Jerry—classic introvert. Very tuned in to the internal world of emotions and ideas. Refuels via alone time, whenever he’s exhausted or drained. Able to tune out the world when he’s focused. More at home in small, intimate groups than big blow-out parties. Life is going fine for Jerry, an orthopedic surgeon with a penchant for [read more]
The Value of Interdependent Relationships
Dependence. Independence. Co-dependence Interdependence. These are not buzz words – they are terms that clearly delineate ways of interacting with others. Dependence – A newborn baby is dependent. All the power lies with its parents. Dependence is a vulnerable, trusting state. As adults, we can be, at times, dependent on others, but it is never [read more]
Hot or Not? How Important is Physical Chemistry?
When Tim and Marlene went through a rough patch in their marriage they were both worried they might not make it. They had grown apart in some ways, and had different ideas about what came next for them, now that the kids were grown. But they tell the story about how it was their chemistry [read more]
Finding Balance in an Introvert-Extrovert Relationship
Jerry—classic introvert. Very tuned in to the internal world of emotions and ideas. Refuels via alone time, whenever he’s exhausted or drained. Able to tune out the world when he’s focused. More at home in small, intimate groups than big blow-out parties. Life is going fine for Jerry, an orthopedic surgeon with a penchant for [read more]
Shifting out of Loneliness: The Nuance of Solitude (Part II)
Human beings are social creatures. Our need to belong is not just a factor of our socialization—it’s encoded in our DNA! As the 17th century poet John Donne wrote so profoundly: “No man is an island / entire of itself.” All of us fall on a continuum of how social we are, depending on how [read more]