COUPLES THERAPY

No Secrets … Telling the Truth in Our Relationships

 

When we commit ourselves to a relationship with another person, we rightly expect to experience a sense of fulfillment that we didn’t have before. Humans, as social beings, seem to have a universal desire to find a partner. Sexual attraction often serves as the motivator for making initial contact with the other person, and this is usually replaced over time with a deeper sense of commitment and intimacy.

It comes as a terrible disappointment to some people when the sexual phase of their relationship fails to lead in time to something deeper. The task, then, is to understand the forces which block the development of a deeper sense of intimacy – and to do something about it. Fortunately, with some work – and it’s often hard work – couples can learn to move into the stage of deeper sharing and more fulfillment in their relationships.

When Your Teen Tells You They’re Gay: Tips on Responding

For many LGBTQ youths, the act of “coming out” to their parents that they are gay is nerve-racking.

They may have already told some friends, but coming out to you, their parents, is a whole other matter. Worries about being accepted or loved by you afterwards will probably be on their minds.

They may be nervous, anxious, even scared to tell you something that they have kept hidden—perhaps for years.

You may very well have a wide range of emotions during these discussions.

For obvious reasons, this won’t be an easy conversation for either of you. How you respond to your teen’s revelation is critical.

Here are several tips to help you respond sensibly.

Yes, Sexual Betrayal Can Lead to These PTSD Symptoms!

 

Love is war. So the saying goes goes .

That comparison may actually be fitting in connection with something you perhaps haven’t thought of—trauma.

It’s no secret that sexual infidelity can be physically harmful and emotionally crushing. A betrayed partner may feel a whole range of devastating emotions and experiences a bewildering variety of bodily symptoms.

One moment they feel angry and irritated, the next as if living in a daze where nothing matters. They can’t sleep, they can’t eat. It’s as if they’ve gone crazy.

It’s a reaction to the trauma of betrayal.

How to Communicate When You’re Angry – (6) Helpful Guidelines

All couples argue. This is normal and an expected part of close relationships. How we conduct ourselves and how we respond to our partner can either enhance the relationship or put it at risk. Consider these guidelines for having constructive arguments with your partner:

How Birth Order Affects Our Behavior and Relationships

Researchers have studied the effects of birth order for nearly a century now, but learned only within the past few decades about the influence of birth order on our behavior and the nature of relationships with our partners. We now know that the strategies we learn in childhood for dealing with our parents and siblings has a lasting influence on our behavior, often in ways we barely recognize.

Self-Compassion: Why it’s Much Harder Than Compassion for Others

 

Do you find it easier to forgive others than yourself?

Are you able to accept others’ mistakes but not your own?

Practicing self-compassion can actually be very difficult. This is especially true if you learned as a child to care more about others, or if you have a hard time forgiving yourself.

Once a Cheater, Always a Cheater? Myths and Facts

Clearly, whenever you’ve been cheated on, there are many feelings that arise.

However, some of these emotions could be based on myths about those who cheat. And that can cause you to make decisions based on faulty information.

If you are trying to cope with a partner’s infidelity, get the facts and reject the myths.

The Positive Impact of Premarital Counseling – 7 Ways Your Relationship Can Benefit

Many couples consider premarital counseling as something for those who really don’t know what they want out of a marriage.

Yet, that is far from the truth. In reality, premarital counseling should be a prerequisite for any couple looking to get married.

How can it benefit and strengthen your relationship?

When She Earns More Money Than Him – How Will The Relationship Be Affected?

When it comes to who the breadwinner is in the family, times are changing.

According to the Pew Research Center, in 1960, 11% of American families had a woman as the primary wage earner. Today, that number has climbed to 40%.

This change in gender roles can have an impact on relationships. How so?