Among the many emotional pains we encounter in life, those caused by betrayal stand out as some of the most damaging. This is because betrayal encompasses a host of violations including interpersonal expectations, morality, trust, safety, comfort and much more. These violations can cut so deeply, they will change who we are…but that doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. Why is betrayal so devastating? In order for someone to feel betrayed, trust must have existed beforehand. When...

I just finished speaking with a woman deep in the throes of perimenopause. She is in the third of the four stages I have delineated in my work — a stage I call Turbulence. This is a bright, well-informed, intelligent woman, someone who had already read my book, The Fifth Decade: Is It Just My Life or Is It Perimenopause, cover to cover. And still, she had succumbed to the many varied troubles this challenging and often unpredictable transition can inflict. Knowing It, and Believing It, Are...

Many people — particularly those of certain generations or certain personality types are not inclined to share their life experiences. Whether we call it strength, stoicism or privacy, it dictates that emotional expression is equivalent to neediness.