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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
Keep a Marriage Gratitude Journal to Help You Appreciate Your Relationship
Nobody means to take their spouse for granted but sometimes we unfortunately get busy with life and our day-to-day routines that we start forgetting how much we appreciate one another. One of the secrets (and maybe it’s not-so-secret) to helping your marriage thrive over time is to maintain an ongoing sense of appreciation and […]
How to Discuss Vaccines When You and Your Spouse Disagree
A healthy marriage is a safe haven. It’s a place where partners can discuss important and often difficult topics as they make informed decisions with integrity, honesty, and confidence. But when you and your partner disagree about something—especially something as polarizing as the COVID-19 vaccine—it can feel difficult to discuss it without regressing to unproductive and frustrating interactions that leave you both […]
Is it Okay to See Your Marriage Therapist without Your Spouse?
Most relationship therapists have a policy regarding individual sessions with clients who are attending therapy together. Sometimes counselors allow individual counseling if one party seeks it, while others do not because it can make the other partner feel like their therapist is taking sides. If you have an upcoming session and your partner can’t make […]
On Fighting Fair: How to Disagree with Your Spouse without Fighting
One difference between couples in a healthy versus an unhealthy marriage isn’t whether they argue—it’s how they argue. Think about it; virtually all spouses are going to butt heads from time to time. It’s an inevitable outcome of individual minds creating a life together while still being true to themselves. In fact, a study conducted by John Gottman determined […]
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 […]
Crafting the Perfect Apology for Your Spouse: A Checklist
It’s so important to make goals that are attainable and realistic in life and our relationships. Most of us have accidentally or inadvertently said or done things that upset our partners. That’s why knowing how to apologize genuinely and effectively is key to maintaining a healthy relationship. Which of these sound like a more beneficial […]
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, […]
[Clinical Textbook for Therapists] Therapy resources to become more effective when working with couples
Dr. Harville Hendrix just completed the first instructional textbook for clinicians on using Imago therapy with couples! This clinical textbook had been over 10 years in the making and is the HOTTEST new resource for you right now in working with couples in your therapy space. We’ve contacted the publisher and have been able to […]
[Coupon Code PLUS Imago Dialogue Video Examples] Watch Harville and Helen’s New Book, ‘Doing Imago Relationship Therapy’ Come to Life!
Order Harville’s book using Coupon Code for 25% off: Norton90 at http://www.wwnorton.com/ Doing Imago Relationship Therapy In the Space-Between is a MUST-HAVE book in your arsenal of tools for maximizing your therapy work. Here’s what other relationship experts are saying about it: “Straight from the creators of the highly influential Imago Relationship Therapy, this book […]
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. […]
Relationship Repair Attempts: What They Are, Why They Work & 10 Examples for Your Own Marriage
Relationship researcher Dr. John Gottman calls repair attempts the happy and emotionally intelligent couple’s “secret weapon.” Even if you’ve never heard of them before, it’s possible you and your partner already use repair attempts during conflicts. But hopeful partners be warned; using a repair attempt doesn’t necessarily guarantee it will work. Keep reading to learn more […]
Understanding The 4 Attachment Styles (And How They Might Influence Your Marriage)
Let’s face it; people are complex. We all have highly personal histories that affect who we are, how we see the world, and how we interact with others. For this reason, it might sound impossible to classify individuals into a just handful of categories used to describe human nature. But decades of psychological research suggests this kind of broad categorization […]
Setting Goals As a Couple: Strategies on Lasting Achievement
We use goals to improve all areas of our lives—from health and finances to career and marriage. And accomplishing a goal isn’t even the only benefit of setting one in the first place! It turns out that the very act of setting and working toward a goal can boost your well-being and self-confidence. Having a personal mission or objective provides a […]
What’s The Difference Between Perpetual and Solvable Problems? (Hint: Every Marriage Has Both)
According to relationship researcher Dr. John Gottman, the majority of problems married couples have are “perpetual.” These ongoing issues exist in virtually every relationship—yes, even healthy ones. The idea that most problems in your marriage are “perpetual” may bring up thoughts of doom and gloom. After all, if a problem persists indefinitely between spouses, how can they ever find peace and fulfillment in their […]
A Reintroduction to Imago Relationship Therapy
At The Marriage Restoration Project, our mission is to help couples thrive in their relationships and rediscover the power of what their union can offer them on an emotional and spiritual level. We believe a healthy and vibrant marriage is greater than the sum of its parts, and it’s our position that every partnership deserves the chance to […]