When you are in a relationship, every interaction holds the potential to deepen connection or create distance. This is true for even the most seemingly ordinary moments with your partner—whether you ask them to go for a walk, listen to a new song, or reach out to hold...
Communication skills
Emotionally Flooded? Cognitive Restructuring Can Help.
Suzanne and Rick were having their third fight of the week over in-laws and vacations. Would the conflict ever end? Each time Suzanne tried to share her perspective with Rick, he would lose it and leave the room. How would they ever get through this argument to the...
Ask a Therapist: How Can I Get My Partner to Read the Therapy Content I Share With Them?
Dear Therapist, I'm currently in couples therapy with my partner—let's call him Frank. Recently, I found an article that I thought could really help us manage our shared responsibilities at home. The mental load is taking a toll on me, and the issue has become a real...
REACH Forgiveness: How to Heal After Betrayal
Betrayal in a marriage is one of the most challenging experiences a couple can face. It can shatter trust, leave emotional scars, and make it difficult to move forward. Although infidelity is one of the most common types of betrayal, there are many other ways that...
The Timeout: The Best Tool to Resolve a Fight With Your Partner
In the heat of a fight or an argument, emotions can flare up, making it challenging to maintain a constructive dialogue. As a therapist, we often see how conflicts escalate when people become overwhelmed by their emotions. Even though every couple argues, a fight can...
Overcoming Intimacy Issues: Strengthen Your Relationship with These Proven Strategies
Like many other facets of a long-term relationship or marriage, intimacy can ebb and flow. Truth be told, roughly 40% of married couples reported experiencing some type of sexual problem ("Marriage and Family Review," 2016). While intimacy issues understandably feel...
My Love Language Is Gifts. Does That Make Me Materialistic?
In the world of love languages, gifts often get a bad rap. People often misunderstand and stigmatize the gifts love language, believing it to be materialistic, greedy, or shallow. Yet there is beauty and significance in the love language of gifts. Whether you identify...
Embrace the Crush: How Crushes Can Strengthen Your Relationship
Have you ever felt self-conscious about your attraction to someone other than your partner? Romantic or physical attraction towards others can be a scary topic for partners in a committed, monogamous relationship. For many, the idea of attraction to another person...