A recommendation is to respond rather than react. When your partner expresses their thoughts, feelings, or ideas, listen attentively and respond thoughtfully. If you react,...
Archive for category: Couples Therapy
An Exchange of Ideas
Couples get in trouble when they try to convince or persuade their partner of their point of view. This mindset sets up a debate in...
What Would Work For Me…
When I observe couples interacting in counseling, one of my favorite statements is, “What would work for me…” What I love about this statement is...
Direct Dialogue
A measure of success in couples counseling is a couple’s ability to talk directly to each other about their relationship. This is what differentiates successful...
You Blew It
I have a couple who is close to finishing counseling. I saw them five months ago, and they shared their progress since their last session....
In Your Space
Some couples are so reactive that when they talk directly to each other in couples counseling, they escalate quickly. Their patterns are so ingrained that...
Harmonious Differences
Differences don’t need to be problematic in relationships, since all relationships have differences. The issue is how couples manage these differences. Ideally, couples have respectful...
Damaged?
Phil told me that he and Elyse had a damaged relationship. At home, the language was inflammatory, and conversations were futile. In couples counseling, they...
The Best I Can
As Tom and Andrea discussed their struggles, Tom said, “I’m doing the best I can.” I told Tom that the statement suggests he cannot do...
Profound Impact
Avery talked about a turning point in their relationship after she revealed to Dom that she was in a low place in her life. Since...