All Posts By

Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott

Apr 30
Love0
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How Much Alone Time Is Healthy In Our Marriage?

By Intimacy, Time No Comments

How much alone time is healthy in a marriage? Is it possible to spend too much time alone? If so, what does that mean for your relationship? Being alone, as well as together, can be healthy for your individual wellbeing. When we’re healthy individuals, we bring that wellness into our marriage. Yet there’s often a misconception that spending time alone is unhealthy. That’s not always true. Every marriage experiences different seasons, ebbs, and flows. Spending time alone doesn’t necessarily mean your marriage is unhealthy. Rather, it’s up to you and your spouse to agree on how much alone time works…

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Apr 23
Love0
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Should I Lose Weight For My Spouse?

By Recreation One Comment

Has your spouse asked you to lose weight? Maybe they haven’t asked, but have hinted and left clues along the way. You might be feeling self-conscious. If your spouse wants you to lose weight, should you do it for them? Most likely, if your spouse has brought up concerns about your weight, they are interested in your overall health. Ultimately, any actions you take for your wellbeing should be for yourself. When we’re healthy, our relationships benefit—including our marriages. Weight is an emotional topic for many people, and it’s a sensitive topic for couples. There are many very real markers…

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Apr 16
Love0
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Help! My Spouse Is Terminally Ill, and I’m Overwhelmed By Guilt

By Marriage, Scripture No Comments

If your spouse has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, the emotional toll can feel overwhelming. The prospect of losing the love of your life is unimaginable. This is an incredibly painful situation to be in. It’s common for caregivers to feel a broad range of emotions throughout their partner’s illness, including guilt. Guilt can play a significant part when your spouse is seriously ill, and you continue to be healthy. You may be processing all the future experiences your spouse won’t be able to share. Or, you might be struggling with the caregiving responsibilities that come with terminal illness….

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Apr 09
Love0
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He Wants Sex More Often Than I Do. Whose Needs Matter Most?

By Intimacy 2 Comments

If your spouse wants sex more often than you do, whose needs matter the most? Desire for intimacy varies from person to person, and it’s not unusual for spouses to have different sex drives. Still, many couples find it challenging to agree on how often to be intimate. Life is demanding, and making time for intimacy often falls to the bottom of the to-do list. As a couple, you might be wondering how to decide on sex from one day to the next. Maybe you want to make yourself more available to your spouse. Perhaps your spouse wants to honor…

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Apr 02
Love0
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My Spouse is a Sports Nut! How Can I Get More Attention?

By Marriage, Recreation One Comment

So you’re married to a sports nut. The good news is, you’re not alone. Let’s say your spouse is deeply immersed in sports. Maybe you feel like you lose them every spring when baseball season kicks off. Or they might hyper focus on one sport after another throughout the year. If you’re not particularly interested in sports, having a sports nut spouse can leave you feeling lonely from time to time. We’re sharing some ways you can reframe their obsession, as well as some tips for taking back some of that couples time you value so much. Let’s jump in!…

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Mar 26
Love0
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Springtime Roundup: Embrace The New Season Together

By Marriage, Recreation, Time No Comments

Spring is here, bringing new opportunities to nurture your marriage. It’s a season of new growth, fresh beginnings, and hope for the future. If you’re ready to strengthen your relationship in the coming months, spring is the perfect time to start. We’ve gathered some of our favorite posts all about springtime, adventure, dating, and joy to inspire you as we move into April. Enjoy this time of year together, and make time for lighthearted fun. Ready to read more? Let’s dive in. 5 Spring Date Ideas To Enjoy With Your Sweetheart Looking for springtime date ideas? The weather is warming…

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Mar 19
Love0
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Why Laughter Should Be Serious Business In Your Marriage

By Marriage No Comments

Laughter in marriage is serious business. Life has many ups and downs. There are plenty of serious conversations to have and conflicts to resolve. Work and family obligations fill your weekly schedule, and it can be challenging to find time for fun when you’re both so busy. Injecting more humor into your relationship can help you navigate life’s seasons a little easier. We treat laughter very seriously in our marriage, and you should too. Laughing and having fun together is incredibly valuable for the long-term wellbeing of your relationship. Playful Joking and Teasing Can Be Endearing A well-timed, gentle joke…

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Mar 12
Love0
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Help! My Spouse Needs Tough Love, But I Don’t Want To Hurt Them

By Communication 2 Comments

Does your spouse need tough love? Giving your spouse constructive criticism, addressing a problematic habit, or asking them to correct an upsetting behavior can be scary. You love this person more than anyone else in the world. How are you supposed to point out something you’re unhappy about? You want to speak the truth in love, but you find yourself avoiding a direct conversation. Instead, you dance around the topic. Even worse, maybe you bury it, hoping it will go away on its own. Rather than avoiding tough conversations, it’s important to put them on the table sooner rather than…

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Mar 05
Love0
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Let’s Talk Later: How And When To Pause A Difficult Discussion

By Conflict, Time 2 Comments

How and when should you pause a difficult conversation with your spouse? At one time or another, every married couple will experience a prolonged conflict. At the very least, you’ll face difficult discussions you can’t wrap up in one afternoon. These conflicts and disagreements can come at inconvenient times in your life, when you can’t give your full attention to discussing and resolving them right away. Trying to force conflict resolution can complicate problems, rather than solving them. When you pause difficult discussions, you can come back calmer, and with a clearer perspective. Giving yourselves plenty of breathing room also…

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Feb 26
Love0
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Stability Matters To Me, But My Spouse Isn’t Worried. What Can I Do?

By Careers, Conflict No Comments

So you want stability, but your partner’s not worried. What can you do about that? Stability looks different for different people. For instance, some are concerned with being financially stable. Others want a sense of permanence in the place where they live and raise a family. And others connect the idea of stability with a longstanding job or career path. In some marriages, one partner puts more emphasis on stability than the other. When this happens, it can cause marital stress. Each spouse may have different expectations when it comes to stability, so it’s important to develop empathy for each…

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