Amy Warren, LMHC / WQ Mag Columnist's Blog (229)

In the old days, I would try one brand of make-up after another in the search to find the best. A drawer full of partially-used containers of blush, foundation, eye shadows, lip liners and lip gloss proves my search was futile. That was until I discovered the Julie Hewett™ Los Angeles line of makeup. Since having the opportunity to review Julie’s cosmetics, I no longer quest for just the right shade, texture, taste or staying power; I have…

In any long-term relationship, people trigger one another – meaning that one person’s behavior leads the other person to react in a negative way. If you look at your own behavior, there are many situations in which a change in you may prevent your partner from reacting negatively. Reflect on the times your partner gets upset, explodes or acts in a way that you don’t like, identify what you are doing immediately…

Even non-turkey burger lovers loved this recipe I adapted from the Neely's on Food Network (photo courtesy of Food Network). Everyone thought these were the best turkey burgers they've ever had. There are two secrets to their moistness: adding cheese to the middle of the raw patties and pressing the top of each patty with a thumb to lock in the juices.



Ingredients

•2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

•1/2 Vidalia onion, finely chopped…

“I wish we had more opportunities to dance like that,” was the re-sounding comment around town after last month’s DIscoBall. I heard one person after another comment about the lack of dance opportunities in Sarasota. Well, put on your dancing shoes because this is the weekend to dance,…

Imagine your partner is right there beside you always. Whatever you do in life, act only as you would if your partner was present. When you live your life this way, you are unlikely to betray your partner. Betrayal isn’t just about infidelity. It is betrayal when you say or do anything that you wouldn’t feel comfortable doing with your partner standing right next to you. It is betrayal to hide behaviors your partner wouldn’t like, belittle your partner or say things to others…

This raw salad from Food Network's Ask Aida and Food Network Magazine is great for a Fourth of July Picnic or cook-out. If you haven't tried raw corn previously, you're likely to be pleasantly surprised.

For the dressing:

• 1 1/2 cups packed fresh cilantro

• 1/2 cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

• Kosher salt and…

Whether you're a lover of delicious food, fine wine or Spain, you'll want to read this news from Michael's on East:

Spain conquers once again with a special five-course wine dinner at Michael’s On East. A marvelous “Made in Spain” Wine Dinner with special guest: Jorge Ordonez, on Friday, July 9th at 7 pm, in Michael’s Wine Cellar.

Jorge Ordonez, an aficionado of Spanish wines travels the Spanish country side in search of discovering family-owned…

Anger is a part of any healthy relationship. Any time anger is felt is actually an opportunity for repair. The feeling is an internal signal that something is awry and needs to be addressed. The problem isn’t with the anger itself; it is in how it is expressed. When anger is expressed inappropriately, the issue then becomes the behavior around the anger rather than the situation that initially needed to be repaired.…

With flavors of melon and mint, this chilled soup can be made in minutes. It's a refreshing first course for a summer dinner.



1 cantaloupe

1 small container Greek yogurt

juice of 1 orange

juice of 1 lime

1 tsp. honey or agave (use more if cantaloupe isn't very sweet)

2 Tbsp. mint (more or less to taste)

dash of cinnamon



Scoop the cantaloupe meat from the shell and put in blender with yogurt, juices and…

If today were to be the last day of your life, consider what you would like to say or do with your partner….then go ahead and say and do it now. If you knew this day would be your last one together, it is doubtful that you would choose to argue, criticize, complain or withdraw. Instead you would likely do whatever it took to savor those last moments together – to put all of your problems aside and show how much you…

Everyone I know is a restaurant critic of sorts. Who doesn’t like to discuss the food, the ambiance and, of course, the service when dining? Put those thoughts on paper, and you could win a complimentary three-day, two-night getaway for two at the Colony Beach and Tennis Club in addition to dining at several Savor Sarasota restaurants, including the renowned Michael’s…

Sex and the City 2 made a good point; relationships need sparkle for the duration of the relationship, not just during the initial infatuation phase. Although snuggling together at home while watching a good movie is wonderful and even romantic, most couples would never have fallen in love if their dates had consisted only of cuddling in front of the television and eating take-out food. We can’t expect to…

The beginning of June may mean summer vacations to some people. For me, it means the beginning of a two-week celebration of some of the wonderful restaurants at our fingertips. From June 1^st to June…

Sometimes it takes awhile to get fully in touch with something we may have said or done to hurt someone. But no matter how many weeks, months, or even years have gone by since the incident occurred, it is never too late to say “I’m sorry.” You may think the person you hurt has forgotten and that it’s best to let bygones be bygones, but it’s likely that he hasn’t forgotten. And even if he has forgotten, you are a…

Do you ever say “I don’t want to talk about it.” when your partner wants to talk about a contentious subject? Or perhaps you say “Nothing,” when asked if something is wrong. Meanwhile, internally you are troubled about something. You give the message with your actions that…

Often partners are dismissive of each other without even realizing it. When one partner dismisses another, the dismissed partner never gets an opportunity to be heard or to repair a situation that is important to them. He or she is left with the feeling that his/her feelings aren’t important, and still feels the need to have those feelings validated. If you are under the impression that your partner keeps bringing…

If you happened to be downtown last Friday night and wondered what all the activity was outside Media on Main, you missed the preview event for the Sarasota Open. Traffic was blocked on Palm Avenue as tennis skills were shown off on a make-shift miniature tennis court, kids skated on an ice rink, and patrons admired Rolls Royces and sipped wine from the Florida Winefest. Two…

This recipe and photo is from Food Network's Healthy Appetite with Ellie…