Dr. John Duffy is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post.

The Impact of Marriage Equality We’re Not Discussing, But Should

A quick scan of the cable news channels or the Twittersphere shows clearly that the recent Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage has drawn sharp feelings from both sides of the issue. read more

Parenting the Long Game

Parenting, the verb, makes me nervous. It suggests doing things, taking action, actively guiding and cultivating and lecturing. And so we parents today, we do things. A LOT of things. read more

That’s A Laugh: My Ode To Walt

Today is my father’s birthday. He would have turned 84 years old today, had he survived beyond the way-too-impossibly-young age of 68. read more

Eyes Up: Breaking the Worry Habit

You see it in the eyes.

During the middle of my workday, the light filters through my office window just right, highlighting my clients’ faces. read more

The Crisis Crisis

“Dr. Duffy, please call me back right away. We’re really in crisis here.”

There was nothing unusual about this phone call. After all, I’m a psychologist. People rarely call to let me know things are rolling along smoothly. read more

Why Texting Rules: The Silver Lining Parents Are Missing

My son George, my one and only child, is now an 18-year-old man. In a few short months, we will be dropping him off at college. He’s busy focusing on his senior year in high school. read more

Foster the Big Moment: A Parent’s Mandate

My son George is a high school swimmer. He was a swimmer, I should say. The area Conference meet was held this past weekend, which also marked the final meet of George’s high school career. read more

Nurturing Your Inner Adult

I have a brilliant young client who, in a burst of insight, offered the following in a recent session:

“When you spend all of your time nurturing your inner child, you are that child.” read more

The Bright September Sun: Teenagers Remember 9/11

There is hope.

Those of us who were normal workaday adults on Sept. 10, 2001, making lunches, sitting in traffic, watching the clock, checking inventory, we remember. That was the last ordinary day. read more

The Devil You Know: Embracing Your Teen’s Screens

A few months ago, the “NBC Nightly News” ran a very informative piece on the effects of electronics on the brain of today’s teenager. read more

The Case for the Family Vacation

I write this from the road, literally. I am in the midst of a good old-fashioned family road trip. read more

The Evolution of the American Father: Dad Redefined

Thinking back, my father and I exchanged precious few words in a given day. Some days, Walt and I hardly even saw one another. I feared him as a kid. read more

Bin Laden and the American Teen

To this day, I’m not sure whether it was a good idea to go in to work that day. The second tower had just fallen, and there were rumors that another runaway jet might be headed for the White House. read more

The Lowdown on 420: Guiding Your Teen Through the Weeds

A highly astute, very funny client of mine suggested the other day that, if you’re the parent of a teenager, and you don’t know what “420” is, you must be high. read more

A Tribute to Bad-Ass Moms

Being a mom is one bad-ass job.

I worked with the mom of two teenagers last night. She came in alone, with nothing in particular on her mind, no pressing issue, no crisis to resolve. read more

Avoiding the Parent Trap: How to Change Your Thoughts About Parenting Teens

It’s hard to say how it started.

I know for a fact that we parent teens today with more fear, ego and judgment than calm, confidence and openness. There are countless theories as to why. read more