off in Viet Nam and zipped into a body bag. When he came back stateside, he required only six weeks’ hospitalization, while some of the soldiers were still in the hospital into their third year. Undaunted by his physical condition, he walks across the U.S. on his hands. She then spoke with Arthur Simon (www.lifetimemanagement.co) about the purpose being in a gang served, how he left his gang without fear of being harmed, and the activities engaged in to replace his gang “family.”

  
• Relationships 101 – PTSD in the Line of Duty, and A Method for Making the Impossible

  Dr. Beth’s (www.drbetherickson.com) first guest, Rocco Scalzi, (www.beatingtheodds.org) is a former police officer who was traumatized in the line of duty when he made a split-second decision to fire at a man he thought was a bad guy. He turned out to be a hostage, not the hostage taker. My next guest is Anat Baniel,(www.anatbanielmethod.com), pioneered a “miracle cure” method to engage the brains of children with paralysis, ADHD, autism, etc. so they can learn to do what brains normally do.

  
• Relationships 101 – Neuroscience of Love, Sex, & Intimacy, and Empowering Women to Break the Glass Ceiling

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com.) spoke with Dr. Rick Hanson (www.rickhanson.com), a neuropsychologist and author of Just One Thing and Buddha’s Brain, about how parts of the brain function and the hormones they emit work together to promote love and sexual intimacy. Then she spoke with Doc Robyn Odegaard, author of Stop the Drama! (www.champperformance.com) about empowering women to break the glass ceiling, and the real reasons why many women earn only 77 cents for every dollar men earn.

  
• Relationships 101 – Parenting Teens and Tweens, and the Process of Change

  Dr. Beth (www.drbethericfkson.com) first spoke with Dr. John G. Duffy (www.johngduffy.com) about the ideas in his book The Available Parent. By this, Dr. Duffy does not mean that parents need to be at their children’s beck and call; rather, that they need to be emotionally available. This is the best parenting strategy. Then she spoke with Susyn Reeve (www.susynreeve.com), author of The Inspired Life, about the process of change, some pitfalls to take into account, and why some others undermine your changing.

  
• Relationships 101 – Brutalized by a Spouse, Surviving Ritual Child Sex Abuse

  Dr. Beth’s (www.drbetherickson.com) first guest is Dr. Connie Hebert (www.conniehebert.com) whose husband verbally, physically, and emotionally abused her until she took her daughter and left. But it took her 20 years to fully recover from the degradation she felt. Cheryl Rainfield (www.cherylrainfield.com) then speaks with Dr. Beth about the ritual sexual abuse she experienced from infancy on and the children she saw murdered until she escaped to a shelter when she was 16. She is the author of the fictionalized account of her life in Scars.

  
• Relationships 101 – Crazy Things We Do When We Fall in Love, & Protecting Kids from Child Sex Abuse

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) first spoke with Liz Langley (liz-langley@blogspot.com), author of Crazy Little Thing: Why Love and Sex Drive Us Mad, about the biology, neurology, and psychology of falling in love – or thinking we have. Then she spoke with Troy Timmons (www. Timmons.com), author of Mommy, Please Read This Book, about the epidemic of child sex abuse. We discussed the incidence, risk factors, and prevention of child sex abuse

  
• Relationships 101 – Spouse with a Life-Threatening Illness, & Cooking a Special Valentine’s Day Meal

  Dr. Beth’s (www.drbetherickson.com) first guest is Julia Schopick (www.HonestMedicine.com), author of Honest Medicine, talked about how her husband’s brain tumor, subsequent surgeries, and side effects of all of this impacted her and their relationship. Then she spoke with Chef Luigi (www.altiramisu.com) about making a special Valentine’s Day Italian meal for that special someone. The recipes that Chef Luigi suggested are available on his web site.

  
• Relationships 101 – Adult Attachment Styles and Marital Conflict, and When a Beloved Brother Dies

  Dr. Beth’s (www.drbetherickson.com) first guest was Dr. Amir Levine (www.attachedthe book.com) who co-authored the book Attached that looks at the influence of attachment styles learned in childhood on couple relationships. Then she spoke with Emily Beaver (www.emilycbeaver.com) about the untimely death of her beloved brother who died at age 17 when Emily was 14. Her book is Slipping Reality, and her wisdom about recovering from a profound loss is uncommon for a teenager.

  
• Relationships 101 – Updating Your Job Search Strategy, and Networking Singles

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) first spoke with Ginny Clarke (www. mycareermapping.com) about her inspiring book called Career Mapping. Her strategies go far beyond writing a résumé and pounding the streets. They empower. Then she spoke with radio host John Holt and matchmaker (www.tri-stateservices.com) about how singles can empower themselves to get out of their own way and succeed in finding a life partner.

  
• Relationships 101 – Recovering from Quadriplegia, and Conversation Is Sexy

  Dr. Beth’s (www.drbetherickson.com) first guest is Doug Smith (www.dougsmithperformance) who was an NHL first round draft pick whose hockey career ended when he hit the boards head on at full speed, thus making him a quadriplegic. He wrote Full Performance about his journey. Then she spoke with Todd Reed (www.conversationissexy.com) about how to deepen conversational intimacy as a prelude to a spiritual and soul connection that is a prelude to deeply satisfying sex. They also talked about roadblocks to satisfying sex.

  
• Relationships 101 – Integrating an All-White School, & Successful Entrepreneurship

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) interviewed E.D. Arrington (www.edarringtonauthor.com), author of Stay the Course, about the pain of feeling invisible when she integrated an all-white high school in rural North Carolina in the 1960s. Then she interviewed James Rick (www.fullpotential.com) about secrets of successful entrepreneurship. This was an especially important conversation in that it is small businesses that are slated to life our country out of its economic recession.

  
• Relationships 101 – Someone Else’s Twin, and Explaining Unhappiness

  Unhappiness Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) spoke first with Dr. Nancy Segal (www.drnancysegal.com) about her work on twins that spans three decades. Her newly released book is Someone Else’s Twin which discusses twins who were switched at birth. She has traveled the world to interview them and their families. Next, she spoke with psychotherapist Peter Spinogatti author of Explaining Unhappiness, about helping people see how illogical thoughts too often control their lives. Then he helps his patients make a different and better choice (www.dissolvingunhappiness.com).

