[caption id="attachment_1837" align="aligncenter" width="300"] What do you think?[/caption] In my relationship counseling practice, a number of the couples I work with explain with great distress that their spouses have friends of the opposite sex. Frequently these are friendships that developed before the couple met. Some of...
[caption id="attachment_1840" align="alignright" width="300"] Space can be scary; clear communication helps.[/caption] Made of just four little words, the sentence, “I need some space,” can create havoc between partners in a committed relationship. Couples coming to my San Diego marriage counseling offices conflict over this request. The...
[caption id="attachment_1516" align="alignright" width="300"] Do these divisions make sense to you?[/caption] In his popular New York Times article, “The All or Nothing Marriage,” researcher and Northwestern University psychology professor Eli Finkel claims that that the goal of marriage in the 21st Century has shifted. Finkel asserts...
[caption id="attachment_1844" align="aligncenter" width="292"] Marriage counseling can break through stony defenses[/caption] You may have heard that marriage counseling is the “death throes” of a marriage. Maybe your spouse is asking, “does marriage counseling work?” The answer is yes, absolutely. I have seen couples on the brink...
Mindfulness training helps create safe bonds[/caption] Psychologists, researchers and other therapists know well that a failure in emotional connection and validation is a more powerful driver of infidelity than sexual dissatisfaction or boredom. As I discussed in my previous article, “3 Great Mindfulness...
Quick . . . Which golfing/gardening/photography magazines or blogs do you get to fuel your favorite hobby? How many hikes, bike rides or swims did you do or take this month to stay in shape? How many professional articles have your read in the last 3 months to...
I’ve said this so much, but it bears repeating: “Relationship skills do not come naturally. We are not born with the relationship skills we need. They must be taught and practiced, just as language, cooking or math skills must be taught and practiced.” Wouldn’t preparing your first...
[caption id="attachment_1851" align="aligncenter" width="300"] It's our job as parents to help our children understand the rewards of love & marriage.[/caption] We parents need to be doing a better job at getting couples to premarital counseling. Marriage is a sacred partnership and should be treated as such....
[caption id="attachment_699" align="alignright" width="224"] Exploring a relationship through pre-marital counseling takes some courage, but the benefits are irrefutable![/caption] Pre-marital counseling not only prepares partners for the challenges and opportunities of married life, it enriches the pre-marital stage and deepens their relationship, making...
[caption id="attachment_1855" align="alignright" width="300"] Extraordinary, life-long relationships full of passion and intimacy ARE a reality[/caption] Relationships don’t run themselves any more than careers do. Those who take their professions seriously look for opportunities to acquire new skills and use those skills to benefit the business, which...