Author Archives: Bob Ritzema

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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.

Bloom Anyway

Posted on September 2, 2016 by Bob Ritzema

This spring, I planted sunflower seeds in my mom’s yard. I planted them in three places: in the backyard, alongside the driveway, and in a mostly-fenced garden area. The seedlings soon pushed their heads out of the dirt, then grew … Continue reading →

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Retirement and the Post-Olympic Letdown

Posted on August 22, 2016 by Bob Ritzema

The quadrennial glut of athletic excellence known as the Olympics is over. The sports fans among us are going through withdrawal–our televisions have been emptied of cyclists, runners, rowers, sailors, wrestlers, swimmers, and the like; no one is counting metals; … Continue reading →

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Do You Need to Grieve Your Unfulfilled Expectations for an Adult Child?

Posted on August 17, 2016 by Bob Ritzema

As a therapist, I work regularly with people who are grieving some sort of loss. One of the most difficult losses handle is death of a child. Families used to be much larger than they are now and, prior to … Continue reading →

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Death Then and Now: Providential, Suicidal, or Just Regrettable?

Posted on August 7, 2016 by Bob Ritzema

A few months ago I read Thomas R. Cole’s book The Journey of Life. I was especially interested to learn about attitudes toward older people throughout U.S. history; here are a few thoughts about the topic. In reading Cole, I noticed that attitudes toward the … Continue reading →

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Amazing Love

Posted on July 20, 2016 by Bob Ritzema

I recently learned of the death of  Robertson McQuilkin, former president of Columbia Bible College and Seminary (now Columbia International University). He resigned from his post in 1990 to care fulltime for his wife, Muriel, who had Alzheimer’s.  He was … Continue reading →

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A Mentor From Hell

Posted on July 5, 2016 by Bob Ritzema

According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, a mentor is “an experienced and trusted person who gives another person advice and help over a period of time.” We turn to mentors to get some sense of what lies ahead and how … Continue reading →

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Look Around. Your Family Consists of–Surprise!–Complex Human Beings

Posted on June 16, 2016 by Bob Ritzema

I recently read Rod Dreher’s book How Dante Can Save Your Life. Dreher wrote the book when he was struggling with depression resulting from family problems. Decades earlier he had moved away from his family in Louisiana and established a successful … Continue reading →

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What Life Goals Are Worth Having?

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Bob Ritzema

Over 60 years ago, psychoanalyst Erik Erikson identified what he considered to be the key psychological issue of late adulthood. According to Erikson, as someone realizes that death is drawing closer, he or she looks back over the entire span of life. … Continue reading →

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Learning About Life From The Obituaries

Posted on May 30, 2016 by Bob Ritzema

Do you read the obituaries? Though I’m getting to the age where I probably should, I seldom do. Just as pedestrians tend to depend on others to look for traffic when crossing the road, I depend on my mom and … Continue reading →

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“Bring an Item That Holds Great Personal Value”

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Bob Ritzema

The psychology practice where I work part-time recently had a one day retreat. Everyone who attended was asked to bring a bag containing: 1) A favorite hat, scarf, or other personal item (tee shirt?) that you enjoy wearing 2) One … Continue reading →

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