When the husband of a couple I work with misspeaks, he tries to convince his wife of his good intentions. This approach doesn’t work for...
18.032026January 14, 2026
Try That Again
By Dr. Richard ReinIn Couples Therapy, Marriage Counseling, Relationship CounselingTags Communication Skills, Recurring Patterns, Repairs
Joe and Donna have been married for three decades, and they had a repeating pattern of reacting to each other. Now that they were implementing...
11.032026January 14, 2026
Change Expectations to Wishes
By Dr. Richard ReinIn Couples Therapy, Marriage Counseling, Relationship CounselingTags Communication Skills, Emotional Expression, Expectations
Expectations can be problematic in relationships. They typically consist of thoughts of how a partner should behave. If a partner’s behavior doesn’t align with expectations,...
04.032026January 14, 2026
Magnifying Change
By Dr. Richard ReinIn Couples Therapy, Marriage Counseling, Relationship CounselingTags Behavior Change, Couples Counseling
Struggling couples typically recognize that change is needed. Couples counseling clarifies what needs to change. The job of a skilled couples counselor is to take...
25.022026January 14, 2026
Gradual Change
By Dr. Richard ReinIn Couples Therapy, Marriage Counseling, Relationship CounselingTags Disconnection, Infidelity, Neglect, Recurring Patterns
There is a parable that says if you toss a frog into a pot of boiling water, it’s going to feel the intense heat immediately,...
18.022026January 14, 2026
Two Heads
By Dr. Richard ReinIn Couples Therapy, Marriage Counseling, Relationship CounselingTags Communication Skills, Conflict Resolution, Respectful Discussions
Greg and Aimee have a contentious relationship. Rather than discussing, each is trying to convince and make a case for their position. This sets the...
11.022026January 14, 2026
Looped
By Dr. Richard ReinIn Couples Therapy, Marriage Counseling, Relationship CounselingTags Accountability, Alcohol Use, Blame Loops, Recurring Patterns
Jeff and Abby are struggling. Abby is absorbed by her demanding job and tending to their young children. Jeff is personally struggling and using alcohol...
04.022026January 14, 2026
Sharing Thoughts
By jayme welchIn Couples Therapy, Marriage Counseling, Relationship CounselingTags Asking Better Questions, Communication Skills, Emotional Expression
Tyler is generally quiet. Leah wants Tyler to be more open and share his thoughts. Tyler shared that when he’s quiet, Leah would say, “Is...
28.012026January 14, 2026
Statements are Clearer
By Dr. Richard ReinIn Couples Therapy, Marriage Counseling, Relationship CounselingTags Communication Skills, Emotional Expression
Dan asked, “Are you okay?” and Rebecca said she didn’t like the question. In our couples counseling session, I asked Dan to change the question...
21.012026January 14, 2026
Rewriting History
By Dr. Richard ReinIn Couples Therapy, Marriage Counseling, Relationship CounselingTags Dismissiveness, Recurring Patterns, Repairs
When women want to address unfinished issues from the past, it’s not uncommon for husbands to say, “It’s in the past.” However, the comment is...