Countless twins who find themselves in the role of the caretaker twin grow up believing that their job is to fix what seems harmful or potentially dangerous to the cared-for twin. Often, this position is not articulated or even conscious. It seems to come to light when the twin dynamic runs into an expectable snag or two. Unknowingly and tragically, this unhealthy paradigm may be repeated in other attachments. One young man habitually found himself in relationships with women he […]

When our friends, siblings, and relatives begin having children, we may have feelings of joy and happiness along with envy and resentment. An expectable dose of healthy ambivalence is front and center. However, when twins find themselves in this predicament, their emotions can become exaggerated and quite painful. An identical twin in her midthirties has found herself in such a situation. She is not married yet, while her twin has been married for several years and just had a baby. […]

I had the pleasure of meeting with identical twin sisters who are about to celebrate their 60th birthday. One sister, Lena, reached out to me to inquire about my availability and explained their situation: We talk to each other multiple times a day even though we are living in different time zones. We are each other’s most special person and loving confidant. Yet both of us feel vulnerable around each other for a host of reasons. We’d like a session […]

Why do some twin pairs feel incapable of transformative love? Feelings of love, intimacy, expectations, and assumptions can change over the course of a lifetime. For example, romantic love at 25 is not the same as romantic love at 65. The circumstances and parameters unfold as we mature, evolve, and age. Most likely the healthiest connections are those that make room for appreciation, gratefulness, disappointment, change, and even conflict. For various reasons, some twin connections cannot attain this necessary degree […]

Many parents express surprise about how much their twins fight; however, they are relieved and grateful that confrontations are quickly resolved. They are pleased they do not have to intervene to quell a conflict because it seems to be over swiftly. This nearly instantaneous resolution can feel like a stroke of luck in a busy household. After a consultation with parents struggling to discipline their young twins, I reflected upon how much children learn about handling conflict when parents intervene […]