relationships

Looking to the Man

Aug 26, 2024

—

by

Ron Johnson

in communication, emotional maturity, marital, mindfulness, positive psychology, relationships, self-awareness, social esteem

Readers of my blogs hopefully understand that my prime interest in psychotherapy is with men. I just see men in my practice with just a couple of women whom I have known for years or decades who saw me a long time ago and consult with me on occasion. Importantly, I have had an interest…
Men and Responsibility

Jun 3, 2024

—

by

Ron Johnson

in addictions, Development, emotional maturity, feelings, mindfulness, relationships, self-awareness, work

“It is the best of times. It is the worst of times,” to quote Charles Dickens as he penned the beginning of A Tale of Two Cities. The best and worst times for men have to do with responsibility, or we might say “their responsibilities,” namely how they face responsibility (or responsibilities), understand responsibility, and…
Surviving or Thriving

Feb 7, 2024

—

by

Ron Johnson

in appreciation, Development, Discovery, emotional maturity, feelings, happiness, love, mindfulness, relationships, self-awareness, Spiritual

Some years ago I asked to talk to an African American man who had written a number of pieces in the local paper. In my email I said that although I had two Black sons in law and had Black men occasionally come to my office, I often felt that I was missing something important…
Lost Children

Dec 11, 2023

—

by

Ron Johnson

in Connection, emotional maturity, feelings, grief, love, mindfulness, relationships

There are many lost children in the world. We hear of “trafficking of children, often originating in Africa, and many other tragedies of lost children, the most recent being the apparent thousands of children killed in Gaza. I have seen many examples of “lost children” recently from many different perspectives including the loss of children…
I Don’t Like My Kid

Jul 27, 2022

—

by

Ron Johnson

in Children, emotional maturity, family, feelings, marital, relationships, self-awareness, social esteem

“I don’t like my kid.” This statement must sound outrageous. It certainly isn’t something that should be said frivolously or even teasingly. It most certainly shouldn’t be said to any child. It might, however, be a statement that could be said to a confidant who could be of some help understanding and dealing with not…
The Independent Personality and Relationships

Jun 20, 2022

—

by

Ron Johnson

in communication, Connection, happiness, love, marital, men’s issues, Personality, positive psychology, relationships, self-awareness, social esteem

I see a lot of men in my office who are independent by nature, and I know a few more in my acquaintances and friendships. Independence is a truly remarkable personality trait that I admire and respect. Usually, independent men (and women, of course) cut their own lines in the earth, live by their own…
Are All Men Selfish?

Mar 12, 2022

—

by

Ron Johnson

in appreciation, Children, communication, Connection, Development, emotional maturity, feelings, happiness, men’s issues, positive psychology, relationships, self-awareness, social esteem

What an outrageous question, right? This is just as outrageous as my previous blog about “women never admit that they’re wrong.” This equally outrageous statement about men is not made in jest because men are frequently accused of being selfish, particularly by the women in their lives. I think there is something very important in…
Do Women Ever Admit That They’re Wrong?

Mar 7, 2022

—

by

Ron Johnson

in communication, Connection, Development, emotional maturity, family, feelings, love, marital, men’s issues, mindfulness, relationships, self-awareness, social esteem

Do Women Ever Admit That They’re Wrong? What an outrageous question, it must seem. I would never have thought of asking such a question, which of course, is not a question, but rather a rhetorical question suggesting that women don’t ever admit that they’re wrong. This rhetorical question came to me from the even more outrageous…
Love IV: I See You

Nov 11, 2021

—

by

Ron Johnson

in emotional maturity, feelings, love, marital, mindfulness, relationships, self-awareness, Spiritual

Deb and I have many statements that occasionally comprise elements of our many conversations, some of which I noted in a previous blog called Racks and Cutters. Thinking and writing about love these days reminded me of a statement that we heard in a movie that has stuck with us. The movie is Avatar and…
Love III: Not Loved Right

Nov 7, 2021

—

by

Ron Johnson

in Development, emotional maturity, feelings, love, mindfulness, Personality, positive psychology, relationships, self-awareness

This is the third of several blogs on love. Previously, I introduced this series noting that love is so important that it is undefinable, like other undefinable basic elements of life such as “feelings” which is so central to human existence and relationships, as well as time, distance, and mass, which are also undefined but…