The Japanese art of kintsugi offers a lovely metaphor for human growth and relationship repair. Broken pottery is repaired with gold-dusted lacquer, creating gold seams in place of the original cracks. The resulting piece is more beautiful than the original. Kintsugi (“joined with gold”) may have originated in the late 14th century when shogun Ashikaga…Read more
Couple fights: 3 simple rules from Saigon traffic
Handling conflict is tough for most couples. On a recent (and wonderful) trip to Vietnam, I learned a new way to think about it. Saigon’s nonstop stream of roaring motorcycles and cars is risky enough to scare even your average jaywalking New Yorker: virtually no traffic lights, lanes or Walk/Don’t Walk signals in a city…Read more
The Downton Abbey Guide to Couples Counseling
Why did we all love Downton? The period costumes. The stunning interiors and table settings. And, of course, those gorgeous hats. But mostly, I’m thinking, it was the dialogue. No blaring electronics. No foul language. No one used “like” as a verbal tic or ended a declarative sentence with a question mark. Conversation on Downton…Read more
