Come to the edge, he said. They said: We are afraid. Come to the edge, he said. They came. He pushed them and they flew. – Christopher Logue I have a new friend named Jacob and we recently celebrated his first birthday. He had no idea what was going on, of course, but he did […]

Dear Dan, I’m having some stepfamily problems. My husband and I are in a relatively new second marriage. He has one son and I have a daughter. Last night my teenage daughter had two friends sleep over. When my husband came home late, tired and hungry from a long day at work, he did not […]

Dear Dan, My daughter died three years ago of the lung disease mesothelioma at age 38. She had suffered from depression, panic, and anxiety from a very young age. When she was 2, I had depression and didn’t respond to her for months. I was not a hugging, loving mother similar to my own. And, […]

Dear Dan, Are some people truly beyond hope or help? My inclination is, yes, there are individuals that are beyond hope, but I am wondering what your experience tells you. The context of my question is this. I have a cousin who is a drug user, a criminal, a liar, and so many other awful […]

Her real name is Yu-Chen, but everyone calls her Yo-Yo. I don’t quite know what that means in Mandarin, but it seems like a perfect nickname for this 15-year-old girl with sparkling eyes, a perpetual smile, and all the energy and enthusiasm you would expect from someone her age. Born with a severe hearing impairment, […]

Several months ago I received an e-mail from Chou Chin-Haur, founder of the Chou Ta-Kuan Cultural and Educational Foundation in Taiwan. He told me I had been selected as one of 12 people around the world to receive the “Fervent Love of Life” award and that they would fly me and a companion to Taipei […]

Dear Dan, I have two children, both in their 30s. Ten years ago I came to the realization that my sexual orientation was not compatible with my long-term heterosexual marriage. My husband and I divorced amicably, but it devastated our children. For years they were angry, hurt, and distant. Things are better now between them […]

Since depression affects 20 percent of the population, this illness probably touches most of us. So what can we do when a loved one is depressed and refusing treatment? The “distraught mother” below will be joining me on tomorrow’s Web chat. Dear Dan, I enjoyed reading your column, but your last one on “the depths […]

I’ve been interested in resilience since I became a quadriplegic 30 years ago. When I went through rehab, many of us were depressed, but some went home and vegetated, while others did whatever it took to reclaim their lives. I’ve long wondered about the difference between those who survive adversity, and even thrive, and those […]

Since my last column and Web chat on parents and their adult children, I have been flooded with e-mails. So I have decided to revisit this topic from a couple of different dimensions. The concerned mother below struggles with guilt about her daughter’s risky decisions. My radio show today and Web chat tomorrow will include […]