If you deny the possibility that someone could be hurtful, you put yourself and your loved ones at great risk. Facing this truth, on the other hand, is empowering and will enable you to make the kinds of choices which will give you a better life.

Kindness emerges from someone who's confident, compassionate and comfortable with themselves. A kind person is loving and giving out of the goodness of their heart. At the root of extreme niceness, however, are feelings of inadequacy and the need to get approval and validation from others.

Your partner has to see and accept you just as you are. There's no point in presenting a "cleaned up" version of yourself because then they're not loving the real you. You can't feel loved if you're being inauthentic.

The worst type of advice my patients describe involves dating; the most egregious being that they should "give the guy another chance." Usually this advice comes after one of my patients has gone on one or two dates with someone who's behaved pretty badly.

Maybe some people like to feel superior by laughing at the characters on these shows, but by choosing to waste their time on such drivel, they inadvertently demonstrate their own lack of discernment.

A few pointers on how to go about the scary business of confrontation: Most importantly, start by being affirming. Let your friend know how much you value the relationship, and that this is why you're sharing your concerns.

It's too easy to say that people cheat because they're unhappy in their marriage. I've observed that there are a number of reasons why people cheat, and these have everything to do with the character of the person cheating.