In working with a young struggling couple, I was struck by how the wife was really getting it. By the fourth session, she made a...
07.042021April 1, 2021
01.042021October 25, 2022
Clarity Creates Change
By Dr. Richard ReinIn Couples Therapy, Relationship Counseling, UncategorizedTags Escalation, Flashpoints, Responses
Frank went out to pick up some groceries, but Meredith didn’t know where he was. When he returned, Meredith expressed her upset feelings about not...
10.022021December 2, 2020
Repairing Repairs
Repairs are one of the most difficult skills for couples to learn and implement. Repairs are when a conversation begins to go off track but...
03.022021October 25, 2022
Listen
By Dr. Richard ReinIn Couples Therapy, Relationship Counseling, UncategorizedTags Communication, Subtleties
Lauren and Anthony generally have a great relationship. They love each other deeply but struggle with communication. Their challenge is that communication difficulties are subtle,...
27.012021December 2, 2020
Read the Room
By Dr. Richard ReinIn Couples Therapy, Marriage Counseling, Relationship CounselingTags Attacks, Defensiveness
Jack and Eileen were arguing at home when Jack attacked Eileen, Eileen reacted, and Jack said, “Let’s end this.” When they processed this interaction in...
20.012021December 2, 2020
What I Need
By Dr. Richard ReinIn Couples Therapy, Marriage Counseling, Relationship CounselingTags Criticism, Needs
Sue took issue with Jeremy calling her useless. She began to criticize him for name-calling when I stopped her. I suggested that rather than pointing...
13.012021December 2, 2020
Transparency
Christie discovered that Connor was calling another woman. Since Connor had a history of not being honest, this made the issue even more problematic. Connor...
06.012021December 2, 2020
Silent Rage
Alex and Courtney are an engaged couple in their early thirties, living together in the city. One evening Alex was hoping to hang out with...
16.122020December 2, 2020
Feedforward
When couples give feedback to one other, it tends to be negative. The information typically describes what their partner is doing wrong—which is often critical....
09.122020December 2, 2020
Capacity for Change
A client was describing being estranged from his sister. Any consideration of reconciliation was non-existent. The sister was written off. It made me think about...