Tips For A Successful Dry January

Individual Counseling Insights From Westlake Village-Based Patricia McTague-Loft Of all the New Year’s resolutions that people make, giving up alcohol for a month is surely toward the top of the list. After all, the memory of a bit of over-enthusiastic holiday revelry...

Finding Genuine Love In A Relationship

Marriage Counseling Insights From Westlake Village-Based Patricia McTague-Loft Most people have at least a few romantic relationships before they develop a long-term commitment. By definition, that means that most people enter new relationships with a bit of baggage...

Setting Boundaries To Keep The Peace At Holiday Time

Family Counseling Insights brought to you by Patricia McTague-Loft Let’s see: Step One — invite family members and friends who haven’t seen each in months or years to spend time together. Step Two — Make sure everyone is invited, even those with wildly differing...

Teens and Alcohol — A Volatile Mix

Family Counseling Insights brought to you by Patricia McTague-Loft Like it not, and whether you personally drink alcohol or not, the presence of alcohol is virtually unavoidable. In advertising, in TV shows and movies, not to mention in real-life social situations,...

How To Destress Around the Holidays

Family Counseling Insights brought to you by Patricia McTague-Loft Ah, where to begin? Do you have everything in order for the holidays – shopping done, menu set for a wonderful family dinner and all groceries purchased, Christmas or Holiday cards mailed, New Year’s...

Respect – The Canary In The Coal Mine

Marriage Counseling Insights From Westlake Village-Based Patricia McTague-Loft People are romantically attracted to someone for a variety of reasons. It could be basic physical attraction or a more analytical conclusion that they “check all the boxes.” (See What Are...

What To Do About The Worst Kind Of Lying

Family Counseling Insights brought to you by Patricia McTague-Loft A human's unique ability to speak (in contrast to other forms of communication) is fascinatingly complex. We form thoughts into words so instinctively that we don’t really need to analyze the process...

The Wonder of Thanksgiving

Individual Counseling Insights From Westlake Village-Based Patricia McTague-Loft Happy Thanksgiving! Many people say this is their favorite holiday, remarking how low stress it is. Of course, most of these people aren’t the primary cooks! Kidding aside, the whole...

8 Rules of Love

Most everyone would probably agree that they know what love is. They may not be able to define it succinctly but they would say they have an intuitive understanding. After all, a mother need not explain the devotion she has to her children, the unwavering commitment...

A Heartbreaking Turn For Bruce Willis

Family Counseling Insights brought to you by Patricia McTague-Loft Bruce Willis has enjoyed a spectacular acting career, starring in the blockbuster Die Hard series and bringing an edginess to performances in films such as Pulp Fiction. Fame, fortune and success,...