I remember when this phrase was all the rage as part of an advertising campaign for “The National Enquirer Magazine.” And I can’t help but remember that phrase when I think about healthy relationships. You see, one of the hallmarks of healthy marriages is having an inquisitive mind when it comes to your mate. Whether…
The answer for a lot of people is probably, “I don’t know. I try not to get outside of my comfort zone.” If that is really true, then we are probably not doing much growing. But think for a minute – “What is outside of your safe space?” A common one for people is public…
I sit with couples on a regular basis who argue and fight. They tell about their conflicts at home and they frequently live those conflicts out in my office. Fortunately, when they are sitting with me, I am often able to redirect them or get them to pause their thinking and consider other possibilities. When…
Many, if not most people, seem to find a mate that is different than they are. They may have qualities that are completely opposite of their own, which is no surprise. You see, we are frequently attracted to what we don’t have. For example, a person who is an introvert may be attracted to a…
The answer for a lot of people is probably, “I don’t know. I try not to get outside of my comfort zone.” If that is really true, then we are probably not doing much growing. But think for a minute – “What is outside of your safe space?” A common one for people is public…
I recently met with a client who is experiencing some struggles in his marriage. While the struggles aren’t easy, he doesn’t see them as insurmountable because he states with confidence that he and his wife are, and always have been, best friends. Some couples started out as friends before dating, while others began dating, getting…
I see many couples in my office who are in the middle of the tornado. By that I mean, they have school age children at home; they both work full-time; then they have to take one kid to gymnastics and the other one to soccer practice. The weekend comes and there are soccer games to…
I see couples on a daily basis and most often they are individually very different from each other. One person is quiet while the other is more outgoing; one is spontaneous while the other plans out everything; or each are on opposite sides of the introvert/extrovert scale. People tend to marry people who are at…
For the past year, I have been on a declutter quest. You see, I have lived in our current house for over 25 years – the longest I have lived in one place. And living in the same place for this long, I have accumulated stuff. Things I haven’t used in years but always tend…
For many step-parents, the answer to this question would be a resounding “No!” I have heard comments such as, “I was such great friends with his kids before we got married. I don’t know what happened.” Or “My partner and I had discussed this issue prior to marriage and thought we had a handle on…