Dr. Ruskin praised the relationship between the man and his mother.

KAREN RUSKIN: “That’s lovely that he has a connection with his mother and it matters to him what she thinks.”

But, she says it is important to note that a twenty-five year old man is old enough to decide who his girlfriend should be. And, she says, a person of that age should be able to handle several responsibilities at a time.

KAREN RUSKIN: “A twenty-five year old absolutely can achieve school success, work success and be in a serious relationship and manage that it a healthy way.”

Dr. Ruskin says the student needs to talk to his mother about her exact worries. For example, he noted he was hoping to start a business with his girlfriend. But he is studying medical chemistry. Is this part of his mother’s problem with the plan?

KAREN RUSKIN: “Perhaps there is a concern that his goal focus is shifting because of the relationship that he’s in.”

Dr. Ruskin says the worry may also be financial. She says this man should know that he can not expect his parents to support both him and his girlfriend financially.

We then turned to a forty year old man from Iran. He has been at the same company for fifteen years without a promotion. He asks for advice on how to build effective relationships at work so that he can move up.

Dr. Ruskin says there are several actions the man might want to consider. She says one is to show interest in his co-workers.