Tomorrow morning everyone in the Rittler house will be up early. Two of the four Rittler kids, Riley and Seth, will do the annual first day of school ritual. After a full summer, it’s time to get back to the routine. A part of me dreads this time of year. [...]read more

Rumination is a tennis match between discomforting and comforting thoughts. When we hit a discomforting thought over the net we return the ball with a comforting thought. The volley keeps on going. When we are stuck in a rumination, we think we can reason our way out of it, as [...]read more

Many of us spend a lot of time ruminating. Our minds turn things over again and again. It feels like we can’t turn it off. Olle Wadstrom, author of Quit Ruminating and Brooding, describes two types of ruminating thoughts: Discomforting thoughts: thoughts that trigger worry, doubt, and unpleasant feelings. Comforting [...]read more

There’s a big difference between exterior and interior focuses in relationships. You’ll hear some well intentioned exterior relationship advice: go on a date night every week establish a budget and then live by it share your checking account, don’t have individual accounts don’t have a television in the bedroom Some [...]read more

This week I heard a lecture from Dr. Jesse Crosby on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Dr. Crosby is the Administrative Director in the Office of Clinical Assessment and Research at the OCD Institute of McLean Hospital and an expert on ACT. Dr. Crosby explained that we often engage in [...]read more