Author: David Pexa

Summary: Why Your Child Stopped Talking to You (And What They’re Actually Saying). A framework for understanding what’s really going on — and what to do about it. You’re lying awake at 11pm running the same loop: What happened? When did they stop telling me things? Why has my child stopped talking to me? What did I do wrong? You used to know everything. What happened at lunch. Who said what on the playground. Which teacher annoyed them. They’d unload it all the moment you picked them up. Now you get “fine” and a closed door. And here’s the part…

Summary: Is Love an Emotion? A Guide to Its True Nature — understanding the signal beneath the surface and what you can actually do about it. This question stopped me in my tracks the first time a client asked it. Is love an emotion? Or is it something else entirely? The answer reframes how you approach every relationship in your life. Most advice about love starts with the wrong assumption. It treats love like a feeling you either have or don't have. If the feeling is strong, the relationship is healthy. If the feeling fades, something must be wrong. That…

Summary: Emotional Intelligence Chart: A Guide to Mapping Your EQ — understanding the signal beneath the surface and what you can actually do about it. I started using emotional intelligence charts with clients because most people have never been given a vocabulary for what they’re feeling. You can’t regulate what you can’t name. You may be doing solid work, hitting deadlines, solving problems fast, and still feel a strange drag in your career. People trust your output, but they don’t always trust your presence under pressure. Meetings go sideways. Feedback stings more than it should. A hard conversation lingers in…

Summary: Emotional Disconnect: Signs, Causes, & Repair — understanding the signal beneath the surface and what you can actually do about it. Emotional disconnect doesn’t happen overnight. It builds slowly — one avoided conversation, one dismissed feeling, one moment of shutting down at a time. By the time you notice it, the gap feels enormous. You answer the text. You sit through the meeting. You even say the right things to your partner or your team. But something feels off. You’re there, yet not fully there. Conversations stay on logistics. Your calendar is full, but your inner world feels strangely…

Summary: Hero’s Journey Template for Storytelling and Coaching — a practical breakdown of what matters, what doesn’t, and what to do next. The hero’s journey isn’t just a storytelling framework — it’s a map of how transformation actually works. I use it with clients to help them see where they are in their own story. You might be staring at a blank outline right now, knowing your idea has energy but not knowing how to shape it. Writers run into this when they have a strong protagonist and a handful of scenes, yet the middle sags and the ending feels…

Summary: What Does It Mean To Be Emotionally Available? — understanding the signal beneath the surface and what you can actually do about it. Being emotionally unavailable isn’t a character flaw — it’s usually a protection strategy that made sense at some point. Understanding why someone shut down is the first step toward reconnection. You’re talking to someone you care about. Maybe it’s a partner, a friend, or even a colleague after a hard week. They finally say something real: “I’ve been feeling overwhelmed lately.” And the response lands with a thud. “Have you tried time blocking?”“You’re overthinking it.”“That’s just…

Summary: Emotions vs Feelings: Key Distinctions — understanding the signal beneath the surface and what you can actually do about it. The difference between emotions and feelings is one of those distinctions that sounds academic until you apply it. Then it changes how you understand yourself and everyone around you. You open your laptop to answer one email before bed. A message from a colleague lands badly. Your chest tightens. Your jaw sets. Ten minutes later, you’ve rewritten your reply three times, assumed the worst, and started doubting the whole project. Many would say, “I feel disrespected.” That may be…

Summary: A practical guide to build confidence in kids: expert guide. What actually works, what doesn’t, and where to start. Building confidence in kids isn’t about praise or trophies. The children I’ve worked with who developed real confidence all had one thing in common: adults who let them struggle and stayed close while they did. Most parents think confidence is something a child either has or doesn’t. The data says otherwise, and it’s far more urgent than that. A landmark statistic from self-esteem expert Jack Canfield found that 80 percent of children entering first grade score high on self-esteem inventories,…

Summary: Master Narrative Therapy Techniques for Growth — a practical breakdown of what matters, what doesn’t, and what to do next. Narrative therapy changed how I work with people. The core idea — that the problem is the problem, not the person — sounds simple, but it’s one of the most powerful reframes I’ve ever encountered. You open your laptop to do one focused hour of work, and a familiar story starts talking. “You always leave things too late.”“You’re not disciplined enough.”“You’re the kind of person who freezes when it matters.” Individuals often struggle not just with the problem itself.…

Summary: Why Am I So Emotional: Find Your Balance — understanding the signal beneath the surface and what you can actually do about it. You open your laptop, read a short email, and your eyes fill with tears. Or someone cuts you off in traffic and your reaction feels wildly bigger than the moment. Or your partner asks a normal question and you snap, then immediately wonder, Why am I so emotional? What is wrong with me? Usually, nothing is wrong with you. What’s happening is that your internal system is sending signals. Your body, brain, history, habits, and expectations…