From The Providence Journal, Thrive Section, April 2, 2012 As a society, our connections and interconnections through social media and technology are cramming vast amounts of information into our brains. When forgetfulness sets in, at first we dismiss it as “brain overload.” Then one day we feel as if our brain is in tangles. The…
How to change a man: It's like living with stress or training a seal
Truth to tell, it is almost impossible to change a man. Inspired by my article appearing next week in the Thrive section of the Providence Journal on the Stress in America survey, I wrote this piece last night for my Psychology Today column. Change Your Perception, Not Your Man. It seems that we are reporting…
Sexual politics: Sunday Providence Journal
Sexual politics This article appeared as Sin and sex, politics and religion — a volatile mix distributed nationally by Scripps News The Providence Journal/ April 1, 2012 / (Commentary, p. B11) RITA WATSON It is always perplexing in the world of love and forgiveness when value judgments, morals, sin and sex become embroiled in politics and…
Tips on avoiding the fate of the ‘un-divorced’
Tips on avoiding the fate of the ‘un-divorced’ Rita Watson / Providence Journal, March 25, 2012 In a world of relationship stress, the un-divorced are a growing phenomenon in this country. These are the husbands and wives who stay married but live apart or drift into extra-marital relationships. The trend is perplexing. Maybe the…
Hot topic in yoga: for those who can take the heat!
Hot topic in yoga: Does heat help? Rita Watson/ Providence Journal/ March 19, 2012 Yoga. The word that should mean relaxation still challenges me. And the concept of hot yoga conjures up visions of a giant Petri dish growing toxins or germs being released in a room full of sweltering bodies. With friends both for…
Can you die of a broken heart?
Can you die of a broken heart? Rita Watson/ Providence Journal, March 12, 2012 Thrive Section Whether or not you are a devotee of “Downton Abbey,” a PBS Masterpiece Classic, you have heard of the broken-heart syndrome. In a memorable scene, Matthew Crawley, the heir presumptive to the estate, and his former love find themselves…
Take off that fairy-tale mask and make strong decisions
RELATIONSHIPS/ The Providence Journal Take off that fairy-tale mask and make strong decisions Rita Watson / Sunday/ March 11, 2012 We all know that when we are stressed we can change the situation or change our response to it. But for many women decision making was shaped by a style learned as children, and we…
Doonesbury Takes on Abortion Politics for Women's Health
While I could have happily been barefoot and pregnant most of my life, for many women that is not the case. Roe v Wade has saved lives and thousands of women are grateful. Nonetheless there is always a movement afoot that confuses politics and religion and tries legislating morals. Even worse, in Texas they have…
Infidelity and Marriage: Deal-breaker or Wake-up Call? by Rita Watson and Bill Mitchell
Relationship expert Rita Watson, With Love and Gratitude/ Psychology Today, is also a columnist for The Providence Journal writing about relationships as well as health and medicine. She teamed up with the often interviewed Bill Mitchell, private investigator to write this book, which offers two choices – coupled with forgiveness: * Save your marriage through…
Falling Out of Love, Divorce, and Infidelity: When The Rx Is Gratitude
Has the Prince Charming fantasy fueled unreasonable love expectations? This from my PsychologyToday.com blog. Gratitude may be an infidelity and divorce stopper. Lingering gratitude might well be the antidote for “falling out of love.” The syndrome generally means that “the fire has fizzled and the passion is over.” The problem is apparently so serious that…