Author Archives: Tom Ruggieri

Much research has been conducted on understanding stress and there are several things that have become evident. Of most concern is the fact that stress is implicated in the six leading causes of death in this country. This makes stress one of the most toxic of the preventable contributors to illness. Managing stress may entail…

Why is it so hard to listen? Most of us can make our point without too much difficulty. Any time I work with two or more people, both are usually expert at describing everything that is wrong with the other person. But it is rare to find someone who truly knows how to listen. Why…

Faculty-Staff Counselor Shares Observations on Staying Resilient Amid Worry, Grief of Pandemic As a counselor at UMD’s Faculty Staff Assistance Program, I have spent 30 years helping people understand and make sense of what they are going through. I was around for 9/11 and the tornado that swept through our campus two weeks later. That…

Couples often approach therapy reluctantly and hope that the therapist will agree with their individual perspective and “join them” in convincing their partner to see things similarly. They are often surprised (and hopefully pleased) when I don’t go along with their plan and instead use an approach that involves teaching them to: Listening for understanding;…