by Margie | Jun 8, 2014 | Marriage, Parenting, Relationships, Self
Deciding whether or not to commit to a relationship is one of the most important decisions of your life. Pat Love, in The Truth About Love, suggests taking a close, soul-searching look at your relationship. Here are some key questions she suggests that you ask...
by Margie | Jun 2, 2014 | Marriage, Parenting, Relationships, Self
One of the many benefits of mindfulness practice is that it helps us cultivate “affect tolerance.” We learn how to tolerate our emotions, particularly painful ones, without running away from them. When we spend time allowing ourselves to experience our feelings...
by Margie | May 19, 2014 | Marriage, Parenting, Relationships, Self
How we communicate our displeasure can make all the difference in the world to the quality of your relationship. John Gottman (Why Marriages Succeed or Fail) points out the distinctions between a complaint, a criticism, and contempt. A complaint is a specific...
by Margie | Apr 22, 2014 | Marriage, Parenting, Relationships, Self, Tip
People get stuck in parenting where they themselves are stunted psychologically, and the same is true of marriage partners, according to Harville Hendrix (Giving the Love that Heals). Marriage can be healing when both partners restore their own wholeness by stretching...
by Margie | Mar 17, 2014 | Marriage, Parenting, Relationships, Self
So often in my work with couples, I see a pattern that one or both of the partners of a couple fail to express their needs, issues, or problems. It sometimes feels easier to ignore our concerns and push them away. Maybe we are afraid of hurting our partner’s feelings...
by Margie | Feb 10, 2014 | Marriage, Parenting, Relationships, Self
To Lie or Not to Lie – How to Develop Honesty in Relationships Honesty in marriage and relationships takes guts and courage. It is a process, not a one-time revelation. You build relationship “muscle” by telling and hearing smaller truths, so you and your partner can...