  
• Relationships 101 – Body Traders, and Boys Coming of Age

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) spoke first with Bruce Starr (www.luvcoach.com), author of Body Traders and former AOL love coach about how people look for love in all the wrong places, and then they give up in despair. We spoke about options short of giving up. Then she spoke with Joe Lunievicz (www.lunievicz.com) about his coming of age first novel called Open Wounds.The main character’s mother died in childbirth with him. It is a story focusing on the hyper-masculine way boys without fathers in their lives grow up.

  
• Relationships 101 – Attachment Styles, and Male Victims of Domestic Violence

  Violence Dr. Steve Olivas discussed how the quality of people’s emotional attachment to their parents in childhood has a profound impact on the health of the intimate relationships they develop as adults. Then researcher Dr. Denise Hines discussed her findings that demonstrate that Intimate Terrorism is not limited just to women. Many men are indeed abused physically and emotionally by their spouse. Unfortunately, it is more common than is typically thought.

  
• Relationships 101 – Triumphing Over One Crisis after the Other, and Meet to Marry

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) first spoke with Terry Jones-Brady (www.terryjones-brady.com), author of A Mosaic Heart. Terry began to write as a way to deal with the heartache that life gave her when her children were born with the inherited and ultimately fatal disease cystic fibrosis and her husband’s subsequent suicide under the weight of it. Then she spoke with Bari Lyman (www.meettomarry.com), author of Meet to Marry, about her 3-step program to help single people take charge of dating and find ”the one.”

  
• Relationships 101 – Life for Poor Folks, and Creating a Calm Home

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) first spoke with Joe Schwartz, author of The Games Men Play, which is a collection of 21 short stories about the day-to-day life of America’s lower class workers. It is written in a man’s, and it appeals to men. It truly is about how the other half lives. Then she spoke with Erin Munroe (www.erinamunroe.com) about what it takes to create a calm home, and the effects of a calm, rather than a chaotic, home. Calm homes require structure and organization. Erin can tell by observing her students which ones come from a calm home, and which don’t.

  
• Relationships 101 – "Nancy Grayson Beckerman and Bruce Cameron"

  The theme of both segments of this week’s show is recovery from loss. Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) first spoke with Nancy Grayson Beckerman, author of Out of Time, a memoir about her journey with her husband through his cancer diagnosis and beyond, as she redefined her life as a single woman. Then she spoke with New York Times bestselling author, Bruce Cameron, (wbrucecameron.com) about his new book, the recently-released Emory’s Gift. It is the story of a 13-year-old boy’s grief and recovery following his beloved mother’s death from cancer.

  
• Relationships 101 - Developing Mental Toughness, and First Love, First Loss Dr. Beth

  Loss Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) first spoke with Mental Toughness coach, Dr. Jason Selk (www.jasonselk.com) about his newest book Executive Toughness. He was the performance coach for the 2006 and 2011 St. Louis Cardinals in their wins of the World Series. Then she spoke with Deborah Chamberlain (www.orangepicnic.com), author of Orange Picnic about her first love as a teenager and about her intense grief when he committed suicide rather than being drafted into the Viet Nam War.

  
• Relationships 101 – Pedophiles and Sex Traffickers, & A Twinless Twin

  Twin Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) spoke with Marie Crist (www.mariecrist.com), author of the novel Citizen Out, which is about pedophiles and child sex traffickers. They decried the small movement to decriminalize and normalize pedophilia, and talked about how parents can protect their children from this scourge. Then she spoke with Tamara Jackson about her twin brother having died in childbirth, and how she misses him and communicates with him regularly. This was a very touching conversation.

  
• Relationships 101 – Ambitious Women, and Surviving a Heart Attack and a Stroke

  Dr. Beth’s (www.drbetherickson.com) first guest was Dr. Debra Condren (www.AmbitionIs NotaDirtyWord.com), author of a book by that name who talked with her about why ambitious women are criticized for following their career goals while men are called go-getters. They also talked about the pay disparity between the sexes and women’s self-limitations. Then she talked with Howard Kay (www.trumpnetwork.com) about his having survived two life-threatening illnesses and how his passion now is informing people about these precarious conditions.

  
• Relationships 101 – Does He Cheat? and Smarter Dating

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) first spoke with Hollywood screenwriter and Recovering Cheater, Sterling Anderson (www.doeshecheatthebook.com)about the book he and Stephanie Dart wrote based on interviews of 50 cheaters called Does He Cheat? Their primary purpose in writing the book was to empower women to open their eyes. Then she spoke with Dr. Joe Amoia (www.smarterdatingforwomen.com), author of the E-book The ABCs of Smarter Dating about how to zero in and find the type of man she wants, rather than believing there are no good men left.

  
• Relationships 101 – Job Search Advice for Newly-Minted College Grads, & Communing with Your Unborn Child

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetheric kson.com) first had a nuts-and-bolts conversation with Michelle Riklan (www.Riklan Resources.com) about how new college grads can stand out from the herd when job searching in this tight economy. Then she spoke with Scott Blum (www.www.scottblum.net), author of Winter Moon Rises about the journey toward becoming a parent by communicating with your unborn child long before s/he is born.

  
• Relationships 101 – Having a Chronically Ill Sibling, and Overscheduled Kids

  Dr. Beth (drbetherickson.com) first spoke with Heather Cariou (sixtyfiverosesthebook.com), author of Sixty-Five Roses: A Sister’s Memoir, about the challenges of growing up with both a sister and a brother with Cystic Fibrosis. Heather clearly had to grow up too fast for her own good. Then she spoke with R.T. (Willie) Willard who retired after teaching in middle school for 35 years about this question: Are Our Kids Overscheduled Today? Dr. Beth offered some guidelines for parents to consider in making decisions about kids’ extracurricular activities.

  
• Relationships 101 – How 9/11 Changed America and Americans, and Conversation with an American Muslim

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) did one of her famous Chalk Talks about the residue of fear and even paranoia that is now prevalent in our country after the attacks on 9/11. Although it a natural human tendency to fear the other, it has been heightened to near hysteria in the U.S. I then spoke with novelist and American Muslim, M. Salahuddin Khan (mskhan@sikanderthebook.com) about the scenes of everyday life in Pakistan and Afghanistan that he portrayed in his novel, in order to bridge the gap between our two cultures.

