Author Archives: Bob Ritzema

About Bob Ritzema

I am a fourth-generation American of Dutch ancestry and am trained as a clinical psychologist. In 2012, I retired from Methodist University in North Carolina to return to . Michigan to help family, and, in 2023, I started again with a move to Milwaukee to be near my children. I maintain a part-time therapy practice. I can be reached at bobritzema@hotmail.com.

Not-At-Homeness

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Bob Ritzema

In his book “On the Road With St. Augustine,” James K.A. Smith writes about the not-at-homeness (a translation of Heidegger’s term Unheimlich) that is a familiar part of the human condition. It’s a “sense of frustration, futility, of never arriving, … Continue reading →

Posted in Death, Psyche | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

When Parents Die, Who Do They Become?

Posted on January 26, 2024 by Bob Ritzema

Ed (not his real name), who lives with me at Barnabas House, just lost his father. His mother died a few years ago.  His dad was 92 years old and under hospice care. Ed’s relationship with his dad was very … Continue reading →

Posted in Death, Relationships, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

A Year in Review, Part Two

Posted on January 5, 2024 by Bob Ritzema

Recently, I posted some thoughts about the past year. Life changed quite a bit during 2023, with a move from Michigan to Wisconsin, going from living alone to living in a communal setting, and from living in a different state … Continue reading →

Posted in Psyche, Spirit | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

A Year in Review

Posted on January 3, 2024 by Bob Ritzema

A year ago I was living in Grand Rapids, Michigan, packing up in preparation for moving to Milwaukee. I had been there for ten years, ever since I came north to help my parents, and I had formed many attachments. … Continue reading →

Posted in Psyche, Relationships | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

I Finally Got Covid

Posted on December 13, 2023 by Bob Ritzema

So, I finally got Covid, having dodged it for nearly four years. I started coughing Sunday afternoon, and it progressively got worse the next few days. I went for a Covid test on Tuesday, and it came back positive. I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Body, Psyche | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Standing Ovation

Posted on October 12, 2023 by Bob Ritzema

Living in community means being sensitive to each other’s struggles, acknowledging, sympathizing, and encouraging someone who is having a hard time. Last week, a member of our house (who I’ll call Ed) was involved in a tragedy, and it’s affected … Continue reading →

Posted in Relationships | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The Divine Office

Posted on April 19, 2023 by Bob Ritzema

In my last post, I talked about worship being the center of life. I quoted Eugene Peterson: “In worship God gathers his people to himself as center: ‘The Lord reigns’ (Ps. 93:1). Worship is a meeting at the center so … Continue reading →

Posted in Spirit | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Finding the Center

Posted on March 24, 2023 by Bob Ritzema

I recently blogged about having moved into a community in Milwaukee, describing the community I’m living in. This is a big life change for me, so it’s prompting reflection and necessitating adjustment. I wanted to describe a bit more what … Continue reading →

Posted in Relationships, Spirit | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Entering Community

Posted on February 15, 2023 by Bob Ritzema

My last post on this site, almost two months ago, detailed all the changes that had occurred in my life during 2022. I ended by describing my plan to move to Milwaukee to be near my oldest son and his … Continue reading →

Posted in Psyche, Relationships | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Life Changes

Posted on December 23, 2022 by Bob Ritzema

Life changes. However, I didn’t experience much change for about 10 years. As I’ve written in previous posts, I came to Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2012 to help my parents. That was a year of many changes, but then things … Continue reading →

Posted in caregiving, Psyche | Tagged , , | 4 Comments