Silent Treatment in Marriage: Why It’s Toxic and How to Stop It
Whether you’re on the receiving end or giving it to your partner, the silent treatment can create a toxic dynamic in marriage. Most of us know what it feels like to shut down during conflict—walking around in cold silence, refusing to respond, or withdrawing behind walls. In the moment, silence may feel like safety or […]
10 Signs of Emotional Abuse You Should Never Ignore
Is Emotional Abuse Quietly Hurting Your Marriage? Here’s How to Recognize It—and Heal Together When couples come to us feeling disconnected, they often say,“We love each other… but something just feels off.”Maybe the spark is gone. Maybe communication feels tense. Maybe you’re walking on eggshells. What many don’t realize is that emotional abuse—often unintentional and […]
What Are the “Four Horsemen” of Relationships? Here’s What the Research Says
Psychologist Dr. John Gottman has spent over 40 years researching relationships. Considered a leading expert on marital stability, Dr. Gottman is famously known for predicting whether couples will divorce with 90% accuracy. How has he developed such a keen eye for identifying ill-fated marriages? Dr. Gottman credits the work he’s done with over 3,000 newlywed […]
What should I do when my husband ignores me?
If your husband ignores you, you may be feeling uncomfortable, sad, or even mad. Keep reading to gain more clarity about what is happening and what you can do to positively impact the situation. Reasons Your Husband Ignores You While there are many possible reasons you are feeling ignored by your husband, here are a […]
Marriage Mistakes Couples Make (not just communication problems) & How to Fix ’em
We often get asked, “What are the marriage mistakes that you see couples making most often in their marriage and in their relationships?” While there are many mistakes that couples could be making (especially with regards to communication and communication problems in marriage), here are two that we see often, that are not too hard […]
Is Name Calling Verbal Abuse? What is considered verbal abuse?
It’s a question many spouses ask when conflict in marriage escalates: “Is name-calling abuse, or just fighting?” The truth is, name-calling is a form of verbal abuse—and over time, it can erode trust, safety, and self-worth in a marriage. Verbal abuse often starts small: a sarcastic comment, a put-down, or an insult “said in anger.” […]
Angry Spouse? What to do if you’re living with an angry wife or an angry husband.
“My wife is always mad at me!” “Why is my husband angry with me?” One of the most common yet challenging issues I see when working with couples is anger. Anger is one of the most powerful and most destructive human emotions. The long-term damage it can have on a marriage can be irreparable as […]
Marriage Issues: Stopping Emotional Abuse in Marriage
What is emotional abuse in marriage? It can be hard to quantify since it differs greatly from physical abuse but can be the slippery slope that leads to it. Emotional Abuse: What You Should Know Emotional abuse is a topic we get questions about often. So many relationships are suffering from emotional abuse. Stopping emotional […]
5 Marriage Communication Problems & How to Fix Them
Marriage communication problems are one of the biggest challenges couples face in a marriage. The inability to communicate effectively with one’s spouse can lead to one or both partners feeling unheard, not cared for, and/or unloved. The bad news is that communication problems can have a devastating and even fatal impact on a marriage. The […]