I recently received a response to a post I made about sexual problems. Rather than answer that specific response, I’d like to use the opportunity to address the issues that post and other people’s issues raise. Sex is a big part of one’s relationship and so here are some suggestions: If you and your partner […]
Many couples find themselves at the point of a marital crisis at some time during the marriage. Perhaps an affair is discovered. Or maybe the couple has separated. Or maybe things have dissolved to the point that neither partner is putting in any effort. Or maybe they have started talking about divorce and have contacted […]
Is your spouse the person that you tell everything to? Or do you find that you tend to confide more in your best friend or a family member? Keeping secrets from your spouse is harmful to the relationship. It conveys a lack of trust and can cause people to feel hurt and betrayed. If you find […]
Most people who have affairs don’t ever set out looking for one. There are a few exceptions, of course, where married people do use the internet and other sources to seek out opportunities to have an affair. However, for the vast majority, affairs start out slowly and unintentionally. Affairs often begin as a “friendship.” Maybe […]
Ever had a bad day at work? And then when you come home you take it out on your family? Maybe you had a lot of work to do and not enough time, and then a co-worker was rude to you. When you arrived home, your spouse left her shoes in the middle of the […]
Many songs and Hollywood movies portray couples who overcome any obstacles in life because they love one another. However, in reality, love alone cannot make two people happily married for life. There are lots of other things that must go into a relationship to make it work over the long term. Compatibility is very important […]
Children learn about love by watching their caregivers as they grow. They witness their parents’ relationships with one another and with other people. They see how each person treats each other and how they react. Children who see a parent yell, lie, and become easily angered, learn those behaviors. Many people strive to have a […]
What will a pet or an additional new pet do to your family or relationship? Will it create extra demands or throw everyone and everything off? Will it upset your existing children or pets? Let’s talk about what a pet can do and what you should think about in choosing a pet. First, I want […]
Can cleaning the house really improve your marriage? In many cases, it can. Do you ever find that you and your spouse argue about misplaced items? Do you ever accuse your spouse of throwing away important items or documents? Do you feel like you waste a lot of time looking for things? For some couples, […]
Mood disorders refer to various depressive disorders and bipolar disorders. Coping with a spouse who has a mood disorder is similar to living with a spouse who has a life-long physical health condition, such as diabetes. For some people, depression can improve and the person does not experience any further episodes of depression. Other types […]
As people grow up and view married couple’s relationships, they develop beliefs about married life. These lead to the development about expectations of marriage. These expectations and beliefs can impact how we behave and react during the marriage. Someone who grew up seeing happy, healthy relationships all around may expect that marriage life creates happiness. […]
Thinking that the grass is always greener on the other side can impact all areas of your life, including your relationships. Many people have the mentality that life would be better if… These sorts of thoughts can ensure that you will feel less satisfied with your current situation. Some people think, “My life would be […]
Almost everyone has witnessed someone making fun of their spouse. Although the person may do so in a joking or teasing manner, it can still be awkward to witness. Sometimes a person tends to pick on a spouse in public. Other times it happens behind closed doors. Ask yourself if you are ever guilty of […]
As ridiculous as it sounds, sometimes problems within the marriage can be solved by flipping a coin. If there’s an issue that needs to get resolved sooner rather than later and a discussion about it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, this method can be helpful. Obviously, you won’t want to use this method to […]
Sometimes couples argue about the same things over and over. It isn’t productive when people argue about the same things without making any changes. It can be helpful to switch responsibilities sometimes as an attempt to turn things around and make some changes. Switching things up can sometimes be enough to help solve the problem. For […]
Parents, do you know what age appropriate behavior is? Do you know how to help your teen behave appropriately? Do you know what kind of activities s/he should be doing? Do you know how to be effective in enforcing rules? Here are some suggestions. First, remember you were once a teenager. Try to remember what […]
Arguing just doesn’t work. We all believe that we are logical and therefore a logical argument should work. When was the last time in the middle of an argument that you provided a very logical reason why you are right and your spouse just stopped and agreed with you? Time is up. Couldn’t think of […]
Unfortunately, there are times in a marriage when one person is unhappy in the relationship. Yet, when asked how the person’s spouse feels about the marriage, the other spouse is often content with the way things are. So then the question becomes, can one person making changes make a difference in the relationship? Sometimes when a […]
Many people have heard advice or words of wisdom from couples who report that they “never go to bed angry.” But is this really sound advice? In a perfect world, it would be great if all problems could be solved by 10 p.m. and everyone went to bed feeling happy and loved. However, in the […]
In such a difficult economy, an increasing number of couples are looking for effective strategies to improve, strengthen or even save their marriages, without having to incur the often substantial expense of working with a professional counselor. There are so many popular books and websites out there offering untested and unprofessional strategies for saving or […]