  
• Relationships 101 – Narcissist-Codependent Dance, and Causes of Addictions Revisited

  Dr. Beth’s (www.DrBethErickson.com) first guest is Darlene Lancer (www.darlenelancer.com) whose area of expertise is codependence. People who are codependent have little sense of self, and the narcissist is full of him/herself, making the classic relationship dynamic. Then she spoke with Kristen Moeller (www.kristenmoeller.com) about the new findings on the causes of addiction newly released by physicians who specialize in the treatment of addictions, the American Society of Addiction Medicine. It is neurology and not lack of will power that fuels addictions.

  
• Relationships 101 – Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers, and Emotionally Abusive, Narcissistic Fathers

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) spoke first with Stephanie Roth (www.leapfrogconnections.com), the daughter of a highly narcissistic mother whose parenting matched the typical traits of that disorder, leaving her child feeling empty, unloved, and unloveable. Next, she spoke with D.H. Cermeno (http://www.risingsunsets.com), author of Rising Sunsets, about the emotional abuse he suffered from his narcissistic father who made him feel never good enough.

  
• Relationships 101 – Marrying a Narcissist, and What Makes a Successful Entrepreneur

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) interviewed Crystal Clancy (www.crystalclancy.weebly.com) for the second in a four-part series on narcissism. Crystal spend 4 years with a narcissist, became engaged, but broke it off before disaster ensued and she married and had children with him. Then I spoke with Valerie Lothian (www.internettrafficlistbuilding.co.uk) about her work as a mentor and coach of budding entrepreneurs. We shared our personal stories of becoming entrepreneurs and discussed what traits and processes are necessary to succeed.

  
• Relationships 101 – Married to a Narcissist, and Incarcerated Youth

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) first interviewed Marlene Landrum who has been married to a narcissist for sixteen years. Her experience was a springboard to help listeners define a narcissist, to talk about what being married to a narcissist is like, the primary dynamic between a narcissist and his codependent partner, and how to leave a narcissist. Then I spoke with Charmaine Hammond (www.hammondgroup.biz) about her work with incarcerated youth, how the U.S. incarcerates the most prisoners of any country, and why.

  
• Relationships 101 – What Makes a Happy Marriage, & Three Additional Ingredients of a Happy Marriage

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) first interviewed family studies researcher Dr. Peter Larson (www.prepare-enrich.com), co-author of The Couple Checkup, on some of the 15 to 20 abilities that couples in happy marriages possess that make them successful, compared with unhappy couples. Then Dr. Beth elaborated on remaining three factors that time didn’t permit her and her guest to discuss: conflict, consumerism, and sex. In both segments, she and Dr. Larson stressed that a happy marriage is the best gift parents can give their children, and child-centered couples jeopardize their marriage and their child’s happiness.

  
• Relationships 101 – Mistaken for ADHD, and Being Gay and Black

  Dr. Beth Erickson (www.drbetherickson.com) first interviewed Dr. Frank Barnhill, a family physician and author of Mistaken for ADHD, (www.mistakenforadhd.com) about the frequency of misdiagnosis of ADHD in children and teens. Then she spoke with Aaron Anson, (www.aaronanson.com) about his journey to acceptance of his being gay, catalyzed by married Army soldiers hitting on him. His mother’s acceptance of him as a gay man after he came out made all the difference in the world to him. He is the author of Mind Your Own Life.

  
• Relationships 101 – The Transformative Power of A Faith Crisis, and Transformed by Gratitude

  Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) speaks with Dr. Greg Hunt (www.gregorylhunt.com), author of Blackbirds Singing in the Dead of Night. His memoir invites the reader into a pastor’s conversations with a Silent God. Imagine a pastor, plagued by doubts, who’s willing to invite spiritual seekers and skeptics into his private struggles that results in his transformation. Then she spoke with Nina Lesowitz,(www.spinergygroup.com) co-author of The Gratitude Power Workbook about the transformative power of gratitude.

  
• Relationships 101 – Holistic& Integrative Medicine, and People’s Relationship with Money

  Money Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) spoke first with physical therapist and author Deborah Howell (www.victoryinaction.com), author of Straight from the Heart, about the power of alternative medicine when combined with traditional Western medicine to heal the mind and the body. Then Pegi Burdick (www.thefinancialwhisperer.com) spoke with her about people’s relationship with money, the seeds of which were planted early in their lives. Pegi believes that people’s difficulty with money management is tied to their emotional impasses.

  
• Relationships 101 – A Danish Family’s Legacy as Members of the Their Country’s Resistance During World War II, and What is a Master Teacher?

  Dr. Beth first spoke with Jasmine Tritten about her family’s heroism risking their lives to harbor Jews during the Nazi occupation. We focused on the concept of legacy. Then I spoke with teacher Patty O’Hare about what makes her a master teacher (www.farwellschools.org), her philosophy of education, and how she ignites her students’ interest in science.

  
• Relationships 101 – Why Remarriage Is So Challenging, and a Successfully Remarried Couple

  While the divorce rate for college-educated couples in first marriages is inching down to the mid 40%,the divorce rates for second and third marriage are much higher (60-67% of second marriages end in divorce, and 70-73% of couples in third marriages divorce). Dr. Beth (www.drbetherickson.com) first did a “chalk talk” on why remarriages can be so challenging. Then she introduced a successfully remarried couple, Terry and Laura Neven, (www.terryneven.com) to share their success secrets, despite his ex’s parental alienation campaign and their having seven children between them.

  
• Relationships 101 – Being Parents of a Drug Addict, and Older Women Dating Younger Men

  Dr. Beth (www.DrBethErickson.com) first spoke with Brad DeHaven (www.rxdrugaddict.com), the father of a recovering Oxycontin addict. They spoke about causes of an addict’s drug abuse, and stopping enabling. Next, Hattie Wiener (www.holisticallyhattie.com) spoke about the joys of being a cougar with her cubs (younger men). She needs to be clear on her agenda, her sexuality, and how to work around their developmental differences

  
• Relationships 101 – Building Better Marriages, and Understanding Identity Confusion

  First, Dr. Beth Erickson (www.drbetherickson.com) spoke with Dr. Priscilla Hunt (www.bettermarriages.org) and Dr. Greg Hunt who have been successfully married for 35 years. They shared some of their success secrets, the primary ones being to maintain their individuality and learn relationship skills. Then Jackie O’Neal (www.onealmedia@live.com)
  shared her struggle with her own identity development because of her family’s and her birth country’s expectation that she deny her Indian and African slave heritage. Their silence inculcated shame and low self-worth in her.

