When your partner upsets with negativity
Sometimes there’s a situation in a relationship where one partner is working hard to be more positive and the other partner is consistently negative. This can start as a minor annoyance and grow to something catastrophic for a marriage. It’s a relationship dynamic that can be incredibly hard, especially for the one that is working […]
What to do if you are no longer physically attracted to your spouse?
Life happens, kids happen, weight gain happens. And sometimes our partner can look very different than they did when we first met. What can you do if you are no longer physically attracted to your partner? Let’s think back to when you first fell in love and knew you wanted to commit to the one […]
Are there any couples that are beyond help? Is it ever just too late?
Lots of couples talk with us about their situation and then ask if they’re the worst couple we’ve ever seen. The answer is usually no of course 🙂 Underneath their question is a deeper one which is- “Are we beyond hope? Is this just too messy to fix and is it just too late for […]
When You Physically Recoil from Your Spouse Due to Past Sexual Trauma
Any past traumatic experience keeps a person in survival mode- a tensing of the physical body and the mind – as the brain has one job, which is to keep you safe. Anything that reminds you of the past trauma is going to trigger you and make you feel super reactive all the time because […]
When you can’t trust your spouse, how can you participate in couples counseling? And why should you?
If you can’t trust your spouse, you might be asking yourself why you should even spend the time sitting in the room with him/her working on your marriage! After all, they are the one that cheated and/or betrayed your trust, that wasn’t something you chose to do. This question is one that we get asked […]
How is Imago marriage counseling different from other marriage counseling that you’ve tried?
We get asked that question a lot… “how is your marriage counseling program different than any of the other marriage counseling that we’ve already tried?” At our last group setting couples retreat we held here in Baltimore, MD, a couple asked us the very first day of the retreat, “Our previous therapist told us we […]
4 Things to Do When Dealing With a Toxic Family Member
It’s normal to have arguments, disagreements, and moments of frustration with our in-laws and close loved ones. If the disconnect becomes harmful and toxic, far beyond the occasional “button pushing” that all family members engage in it’s time to take action. “Family.” The word is dynamic, diverse, and loaded with history—and for all of us, occasional conflict, too. How […]
How Trauma from the Past Affect our Adult Relationships
Sometimes when we try to succeed in life, we are held back by trauma from childhood. Trauma plays a huge role in relationships. Not only does childhood trauma impact your relationship with your parent, it unconsciously influences your partner selection and can impact all of your relationships. We find that people tend to look for […]
When Parents Argue – Do Kids Notice?
Children are receptive to the intricate nuances and body language their parents display in front of them. As much as we would like to believe that our children are spared from the marital discord we experience, John Gottman’s research proves that children experience trauma when their parents argue and fight. “Marital discord can influence children […]
How Silent Treatment & Repressed Animosity Ruins Relationships (And What You Can Do to Stop It)
Whether you’re on the receiving end of it or you are giving it to your partner, the silent treatment can create a toxic relationship environment. Most of us know what it feels like to be so frustrated during an argument with our spouse that we simply want to shut down, surround ourselves with metaphorical walls, […]
Should you really talk to someone? A couple’s therapist review of ‘Maybe You Should Talk To Someone” by Lori Gottlieb
It’s no wonder Maybe You Should Talk To Someone by Lori Gottlieb is a runaway best-seller. Written by a therapist about her own personal journey into therapy, it is full of intrigue, vulnerability, and gives the reader insight into the many questions we may have about the world of the therapy and those who practice […]
3 Insightful Ways to Bring Up an Issue With Your Spouse
Want to talk to your husband or wife about something important but don’t know how to bring it up without starting a fight or scaring them away? Whether you’re an introvert, an empath, or find it difficult to have a conversation about something important with your partner; the key to a happy marriage is communication. […]
That’s Funny, Honey: Tips for Using Humor During Marital Conflict to Stop Fights in Their Tracks
Want to know why bringing the heat down a notch during a relationship conflict is so important? Close your eyes and picture the last time you and your spouse laughed together. Really put yourself in that memory, conjuring up how it felt. It felt good, right? Want to feel it again? There’s no question that […]
Family Counseling via Skype/Zoom
Families have been challenged with disputes since the beginning of time. While it’s nothing new, it doesn’t diminish the anguish and pain that comes with it. The good news is that there are even more convenient ways to address family strife through online family counseling. Online Family Counseling Family counseling is even more challenging than […]
Have you ended a relationship (or are thinking about divorce) over political differences?
Are you about to end your marriage over political differences? Have you severed ties with other family or friends in the last three months? It’s such a shame to see relationships being destroyed over this especially when it doesn’t have to be this way. I remember as a child I used to talk politics with […]
Watch Marriage & Relationship Videos on a variety of real life topics
The following are a collection of previously recorded webinars- we wanted you to have them all on one page instead of having to search for information about our approach all over our social media channels. We may look different- as some webinar recordings are quite old- but at least you can watch and learn a […]
A New Study Suggests Emotional Flexibility is Central to a Healthy Marriage (Here’s How to Cultivate It)
Emotional flexibility is key to a happy and healthy relationship. We can liken partners in healthy relationships who possess this quality to a willow tree. The willow tree serves as an excellent metaphor for a healthy and enduring marriage, bending and swaying with the wind and sometimes cracking but unbreakably resilient. In the face of […]
Marriage help to help the therapist | Therapy for the therapist
Covid hit us all hard. And no one was hit harder than health professionals! Self care moved from being just a concept to a very real necessity. Health professionals realized that they needed to learn how to do more self care pronto. And so therapy for therapists is something that is very much needed. Funny […]
When your child becomes engaged | Advice for mothers and fathers of the bride or groom
Beyond the long to-do list that you will have as Mother or Father of the bride or groom, you’ll want to learn to step in to the new role you will have in your son or daughter’s life. You’ll want to be a good parent without overstepping boundaries and getting overly involved in your kids’ […]
Long Distance Couples Therapy
Living apart from your partner is hard enough. It’s even more challenging when you need long distance couples therapy. How do you work on a relationship when you don’t even see each other on a regular basis? There are many reasons why couples may need distance counseling. For some, one spouse is deployed or working […]