Do you ever get this feeling in your gut that things just aren’t right? We all get that feeling. Sometimes it’s a result of evidence we’ve compiled, and sometimes we can’t determine the root. Either way, the feeling is there, and it’s strong: something doesn't feel right in my marriage. 5 Signs You Should Never Ignore When Something Doesn’t Feel Right in Your Marriage In this … [Read more...]
Add These 7 Major Ingredients to Your Marriage and Discover Your Own Recipe for Success
[tps_header]You’ve probably heard time and time again that marriage isn’t easy. As cliché as it sounds, it’s actually true. If it were easy, there would be far less divorce. People everywhere would be compelled to just stay together for life. But hard doesn’t mean happily ever after is impossible. And when something is hard, it also doesn’t mean that it can’t bring you joy … [Read more...]
The Easiest Way to Improve Communication and End Arguments Faster but You Ain’t Trying to Hear It
One of the biggest challenges in marriage is that we don't listen well enough. We have opinions, ideas, facts and information we need to share. And many times, our points of reference feel so much more important than listening to how our spouse is feeling. Sometimes, we can pretend we hear the other person, just to get to the part of the conversation where we can talk. But … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Instantly Improve Communication with Your Spouse
I’ve been a little cranky lately. I am woman enough to admit that. I’m pregnant, I have a lot on my plate, and every time I open my eyes, it feels like someone in my family (immediate and extended) needs me for something. It’s a lot. And when I get cranky, I can also admit that my poor husband has to deal with some of that. He handles it like a champ most of time—especially … [Read more...]
Help! My Husbands Says I’m Nagging, so How Can I Express Myself Better?
Dear Dr. Buckingham, My husband and I are going through some things, and I do not know what to do. We argue on a regular basis because both of us feel invalidated. I often tell my husband that he does not listen to me, and he tells me the same thing. To be honest, I grew up in a house where my three older brothers would shut me down, so I never really learned how to … [Read more...]
Are You a Good Communicator? Side-Eyes Won’t Cut It; 6 Things That Will
Sometimes, when my husband does something that gets on my nerves, I give him the side-eye. Is that the best way to communicate how I feel? Probably not, but sometimes it’s juts the first reaction I have. I know I’m not the only one. We are at a point in our relationship where my husband knows what that look means without me having to say much, but even with that, the look … [Read more...]
“Gender Speak”: The Two Faces of Healthy Communication
"The worst thing that can happen (between us) is if we don't talk." Those were the words I heard often, from my father, when I was a child. Grammar aside, that was a principle that he instilled in my siblings and I, stressing the dire necessity of communication in a relationship. As a child, you don't fully grasp the gravity of such foundational principles until you become … [Read more...]
The Importance of Communication
In real estate the one word that is heard most is location, location, location! The reason is the better the location of the property, the better chance it has to sell, which is the primary goal. Well in marriage, the one word you must remember is communication, communication, communication! The reason is the better the communication; the better chance your marriage has to … [Read more...]
Why It’s So Important to Listen to Your Children
"Listen earnestly to anything [your children] want to tell you, no matter what. If you don't listen eagerly to the little stuff when they are little, they won't tell you the big stuff when they are big, because to them all of it has always been big stuff." ~Catherine Wallace I saw this quote on Pinterest a few days ago and later on Facebook. There hasn't been a day that … [Read more...]
5 Ways the Gift of Listening Will Benefit Your Relationship
As a seasoned clinical psychotherapist, I am blessed with a wonderful opportunity to listen to people share their joy, sorrow, pain and happiness. Over the past two years alone, I have had 1,980 client encounters and have spent over 300 hours listening to family and friends bear their hearts and souls. Within the past fifteen years, I have listened to over 20,000 people from … [Read more...]