  
• Relationships 101 – Selfishness of Parental Alienation, and Succeeding Against All Odds

  Dr. Beth Erickson (www.drbetherickson.com) interviewed well known San Diego family lawyer Michele Lowenstein (www.LowensteinBrown.com) on parental alienation, which is a particularly egregious form of child abuse. Then she spoke with Chitoka Webb (www.chitokawebb.com) about her considerable success despite growing up in the ghetto of Nashville and contracting a rare disease that resulted in blindness. Send your questions to www.AskDrBethErickson.com.

  
• Relationships 101 – Day Sex Solution, and Children of Incarcerated Parents

  One of the biggest challenges in a long-term marriage is keeping up the sexual connection couples had when they met. Dr. Victoria Wilson co-authored The 30-Day Sex Solution with her husband, John, to help address this issue. Dr. Yvonne Lutter, Director of Mental Health at a woman’s prison, talked with me about the collateral damage to children and their bonding process when their parents are incarcerated. This is a matter of great urgency for us as a society.

  
• Relationships 101 – Fathers Are Essential for Children’s Welfare

  Far too many people think that fathers are superfluous, optional, and disposal, including some fathers themselves. Nothing could be farther from the truth, as my guests discuss. My first guest is Julia Espy, who is the author of If I Were Your Daddy, Here Is What You Would Learn. A single mother herself, she interviewed 35 men seeking their answers. Jim Higley is a full time single father to his three children, a Chicago Tribune columnist, and author of Bobblehead Dad.

  
• Relationships 101 – What Can Happen to Foster Children, and Being Proactive as a New Stepmother

  She is the author of The Gray Zone, a novel about how one abused and neglected child survived some potentially devastating situations by using her wits. Then Barb Goldberg, whose blog is The Evil Stepmother Speaks, spoke about how she proactively took charge in her new step family to win her step children over and to blend her family into a cohesive group of four siblings.

  
• Relationships 101 – 053011

  Earlier this month, I interviewed a guest who said he had been depressed his whole life. Today, I will talk with All-American Keshawn Durant who became situationally depressed after an injury required him to quit sports. I will compare and contrast the two. I also spoke with Katherine Kersten, a newspaper columnist, on the growing class marriage gap. Rates of marriage are in precipitous decline for all but college-educated folks, disadvantaging the rest.

  
• Relationships 101 – Surviving Life in a Cult, and Blessings and Challenges of Intermarriage

  Joan Miller, author of The Transformation of Joan Faith, talked about having been reared in a cult, and what it was like to extricate herself from its clutches. It was a harrowing process. Then Gerald Fierst, a Civil Celebrant and author of The Heart of the Wedding, talked about presiding over intermarriages in his work, as well as about his own intermarriage and that of his son. What makes intermarriages work? What are its blessings and challenges?

  
• Relationships 101 – Launching Adult Kids, and “Landing” Mr. Right

  Patricia Harmon, author of Arms Wide Open, shared her sadness and joy in her three young adult sons developing their own lives and leaving home. Nothing would ever be the same again after they left home. We talked about how to grieve their absence without hanging on. Then I spoke with Vanessa Taylor, author of the dating book Text. Love. Power. which focuses on the new rules for 21st century dating. Her approach cautions women against not playing hard to get.

  
• Relationships 101 – Inconceivable

  Because of a medical mistake, Carolyn and Sean Savage became the parents of a child who wasn’t theirs to keep. They had had their previous child using in vitro fertilization, so once again they turned to medical science for help. Only something went horribly wrong. Carolyn was implanted with another couple’s egg. Their saga was heart wrenching, their journey through this unprecedented passage to parenthood forced them to confront every value they had about family and the sanctity of human life.

  
• Relationships 101 – 050211

  Dick Sederquist, author of Hiking Out, spoke with me about his lifelong depression and how he has healed from it, with self-help and the assistance of a psychiatrist and a psychologist. Now he volunteers at a medium security prison to help inmates with their depression, addiction, and the endless cycle of recidivism. Then I went into greater depth about depression, its causes, cures, risks of suicide and how to recognize the danger signs of severe suicide risk. I stressed the need to get professional help.

  
• Relationships 101 – Trust in Business, and Facing Retirement

  Building trust in business is as important as trust building is at home. Jim Villwock, author of Trusted Relationships, knows first hand from his years inside large corporations as well as from his own business. Then retirement isn’t just for people 65 or older. Many of today’s workers 50 and up are being forced into retirement because of today’s economy. Joan and Don Brown talked about how they managed the inevitable shifts in their relationship as they transitioned into retirement.

  
• Relationships 101 – Boomerang Kids, and When a Child Dies

  Marie Gordon has a boomerang kid because her 27 year-old son was seriously injured and bedridden for a year. I suggested the myriad feelings her son inevitably must experience that cause him to act out his anger, disappointment, lostness, rejection, and hopelessness. Maria Malin talked with me about her 11 year-old son’s death eight years ago and strategies she used to heal and milestones in her recovery process. She is the author of When You Just Can’t Let Go, Don’t.

  
• Relationships 101 – Fuel for Addictions, and the Sandwich Generation

  Rocky Barretto and Trevor Patience, both addicts in recovery, spoke about their fractured childhoods that left them isolated and lonely, which became major contributors to their addiction to drugs of all kinds. Then Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Karen Taylor-Good sang and spoke about being part of the sandwich generation stuck in the middle of caring for her 95-year old mother and her adolescent daughter when both needed her care. Her music is inspiring.

  
• Relationships 101 – Collaboration, and Forgiveness

  Patty DeDominic is a successful entrepreneur who built her businesses on collaboration within organizations and with other outside professionals. Synergy results when professionals network and collaborate with each other. Mary R. Bailey then spoke with me about her struggles to forgive her daughter-in-law whom she saw as responsible for the unraveling of her family. When she realized she was being held prisoner by her hatred of this young woman, she had to make amends.

