4 Things Your Therapist Wants You to Know Before Starting Couples Counseling
If you’re thinking about going to marriage therapy there are a few things your counselor wants you to know before you begin. The reason your future counselor wants you to learn these things is simple; knowing them will help prepare you for counseling so that you can both make the most of it. Whether a major […]
Making Your Relationship a Safe Haven: Ideas to Help Lean On One Another During These Challenging Times
All of us face stressful seasons in life. But lately, things have seemed especially challenging for just about everyone. World conflict, financial and economic uncertainty, health and safety concerns. Whether directly or indirectly, these problems are impacting lives throughout the world. It’s times like these that our relationships become all the more essential. We lean on […]
Is a Disagreement with In-Laws Affecting Your Marriage?
In-law relationships can have a significant impact on a marriage. That’s why conflict with in-laws requires a united front that puts your marital relationship before the relationship you have with your parents. Perhaps you’ve experienced varying levels of joy and tension while interacting with your mother-in-law or father-in-law. But when the dynamics between spouses and […]
Reestablishing Trust After Infidelity
Learning that your partner was physically intimate with someone else can leave you reeling. But despite how painful it can be, infidelity is not necessarily the beginning of the end for every marriage. For some couples, an extramarital affair even acts as a powerful, if unwanted, catalyst for positive growth within the relationship. As devastating […]
People in Conventional Relationships can Learn a Lot from Neurodiverse Couples
Couples with one or both partners on the autism spectrum face challenges just like people in typical relationships do. Neurodiverse couples face communication challenges that can be addressed to maintain healthy, fulfilling, and long-lasting relationships. That said, there are plenty of unique strengths or benefits to being in a neurodiverse relationship! And while no two […]
Communication After Infidelity is Hard: Here Are 5 Tips to Improve It
Learning how to communicate again after experiencing infidelity is one of the most difficult obstacles one can experience in a lifetime. However, its worth putting in the work because a couple can never experience a deep connection emotionally if they cannot express themselves and feel understood. Infidelity is painful and creates so much uncertainty, pain, […]
Do you believe in soulmates?
As a Rabbi and psychotherapist, I do believe we have soulmates. In my work with couples, I see how this plays out, particularly from the vantage point of Imago Relationship Therapy. The Journey We believe in Imago theory that a person is always attracted to the most positive and negative character traits of their primary […]
Why It’s Important to Go On Dates with Your Spouse & 3 Ideas to Try
Remember the excitement you felt when you were first dating your spouse? The amount of care you put into your outfit and your appearance? The anticipation of seeing each other and the strong desire to reach out and connect again? Going on dates isn’t something only new couples can enjoy. In fact, even though there […]
Work up the motivation to set a New Years Resolution and succeed (even if all other past attempts have failed)
After the doozy that was 2020 and 2021, is there even a point to setting a New Year’s resolution when so many things are out of our control? That may be your inner perfectionist talking- if it can’t be perfect why do it in the first place? It’s wonderful to have the blessings of a […]
Control Issues in a Relationship
“Control issues” usually stem from fear or anxiety. When a person is afraid of an outcome or wants things to be a certain way, they can become rigid. By feeling a sense of control, they can reduce their anxiety and feel that they have power. While it is easy to label someone as controlling, it […]
How to successfully coparent, even around the holidays
There are do’s and don’ts for successful coparenting relationships. These “rules” are important for your children’s sake, so that they can enjoy a stable environment even when having to split their time between two homes; which is ultimately the goal of coparenting. Tips to improve co-parenting relationships: 1) Keep the best interest of the […]
Is my spouse a narcissist?
Think your spouse is a narcissist? Thankfully there are a lot more resources out there to support a spouse married to an abusive partner. The most important thing is always to make sure that you are physically safe and not in danger. If you are truly safe and you’re just wondering about something someone may […]
Best Gifts to Give Your Spouse According to Their Love Language
The Five Love Languages have been something I have taught my couples for years and people usually find it extremely valuable. Couples often wonder what to gift their partner based on their spouse’s unique love language. Gifts for the Five Love Languages Words of affirmation While everyone enjoys a good word, some of us […]
What Surrendering in Your Marriage Means & Why it Builds Trusting Relationships
What does it mean to surrender in your relationship—and why bother anyway? It might help to start by talking about what surrendering isn’t. After all, individualism, entrepreneurship, and equality are so strongly celebrated in our culture, so the idea of “surrendering” to your partner can conjure up a lot of negative connotations—becoming a doormat, being weak, being taken advantage of, […]
Mismatched sexual desire
If you and your partner have mismatched sexual desire, with one of you desiring intimacy moreso than the other, that can feel very frustrating. Use the following tips to help you regain desire for each other and improve your intimate life. Improving your physical connection with each other 1. Use the Imago Dialogue, to communicate […]
3 boundaries never to cross in a marriage
Boundaries are important in a relationship because they create a sense of safety, respect, and trust, all necessary ingredients for a healthy relationship. Boundaries acknowledge and validate the otherness of your partner instead of viewing them as an extension of you. Some examples of boundaries not to cross 1) Don’t dump on your spouse […]
How to cope with grief after a divorce or breakup
It is normal to experience grief after a divorce or breakup. It is hard ending a long-term relationship. Some of the feelings that arise are sadness, anger or resentment, and guilt. These are all feelings that can come up in the grieving process. While you may be sad that the relationship has ended, you may […]
When Your Partner Brings Work Stress Home
Even if your spouse is working from home these days, you might be feeling frustrated by how much they “take” their work home with them or the amount of stress and focus they give to their job. Work stress is common and it does impact relationships. It’s important for a couple to work on creating […]
Are you a saver or spender? Do your spouse’s money habits upset you?
Some people are savers, others are spenders. These personalities type are formed based on what we saw growing up. Some are consistent with what we saw and others do the opposite of what we saw. Either way, our early models impact our money personalities. Awareness of money types and childhood beliefs about money help couples […]
4 Tips on Staying Present With Each Other During the Holidays
No matter what holidays or traditions you celebrate, the fall and winter seasons tend to get quite hectic. And with so many other demands on your attention—the kids and their academic and extracurricular activities, end-of-year work projects, visits (or Zoom calls) from extended family members, community events—it’s easy for you and your spouse to start feeling like ships […]