Author: Kevin Berrill
Only a few states grant gay couples the right to marry and in states that do so many gay couples have rushed to exercise that right. My partner of sixteen years and I tied the knot soon after marriage became legal here in D.C. in 2010. Early in our relationship it felt risky for me […]
READ ARTICLEOurs is a culture of striving. Our conditioning is to try to accomplish more and to be more efficient, controlled, smart, spiritual, or _______ [fill in the blank]. We should be better professionals, friends, partners, parents, or have better stuff, jobs, friends, partners, or bosses. We should even need to be more grateful! More is […]
READ ARTICLESadly, half of all marriages end in divorce. Sadder still, all marriages—happy or not—end. For the past year I led a group of eight women and one man, each of whom shared a common fate: Their beloved had died. One young woman lost her fiancée in an accident; others had been with their spouses, who […]
READ ARTICLEI recently had the pleasure of co-leading Start Right Stay Connected, a program for couples who are engaged to be married or deepening commitment. Four couples participated in the experiential workshop which addressed a variety of topics, including: How to create safety, improve communication, and heal childhood wounds Romantic attraction and partner selection The neuroscience […]
READ ARTICLEAfter sixteen years together, my partner Chuck and I were married in February in a private ceremony. Just last week we hosted a public celebration of our marriage with friends. Although we thanked our guests for coming we realized afterward that we neglected to tell them how important they are to us and how truly […]
READ ARTICLEWhen I think of marriage or any committed relationship, I am reminded of John Ciardi’s beautiful poem, “Most Like an Arch This Marriage.” My husband and I love the poem so much that we read it aloud at our wedding. In verse, Ciardi likens marriage to an arch, a joining of “abeyances.” What is “strong […]
READ ARTICLEIf you were lucky, an adult in your life read aloud to you when you were young. Reading to a child is a wonderful way to stimulate his or her imagination, improve reading comprehension and verbal skills, and create a sense of safety and connection. One reason adults read to children before bedtime is to […]
READ ARTICLEIf you were lucky, an adult in your life read aloud to you when you were young. Reading to a child is a wonderful way to stimulate his or her imagination, improve reading comprehension and verbal skills, and create a sense of safety and connection. One reason adults read to children before bedtime is to […]
READ ARTICLEIn my work as a bereavement counselor, one of the greatest challenges that my clients face is how to handle (some might say “survive”) the holidays. Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s can be times of connection, spiritual renewal, and joy. But for many mourners, holiday plans and festivities are a stressful and painfully […]
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