  
• Relationships 101 – Recovering from Trauma, and Increasing your Happiness Quotient

  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) occurs when people experience a traumatic event, as Jim Tritten did. He was piloting a plane back to an aircraft carrier when it crashed. Learn the markers of PTSD and how it affects intimate relationships. Then Murray Grossan, M.D. talked about empowering people to be their own healers. His book Stressed? Anxiety? Your Cure Is in the Mirror is an encyclopedia of suggestions helping people to be well and happy.

  
• Relationships 101 – Epiphanies, and Apologies

  Elise Ballard and I talked about interviews she has done with over 50 movers and shakers and some lesser knowns to learn about their epiphanies, which is a sudden burst of insight that transforms people’s lives in an instant. She is the author of Epiphany. Then I spoke with Sheila Quinn Simpson, author of Apology. We considered the advantages of apologizing irrespective of whether others accepts it, how apologies differ from forgiveness, and how the abused need an apology from their abuser.

  
• Relationships 101 – Prediction of a Murder-Suicide, and Post-Divorce From Hell

  Sheila Lowe is a handwriting analyst who predicted her daughter’s new boyfriend would be a danger to her. Nine months later, both daughter and boyfriend were dead, and his handwriting foretold the tale. Barbara Reed has been divorced many years and still her ex finds excuses to take her back to court. How has she defended himself from his intrusion into her parenting? Is there a way to avoid being under the lion’s paw with him? What advice does she have for others?

  
• Relationships 101 – Being Ready for a Relationship, and Final Drive

  Marla Martenson, a Beverly Hills matchmaker and author of Excuse Me Your Soul Mate Is Waiting, and I discussed how to attract an appropriate relationship and how to tell if you are ready for one. Then I spoke with Shelly Hess whose memoir is called Final Drive about how she was able to find transcendent meaning in her husband’s sudden decision to divorce and his death in a motorcycle accident only 45 days later. She demonstrates great courage and wisdom.

  
• Relationships 101 – Secret Side of Anger, and Great Relationships Begin Within

  Janet Pfeiffer, author of The Secret Side of Anger joined me to discuss the differences between assertion, aggression, and passive aggression. We also discussed how anger is easily prostituted when it substitutes for more vulnerable emotions. Maryanne Comaroto and I then discussed the central importance of introspection and self-reflection for preparing to be in an intimate relationship with anyone else. Avoiding this guarantees another failure.

  
• Relationships 101 – Secrets of the Teenage Brain, Travel Log of Newfoundland, Secrets for Finding Love

  Dr. Sheryl Finestein, author of Secrets of the Teenage Brain, talked with me about how teenagers’ brains are different from the adults they are going to become or the children they have been. Parents of teens and educators are urged to listen to this segment. Then I spoke with Carol Barrett about her native province of Newfoundland and about her book The Secret Guide to Finding Love about attracting the right mate.

  
• Relationships 101 – Pernicious Addictions, and When an Infant’s Mother Dies

  William Cope Moyers’ addiction to alcohol and cocaine began in his college years, although he had used before. When he admitted his problem, he stubbornly wanted to become clean and sober his way, which hampered his sobriety. His saga is detailed in his memoir Broken. Delia Moon’s mother died when she was two years old, after which her father went to war. Reared by her grandmothers, she describes the impact of these traumas plainly and eloquently.

  
• Relationships 101 – Ed and Eddie Rinehardt talked about Ed’s 32-year search for his father who abandoned the family when Ed was 9.

  Despite this, Ed played a pivotal role in Eddie’s recovery when he was brain injured on the football field. These journeys are detailed in You’re OK, Kid. Dr. Jacqueline Olds, co-author of  The Lonely American, spoke about the loneliness woven into the fabric of the American psyche from our cult of busyness and belief in rugged individualism. These accentuate individuals’ personal loneliness and aloneness.

  
• Relationships 101 – Love for No Reason, and Is Marriage Obsolete?

  Best-selling author Marci Shimoff discussed her new book on finding unconditional love called Love for No Reason. Unlike love for good reason, which means you love because of certain traits and attributes, this is becoming the embodiment of love. Then Dr. Doug Welpton considered whether marriage is obsolete, in light of the social changes that have taken place that call into question the institution of marriage. He is the author of Attract Love, intimacy and Money.

  
• Relationships 101 – Promoting Healthy Marriages, and Job Interview Secrets

  People who are happily married are healthier, wealthier, and sexier, says Hillary Bravo, Program Coordinator of the Healthy Marriages Project in New Mexico. We discuss benefits to individuals and to our society. Tamra Nashman and I discuss the ways to stand out in job interviews, as well as some essential do’s and don’ts for landing a job. It is helpful to think of a job interview as building a relationship that you hope will grow.

  
• Relationships 101 – Transformed By a Loved One’s Death, and Grandparents Rearing Grandchildren

  Kristine Carlson’s memoir Heartbroken Open describes her journey from brokenness to healing after the death of her husband, bestselling author Richard Carlson. Dr. Elizabeth Wohl and I spoke about grandparents rearing their grandchildren for whatever reason, whether the child’s parents are incarcerated, addicted, deployed, or dead. Certainly, there are challenges, but there also are multiple rewards.

  
• Relationships 101 – Cults and Spiritual Terrorism, and Becoming an Entrepreneur

  The work of Dr. Boyd Purcell, author of Spiritual Terrorism, stands at the crossroads of psychology and theology. What makes some people susceptible to spiritual abuse while others are immune? What gives cult leaders their power? Kristen Brown became a widow at 31, and instead of sinking into depression, she became an entrepreneur. We discussed the skills and personal attributes required to become successful entrepreneurs. It isn’t for everyone.

  
• Relationships 101 – The Power of Mentors, and Fathers’ Grief When Their Wives Miscarry

  The life of Elvin Dowling was literally and psychologically saved by his having a mentor. By age19, his brothers and cousins had all been killed by drugs and gang violence, while he went on to become Chief of Staff of the National Urban League. Douglas Esper was the father of an unborn child whom his wife miscarried. While many people understand that mothers grieve such misfortune, fathers do, too. Hear one man’s story of his mourning.

  
• Relationships 101 – Mother’s Prenatal Stress and Her Child’s Developing Brain, and Tips for Beating the Holiday Blues

  My first guest, Dr. Gail Cloud, is not a typical chiropractor. She helps adult patients rework the effects on them of their mother’s stress when they were in utero. And Janet Pfeiffer and I talk about strategies for fending off depression and loneliness if the holidays don’t measure up to your childhood fantasy or if you are alone. Being lonely is a choice; many other more constructive choices are available if you put yourself out there.

