It’s about time we got to work saving one another from ourselves!

I’m Becky Whetstone, and this is my Live Journal and blog — welcome!! Yes, I’m a bona fide mental health professional – I have my Ph.D. in Marriage and family Therapy and I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas. The purpose of this space is to provide a place where we can all talk about The Struggle of life and all that it entails. I see it as a space where I will write about issues and things that come up, and write columns, and in response I welcome your stories, feedback, comments, and concerns. If there’s a subject you’d like to see me write about, let me know, and I’ll see what I can do.

What I ask from you is what I ask of myself – that your comments be constructive and respectful. Yes, you can disagree and express it here, but we will not throw people to the wolves … even if the thought crosses our mind. If you beg to differ with me or anyone else, state it – but personal put downs and ugliness are not what this space is about.

Oh – one thing more … the confidentiality of my clients is of utmost importance, so if I mention or refer to cases I have worked with, rest assured that all identifying details have been removed, and many times I use a composite of several clients I have worked with to illustrate the situation I am discussing.

So watch for my first column in the coming days … and I look forward to your comments. In the meantime, I’d appreciate your stories, suggestions, questions … perhaps you could talk about what relationship issues you have conquered and how you did it, which one still have you puzzled, your philosophy of life, what destructive patterns are you still finding it difficult to break out of, what you think of dating, marriage, parenting, and being the adult child of older parents …. also, I’m curious … those of you who have had therapy … what did you like/not like about your therapist and how he or she worked with you? How do you think the ideal therapist should approach therapy with a client?

So let’s get started … I look forward to reading what you have to say!