May is right around the corner and happens to be “Date your Mate” month. Most couples realize the importance of date night in their marriage; unfortunately, life gets in the way and couples push date nights to the side. Soon date nights become family nights with kids in tow and that’s not the sort of enriching date night that fosters the intimacy that marriage demands. Most couples want more from their marriage – more connection, more closeness, and deep conversations. They w

According to a new Pew Research Center survey, almost one third of families living together use texting in lieu of conversing face-to-face. Texting has become the easy, convenient way to communicate between partners and family members. The statistic was higher when families had children. When asked why, most of the respondents agreed that phones are always with you, they reduce yelling at each other, and are more convenient. In one third of the homes, smart phones were being

Many men worry about their wives or spouses changing them, but rarely do they talk about trying to change their partner. That doesn’t mean there are things they’d like to change though, especially if it improves the relationships. Across my many years of counseling, I have noticed there are some common grievances, which I compiled into a list. Ladies, if you are trying to improve your relationship, resolving these four issues within yourself would be a healthy place to begin.

My mother had a rule when we got married. She told us, “You love them, you married them, and now they are family. If you don’t like something they do, tell them – not me.” She was strong in her conviction, and I believe it was my mother who helped support my marriage, as well as my siblings’ marriages, more than anyone else. A big mistake many couples face is when they gossip and talk badly about their partner. It causes problems on many levels. You begin feeling more negativ

Oversharing has happened to many couples. Every couple has their own boundaries, and sometimes they aren’t communicated clearly. Couples rarely consider the question, “How much of ‘us’ are we open to sharing?” In our grandparents and parents’ generation, this line was clearer. If you wanted to share news, you did so on a party line through your phone or went out with friends and talked face-to-face. Since the internet didn’t exist as it does now, there was less chance of an e

If you’re like most people with kids, you come home from work feeling exhausted and stressed. You try to cook a quick dinner and, some days, you’re so tired you stop at the drive through on the way home. Life is too busy; there is no time to get away with your partner or friends. Emotional stress and fatigue are enhanced when we don’t have time for ourselves or the people who give us strength. During times of high stress, it’s important to remember that there are small, inexp

The school shooting in Parkland, Florida on Valentine’s Day has many parents anxious and afraid to send their child to school. The fiber of our community is affected with each school shooting, and there have already been two since the new year. How can we possibly reassure our children and help them feel safe in a world that can turn deadly in a minute? Mental health experts have been working around the clock to help parents through this most recent tragedy. No one has all of

The massive shooting in Las Vegas has us all asking the same question: why? We wanted to believe it would never happen again after Newtown, Connecticut, but then the Orlando, Florida shooting happened. Rather than simply tuning out from what happened, I encourage you to talk to your children about it. How do we talk to our children when senseless, horrific killings happen? This is one of those situations that parents find so difficult. When random violence, it’s hard to imagi

Relationships are complicated and nowhere is that more evident than when you’re dating. Each person behaves and communicates differently. For example, assume you and your partner get home from a long day of work and meetings. One of you - the extrovert - is eager to talk and interact with the other. The other one - the introvert - is eager to be alone for a few hours, leaving your partner thinking you want nothing to do with them. However, that is not the case; it’s just that

The three stages of love and marriage: you don’t know em, but you love em. You know em, and don’t love em. You know em and you love em. –Unknown I was recently asked by a viewer why women try to change their partner soon after they become intimate. This question sparked other questions from viewers who feel as though their partner began trying to change them as soon as they said, “I do.” Trying to change your partner is a no-win situation that is constantly brought up in ever