  
• Relationships 101 – End-of-Life Decisions, and Life in a Military Family

  Zoe FitzGerald Carter’s memoir, Imperfect Endings, details her conversations with and feelings about her mother’s final choice. It is an impactful talk about the moral and ethical dilemmas she faced in light of her mother’s decision. Then I talk with Joan Brown, author of Move and Other Four-Letter Words. It details her life as an Air Force wife for 32 years, which included 21 moves. We discuss multiple benefits and adjustments for her family and herself from this nomadic life.

  
• Relationships 101 – Building Resilience and What Women Want from Men

  What is the nature of resilience? Is it nature or nurture? Is it possible for children to develop it and for parents to instill it in them? These are the questions my first guest, James Krehbiel, author of Troubled Childhood, Triumphant Life and I discuss. My second guest is Elliott R. Katz, author of Being the Strong Man a Woman Wants, which, according to him, is the opposite of a “sensitive New Age man.” It is a lively discussion containing clear differences of opinion

  
• Relationships 101 – Grip, and Resolving Regrets & Starting the New Year Clean

  Sallie and Conway Felton shared about how Conway’s depression has overshadowed their entire 37-year marriage, and strategies they have learned to keep it from ruining their life together. Then Jennifer Hoffman shared her regret of not pursuing her dream of being a drummer in a rock ‘n’ roll band because she spent her life pleasing her mother. She finally claimed her life as her own and began living it. Regrets can be cripplers or motivators.

  
• Relationships 101 – Single by Choice, and Conversations That Rewrite History

  Celeste Friedman is an award-winning singer who has tried marriage twice and has had many live-in boyfriends. Now she remains happily single, and she has written Single 101. When Cora Lonning’s parents divorced when she was 17, she held the divorce against her father for leaving her, deciding not to trust any men. But when she was 31, she talked with her father and learned his reasoning, which rewrote her history. Good thing. He died soon after.

  
• Relationships 101 – Rage-aholics, and the Ritual of Family Dinners

  Dr. Simon Casey, author of Couples in Chaos, spoke with me about road rage and rage-aholics. The primary fuel for this explosive rage is not power, as these people would like to believe, but fear and hurt which the rage covers. John Nowicki shared his nuclear family’s ritual of nightly dinners and his extended family of 39 people who gather every Sunday evening at his parents’ to a home cooked pasta dinner. We discussed strategies for parents to institute dinner rituals.

  
• Relationships 101 – Building a Chosen Family, and Choosing to Remain a Family of Two

  Two I spoke with Glenn Plaskin, author of Katie Up and Down the Hall: The Story of How One Dog Turned Five Neighbors into a Family, about chosen families, second chances, life and death, loneliness, and adapting to change. My second guests were a couple, Piper Hoffman and Aviv Roth, who shared their decision, their feelings, and their process for reaching the conclusion to remain childfree. Their first priority is keeping their marriage strong.

  
• Relationships 101 – Secondary Stress Disorder Among Reporters Who Cover Disasters, and The Unheard Voice of Aging Parents

  Kathleen Koch was a broadcast journalist for CNN sent to the Gulf Coast to cover Hurricane Katrina. She was based in her Mississippi hometown, so her job was all the more emotional. She suffers from regrets even today. Dr. Barbara Kaplan and Carol Ball-Teplin, authors of The Unheard Voice of Aging Parents, addressed what aging parents and adult children can do to open lines of communication.

  
• Relationships 101 – Developing a Post-Divorce Co-Parental Team, and Childlessness by Choice

  When Marlene Clay divorced, she vowed not to repeat the mistakes of her parents and stepmother. So she forged a co-parental team with her ex and his new wife. Laura Carroll, author of Families of 2, interviewed 30 couples who are childless by choice that suggest a roadmap for those who choose to remain a family of 2. We discussed couples’ rationale for this choice as well as how to manage some of the societal pressures they face.

  
• Relationships 101 – How to Become a Recovering “Control Freak,” and A Program to Help Abused Men

  My first guest, Dan Walker, is a self-confessed “control freak.” When his life as he had known it collapsed, he had to face how his personality style was sabotaging his whole life. My second guest, Jan Elizabeth Brown, runs a national helpline which is based in Maine, for male victims of domestic abuse. Their number is 888-743-5754. As far as she knows, hers is the only program like it in the country designed to help abused men.

  
• Relationships 101 – Parenting Your Parents, and Adopting a Challenging Child

  My first guest, Lori La Bey, has been the care giver for her father for the 4 ½ years he had brain cancer and for her mother who has late stage Alzheimer’s. We discussed the risks and rewards of care giving. Then I spoke with Stephanie Roth who adopted two children ages 10 and 6 when they came to live with them. While the older child was “perfect,” the younger was challenging because of her life before she was adopted and her being mixed race.

  
• Relationships 101 – 21st Century Relationships, and Parental Alienation

  My first guest was Dr. Billy Kidd. His cutting edge research with 20-somethings is detailed in Low Stress Romance. He has concluded that 21st century relationships have changed so much that there are no rules and much confusion. My next guest, Dr. Amy J. L. Baker, is a nationally recognized expert whose book is Adult Children of Parental Alienation Syndrome. Why would parents attempt to alienate their child from the target parent? How to prevent it?

  
• Relationships 101 – Effects of Your Internalized Family on Work, and Extricating Yourself from a Borderline Personality Disordered Spouse

  It is impossible not to bring your family to work with you in the form of internalized patterns you learned from your childhood family. Dr. Sylvia Lafair spoke with me about her book Don’t Bring Your Family to Work, examining how vestiges appear at work. Lynn Melville, author of Boomerang Love, talked about being in and leaving an abusive relationship with a Borderline Personality Disordered spouse.

  
• Relationships 101 – Giving Birth to a “Savior Child,” and Complementarity in Intimate Relationships

  I spoke with Beth Whitehouse, an award winning journalist at Newsday who wrote The Match: “Savior Siblings” and One Family’s Battle to Heal Their Daughter. It details a couple’s heart wrenching journey to save their child’s life. Then I spoke with Dr. Barry Ginsberg about how people are attracted to each other in complementary ways and how to maintain their attraction and attachment later on, rather than insisting they change.

