The ‘Good Marriage’ Myth
When I was young, I thought marriages could be divided into two discrete categories—good and bad. Both of my parents had been divorced prior to meeting each other, and having seen first-hand their happy second marriage, and their contentious interactions with their...
The Relationship Bank Account
Hi! My name is Maria Perozzi, LMFT. I’m one of the therapists here at Group Therapy Associates. For those who already work with me, you know I love explaining concepts and situations using analogies. It’s one of the ways my brain makes sense of things and I enjoy...
Fight Night: Creating a Healthy Space for Conflict
The oft-repeated advice “never go to bed angry,” gets under my skin. The idea that a conflict with your spouse should be wrapped up all tidy and neat with a bow by the end of the evening seems…well, ridiculous to me. More than that, I think it plays into this notion...
What makes a good marriage?
In the last newsletter, I talked about how one of the commonly asked questions in couples therapy was whether partners should stay or get married. Given that any relationship, healthy or otherwise, is going to have issues, sometimes it can be difficult to determine...
Life’s Questions Answered, the Quick and Dirty Way
Below, I discus some of life’s questions that regularly make an appearance in the therapy room. In my office, finding the answers to these questions can involve steady, patient exploration and thoughtfulness. But this is a blog post, so instead of a gentle...
Don’t Hold Someone Else’s Bag
Despite what this title would suggest, this is not a warning from the TSA or Metro (see something, say something). It’s not folks’ actual bags that I’m concerned about, but their emotional ones. And I’m suggesting, asking really—that, unless they belong to you, put...
Your Brain is Rigged
Many of us have been there. Seemingly stuck in an unhealthy relationship, carried along on a roller coaster of emotions, and finding ourselves having great difficulty walking away. Some of you may not have been in a relationship like this one, but likely you’ve seen...
Giving Up with Grace
One of the most important skills I’ve learned as a therapist is how to give up. I know, that sounds discouraging, but stick with me here. It turns out giving up successfully can be an incredibly freeing process that helps you take the next step and move forward. It...
How Not To Be the Wicked Stepparent: Navigating Blended Family Life
Recently, I finished Helen Oyeyemi’s book Boy, Snow, Bird, which, among other important themes, updates the fairy tales to show how a woman with no prior ill intent can find herself in the role of the wicked stepmother. Reading this book has me reflective of my work...
Group Therapy Associates | DC Metro Area Counseling
Virginia Office
6611 Jefferson St, Suite 304, Haymarket, VA 20169
Phone Number
(703) 644-8041
Washington DC Office
700 Pennsylvania Ave SE, 2nd Floor, Washington, DC 20003
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