Healthy relationships are relationships of equals. People don’t want to be told what to do, how to do it, the right way to do it,...
11.112026October 21, 2026
Healthy relationships are relationships of equals. People don’t want to be told what to do, how to do it, the right way to do it,...
In my book, Words That Keep Us Together, I combine Gottman’s groundbreaking research with my four decades of clinical experience treating couples. The principles of...
If couples can have healthy conversations, they can resolve most relationship issues. Healthy conversations are respectful and responsive, and healthy relationships require skills. One essential...
Tim and Kate were scrambling in the middle of the night when their son vomited in his bed. Kate went to their son’s bedroom to...
Steve was relatively quiet and generally didn’t share a lot. Abby was slightly more verbal but felt disconnected from Steve. Abby shared something in our...
Robert and Joyce were processing a recent conflict in couples counseling. During the argument, Robert told Joyce that she was “making a mountain out of...
One of my clients was sharing with me the Three H’s—to be heard, helped, or hugged. I thought this was a nice, succinct way to...
The primary issue for one of my couples was the husband’s lack of emotional restraint. Despite making progress, the husband continued to have explosive episodes...
A couple I saw years ago returned to couples counseling. They had made tremendous progress, but wanted to address the occasional skirmishes that arose. The...
When conversations get off track, skilled couples can bring them back. A couple does this by giving effective feedback and having their partner be responsive...