Conflict Resolution
3 Things to Ask Yourself Before Arguing with Your Partner
Ideally, a good, productive argument leaves both parties feeling more understood and closer. If you’re in a relationship and you have a pulse, you’re going to have disagreements with your partner. It’s inevitable. And, in my opinion, it is perfectly healthy to disagree, and even argue, with your partner as [...]
Why You and Your Partner Have Different Versions of Your Last Fight
Our emotions are a result of our interpretations of a situation, not the situation itself. Jack and Betty come to their second couples counseling session obviously tense. "So what happened?" I ask. Jack sighs and Betty says, "You were so mean to me last night! You were angry and raised [...]
5 Changes to Make Now if You’re Having an Emotional Affair
An emotional affair, even without sex, can be just as detrimental to your relationship’s safety and future. The foundation of a successful partnership is trust—and a betrayal of that trust can derail even the closest relationship. While such betrayals often come in the form of physical affairs, an emotional [...]
Who’s Really to Blame When You Fight?
Emotions that function to defend or fight against a perceived threat sabotage productive communication. So, who's to really blame when you fight? Ever had the experience of being in the middle of a fight with your partner, hearing the strong words coming out of your mouth, and suddenly not [...]
How to Manage Stress in Your Relationship
Once you can begin to recognize your stress behavior, you can begin to change it. Let’s face it—many of us are stressed. And when we’re triggered by a stressful event, we often take it out on the ones we love, making stress the probable cause of many of our [...]
Communication Issues? You Might Have Two Different Communication Styles
Many couples believe their arguments never get resolved because one partner seems to find the confrontation easy while the other wants to avoid it. “We just can’t communicate!” is a frequent statement we hear from couples in counseling. This communication pattern is very common. It usually looks something like this: [...]