Category: Blog

Before your first couples therapy appointment, ask yourself: What can I do differently than I have done previously? It may be something that seems deceptively simple. For example, listen more and talk less. Or it could be to speak up instead of continuing to keep the peace at all costs.
 
NOTE: Here lies where you may make a simple, but dangerous, mistake. Inadvertently, you may end up giving all of your power away to your partner… if you decide you are only a success if your partner changes. Therefore, you are basing your success on your partner’s response rather than basing your success on your own actions.

Couples therapy is a time for learning and growing as a couple. It’s not a time for blaming or rehashing old conflicts. It’s a time to take a moment to sit down in this fast-paced world and really listen to what your partner is saying. Whether you’ve been going to couples therapy for years or are about to have your first appointment, these tips can help you make the most of marriage counseling.

Rules are meant to be broken. That has been my motto for as long as I can remember. Certainly this line of thinking gave my parents their fair share of grey hairs while I was growing up. If a rule didn’t make sense to me, such as only drive a car when you are of legal age with a valid driver’s license, I would make up my own rule at age 13, such as only practice driving skills when parent’s won’t find out. Even today this mindset shows up in my decision making, although I must say that I don’t make it a practice of breaking the law any longer. What I mean is that I still don’t necessarily follow a rule, structure or conventional way of thinking just because everyone else is or I’ve been told to.

Do you try to set New Year Resolutions every year? If you are like most people, you most certainly do. A few people may actually accomplish their goals, but many people fail. Do you know what all these people have in common?

Question:

I am stressing out – Should I or shouldn’t I send out my usual Christmas Cards? The truth is in the past, they have been “wow” holiday cards, but this year I am experiencing higher stress than usual due to my recent change of jobs.