  
• Relationships 101 – Parenting Grown Kids Who Go Sideways, & Mother/Daughter Business Collaboration

  Collaboration Elle Mansfield, co-author of Cutting the Cord, discussed how and why some parents inadvertently enable their adult kids to remain irresponsible and stuck. Christine Marie Peters and her daughter, Julie, described how they happily share their business and their lives. At first, Dr. Beth was a bit skeptical that things may not have been as copasetic as they seemed, but after challenging them, it became apparent theirs was the real deal.

  
• Relationships 101 – From Failure to Fearless, and Clergy Killers

  Killers I talked with Susanna Abbott about the skills and mindset required to move from being undone by life’s setbacks to making lemonade from them. People need to learn to use their feelings as a data source for sound decision making. In the news, there are a plethora of articles about clergy abuse of congregants. But Rev. Jackie O’Neal talked with us about the abuse of spiritual leaders by their flock. A clergyperson is forced out of the ministry every 6 minutes in the U.S.

  
• Relationships 101 – How the Internet Is Restructuring Our Brains and End of Life Ethical Dilemmas

  I spoke with Dr. Madelyn Blair, author of Riding the Current, about what is happening to America’s creativity and how TV and Internet use are diminishing our creativity and sense of community. Deb Savage, R.N. then spoke with me about the increasing ethical dilemmas that families and health care providers experience because of modern medical miracles that treatment advances provide. I asked when is enough enough?

  
• Relationships 101 – Marital Arguments and Advocating for a Child with ADHD

  Sharon Rivkin, marriage and family therapist and author of two books on managing marital arguments where one or both spouses has gotten hooked into old or painful material was my first guest. Then Karen Lowry, a pediatric nurse whose son has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder which makes it very difficult for him to learn, talked about strategies parents can use to help their child receive appropriate education to help them achieve their full potential

  
• Relationships 101 – : Why Long Term Marriages End, and Marital Conflict Sparked by Sibling Positions of Spouses

  Spouses Dr. B. Janet Hibbs, author of Try to See It My Way, and I spoke on why couples who have managed to stay together for a long time end their marriage. Then marriage and family therapist, Dr. Karen Gail Lewis, shared how spouses’ sibling positions can work for or against couples, particularly when conflict arises. Non-complementary sibling positions with their unconscious roles can be a major source of marital conflict.

  
• Relationships 101 – Toxic and Great Parenting

  Diane Tegarden did a “parentectomy” of her father who was verbally and physically abusive. Her first memory of being hit with a closed fist was when she was 5 or 6, after she expressed her opinion in response to his question. I offered multiple strategies for healing those wounds. Then Tracy DeGraaf, mother of 5 sons, has written Laugh Anyway Mom. Her kids have taken her to hospital emergency rooms 21 times. She shares her philosophy of parenting in a nutshell in a fun conversation.

  
• Relationships 101 – A Cultural Critique and Life-Changing Events

  Marla Martenson, author of Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker, was back by popular demand to dish with me about the shallowness of people who only seek mates who are arm candy and American Express cards. Then brain tumor survivor Bob Gibbs spoke with me about his 6-year battle with brain cancer, his son’s being diagnosed with a brain tumor, and the foundation he started, milesforhope.org, to offer help and hope to others facing their own battle with cancer.

  
• Relationships 101 – Sex Addiction and Care for Caregivers

  Recent stories about philandering husbands has brought the subject of sex addiction to the fore. Alex Katahakis, author of Erotic Intelligence, and I discussed what makes a sex addict and how to help them and their partners. Then Chris Tatevosian, author of Life Interrupted – It’s Not All about You, shared what he learned the hard way about how his MS and his attitude toward it destroyed his first marriage. Instead of self-pity, he now experiences and expresses grace to his second wife.

  
• Relationships 101 – Replacement and Returning Children

  Judy Mandel’s memoir Replacement Child tells of her parents’ decision to have a replacement child when her older sister was killed in a plane crash. Living with a phantom sister overshadowed her existence and made Judy invisible as an individual. Maggie and Gary Stevens shared their experience of living with their adult son and his wife, providing a home for them while their son was in graduate school. We discussed potential pitfalls of multi-generational living and ways to avoid them.

  
• Relationships 101 – Cures for Loneliness

  Howard Eisenberg and Shirley Friedenthal met online after their spouses died in their 70’s. Each other’s One and Only, they collaborated on a book It’s Never Too Late to Date written for the over-50 set. Marla Martenson, author of Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker, discussed matchmaking for wealthy men and beautiful women who also are searching for a cure for their loneliness. But when women seek only rich men and men seek superficial beauty, they remain lonely because of their shallowness.

  
• Relationships 101 – Difficult Father’s Days and Family Conflict around Weddings

  Not everyone is privileged to have a healthy relationship with their father. Kelly Meister discussed her long journey of healing from her father’s molestation and her stepfather’s verbal and physical abuse of her, in the context of Father’s Day. Then Samantha Goldberg, a celebrity wedding planner, and I discussed the conflicts that can arise between brides and their mother or mother-in-law, and strategies to keep them from overshadowing the couple’s special day.

  
• Relationships 101 – Fatherless Adult Children and Women Leading for a Change

  Change Dr. Richard Horowitz spoke with me about the dramatic impact of fathers’ absence on their children’s lives. It leaves a hole in their soul that is extremely difficult to fill, and they carry this father hunger into adulthood until they deal with it. Then Stephanie Marohn, editor of a volume called Goddess Shift: Women Leading for a Change. We explored the new era of women’s leadership that is emerging, and the role of the feminism of 40 years ago in prompting this.

  
• Relationships 101 – The Circle of Life: Death and Birth

  Carole Brody Fleet, author of Widows Wear Stilettos, was widowed at age 40 when her husband’s death from ALS turned her life upside down. We discussed unhelpful ways well-meaning people responded to her, as well as what to expect when grieving. Then I spoke with Patricia Harman about her memoir The Blue Cotton Gown, tales of her exploits as a humanistic nurse midwife, parent, friend, & and wife of husband and business partner, Dr. Tom Harman, who isn’t a typical doctor, either.

  
• Relationships 101 – Coaches for Kids’ Teams and Looking Good at Any Age

  My first guest was David Salter, author of Final Four Leadership. Having coached youth sports for 13 years, he has worked with some parents who behave more like children than their kids. We discussed strategies for dealing with these bullies. My second guest, Valerie Ramsey, became a runway model at age 63 and at 70 will soon host her own television show called “What’s Next?” She is living proof that beauty is both an inside and an outside job.

