At its core, relationship dysfunction stems from a deficit of narcissistic supply — defined by Fenichel in 1938 as “a type of admiration, interpersonal support drawn by an individual from their environment, essential to their self-esteem.” Narcissistic supply isn’t about vanity—it’s about the fundamental need to feel noticed, valued, and

Your brain is trained to solve complex problems. But what happens when it’s a relationship issue? I’ve found that executives, engineers, doctors, and scientists who excel in their fields often find personal relationships — frustrating and unpredictable. Common struggles include: Unfortunately, you can’t “engineer” your way out of emotional disconnection.

Top executives, engineers, scientists, doctors, IT leaders are masters of logic, strategy, and execution. Yet, at home they often struggle to connect with the people who matter most. The irony? The very skills that make them exceptional — precision, problem-solving, persistence, resilience — can also make personal struggles harder to

Successful people develop mastery in their field because they relentlessly wrestle difficult problems to the ground. Yet at home, problem-solving seems elusive. Why is that? Partly, they weren’t trained to solve ‘at home’ problems. Partly, they didn’t get the right equipment. As a species, we thrive when we feel understood

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During family/friend gatherings during the holidays — wishes, expectations, and obligations abound. And here, we are informed front-and-center how our relationships are working or not. As we navigate our own family gatherings/festivities — let’s enjoy all the good stuff, yet notice too, where good feelings are missing. If you long