  
• Relationships 101 – Asking “Should I Divorce?” and the Challenges for Professional Women in Finding a Mate

  My first guest is Dr. Beverly Hyman, co-author of  How to Know If It’s Time to Go. The book and our conversation provides a reality check on the implications of their dissatisfaction. My next guest is Dr. Veronica Anderson, M.D. who recently divorced and re-entered the dating game after 22 years of marriage. Although it can be a challenge for anyone to find an appropriate mate, the odds are stacked against well-educated women

  
• Relationships 101 – Daughters Restructuring Their Relationship and Working with Their Mother

  I spoke with Karel Murray about mother-daughter relationships from the daughter’s perspective that was rocky until she took control of it at 26. Karel wrote Hitting Our Stride: Women, Work and What Matters. Next I spoke with Abby and Cathy Dees about Abby’s coming out as a lesbian. Abby is the author of Queer Questions, Straight Talk: 108 Frank and Provocative Questions It’s Okay to Ask Your Lesbian, Gay or Bi Loved One.

  
• Relationships 101 – Mothers and Daughters Part II and Rethinking Conception by an Anonymous Sperm Donor

  In the second of a 3-part series, my first guest is Julie Pech. Some people just have a knack for knowing how to parent, and she is one. My second guest, Elsa Prado, discussed some of the moral issues she struggles with now, that she wasn’t aware of when she was artificially inseminated to save her marriage. Although she loves her daughter with all her heart, she wants people to make more informed choices.

  
• Relationships 101 – Mothers and Daughters Part I On Stage and In Life

  The first of a series of shows about why Mother-Daughter relationships can be so conflictual, I spoke with family therapist Dr. LeslieBeth Wish, to get her perspective on this very important topic. We discussed tips for making this relationship constructive. My next guest was actor, novelist, and playwright, Shane Briant, who talked about his latest novel, Worst Nightmares, about the dangers that lurk on the Internet, and about his acting with 9 Academy Award winners.

  
• Relationships 101 – The Promise and Perils of Adoption and Internet Dating

  My first guest was Nicole Witt, Executive Director of The Adoption Consultancy. We had an animated conversation about the potential risks and rewards of adopting children. My next guest, Lynne Lorberg, talked with me about her experiences with Internet dating. Specifically, we discussed how to protect yourself, how to present yourself, how to discover what kind of person you really are meeting, and parents’ responsibility to protect their older teens.

  
• Relationships 101 – Claim New Beginnings From Endings

  My first guest, Len Stauffenger, is the author of Getting Over It! Wisdom for Divorced Parents. He was married 10 years when his wife said she wasn’t happy and wanted a divorce. So Len became the primary parent of his two girls, aged 6 and 8. My next guest is Rev. Dr. Kenneth Patrick, a hospice chaplain, who talked about journeying to the end of life. Baby boomers & their parents can empower themselves to plan where and how they wish to die, not by suicide but by their choices.

  
• Relationships 101 – Extreme Challenges for Parents and Kids

  Veronica Gillotti discusses the challenges parents of autistic children face. Although her son is 11, he speaks only one syllable words. She writes about coming to terms with his limitations in her novel Crowd Pleasers. Then Betty Hoeffner, Co-Founder of the Hey U.G.L.Y. Foundation to help bullied kids stop the self-bullying in their heads that results and to prevent bullying. With her was an amazing 7th grader named Connor who shared about his becoming empowered.

  
• Relationships 101 – The Crisis of Black Marriages and Transition Times

  First, Dr. Harold Arnold, Jr., author of Marriage Rocks, discussed Black Marriage Day as one way to address the alarming situation of Blacks having the lowest marriage rate and the highest divorce rate of any group in the country. Then Barbara Penn-Atkins, also an African American, spoke with me about her book 70 Is the New 40. She urged people to make the choice to live vitally, rather than retire, giving up on maximizing the potential in the bonus years from age 70 on.

  
• Relationships 101 – Special Relationships

  Drs. Charles and Elizabeth Schmitz were my first guests. For 27 years, they have studied the ingredients of successful marriages on 5 continents and over 40 countries. They co-authored of Building a Love That Lasts: The 7 Surprising Secrets of Successful Marriage. Then I spoke with Mary Treacy O’Keefe, author of Thin Places, about soul friends. What makes these relationships so rare and special? How do you find them? Or do they just happen? Does it work to seek them?

  
• Relationships 101 – Bullies in the Workplace and in Cyberspace

  Roger Hall, author of How Do You Pet a Porcupine: Solutions to Your Prickly Communication Problems, is my first guest. He traveled the world helping companies cope with bullies and other Energy Vampires. My next guest is Danielle Tiano, author of The Temptation Series of books written for “tweens” and their parents to keep kids safe in this technology-driven world. This conversation will be of special interest to parents and other adults who work with “tweens” and teens.

  
• Relationships 101 – Breaking Addictions to Media, Pornography and Relationships

  People become addicts by attempting to fill a hole inside. My first guest is psychotherapist Jeff Ford who specializes in the treatment of addictions of all kinds. My second guest is Susan Elliott, author of Getting Past Your Breakup: How to Turn a Devastating Loss into the Best Thing That Ever Happened to you. We talk about how to get beyond being addicted to relationships that are harmful and the seeds for these of relationships planted in childhood.

  
• Relationships 101 – Children Need Both Parents

  Parents Our children live in a completely different world than we did as children. My first guest, K. Sean Buvala, is a professional storyteller who talked with me about how fathers can develop a relationship with their children through telling them stories, and about how children are affected by their father’s absence. Then J.E. Wright, a psychotherapist and the author of The Sexualization of America’s Kids, spoke about the impact of kids being barraged by sexual images and innuendoes in the media.

  
• Relationships 101 – Marrying a Sports Champion

  Jim Fannin has coached sports champions and titans of industry for over three decades. We discussed their wives’ unique challenges that are inevitable even for those in happy marriages. And even they must wonder, at least part of the time, what they signed on for. Undoubtedly, many must wish their husband were an average Joe who had a “normal” job that brought him home every night, not a guy whose name is a household word. While their rewards can be great, so are their challenges.