Aug 25
Love0

Why We Develop Social Insecurity, and How to Overcome It

By Self Reflection 2 Comments

For a person to have healthy relationships–whether family, friendship, dating, or marriage–they must first be a healthy individual. There are many factors that influence our health, one of which we like to call your social barometer. A fully developed social barometer helps to set you up for a successful romantic relationship. If you experience social insecurity, that means your social barometer needs some extra attention. Our social barometer impacts how we “read the room” and interact with others. It affects how well we can read social cues, and how we behave in social settings. Ultimately, our social barometer plays a…

Read More
Aug 18
Love0

3 Hallmarks of Poor Communication Every Couple Needs to Know

By Communication One Comment

Communication is a multifaceted exchange that can be challenging to master, even in the best of relationships. Married couples must work especially hard to ensure they’re communicating clearly and effectively for the best possible outcomes. Becoming good communicators takes teamwork and patience, and the process isn’t always linear. It can take months or even years, depending on the couple. We know many of the hallmarks of good communication, such as active listening, empathy, and offering feedback to ensure we understand one another. But what about the features of poor communication? Today, we’re covering three major hallmarks of poor communication every…

Read More
Aug 11
Love0

What You Need to Know About Everyday Problems in Marriage

By Conflict, Marriage 3 Comments

Every couple experiences problems in their marriage, and those issues seem to be universally common. If you could be a fly on the wall in our office during the counseling sessions we’ve held over the years, you would hear many similar stories and scenarios repeating themselves among a host of different couples. While the individual features of each scenario are unique, many of the issues come down to the same core problems. Once the honeymoon phase of a marriage has passed, many couples are perplexed when issues and disappointments begin to take root. Building a happy, lifelong marriage takes work,…

Read More
Aug 04
Love0

The Top 5 Conflicts Every Married Couple Faces

By Conflict, Marriage One Comment

Sooner or later, every married couple fights. However, there are some conflicts that are guaranteed to come up between spouses at some point in your relationship. In our experience, the top 5 conflicts every married couple faces are incredibly common and can cause a lot of tension in relationships when left unresolved. Wondering what those common conflicts are? Let’s dive right in. 1. Finances Money is one of the most common issues married couples fight about. Whether you’re talking about spending styles, how much is in your savings account, how much you should spend on vacations and holidays, or even…

Read More
Jul 28
Love0

How to Protect Yourself and Your Relationships With Family Boundaries

By In-laws & Family, Marriage No Comments

Our families of origin have an immense impact on who we become as adults, and on our relationships. Whether friendships or romantic relationships, family imprints onto our personalities and our behavior patterns. If we aren’t able to recognize those influences and set boundaries, then our relationships could suffer. While it’s a good idea to set boundaries regarding what behaviors you will and won’t accept from family members, you also need boundaries to protect yourself from the unspoken behavior patterns you picked up from childhood. Let’s look at a few ways your family can influence you, and what to do about…

Read More
Jul 21
Love0

How to Embrace Your Complete Self Before You Marry

By Marriage, Relationships, Self Reflection 3 Comments

“If I could just find the right person to marry, then my life would be complete.” Does that sound familiar to you? Our society sells the idea that a marriage relationship can not only complete you as a person; it can fix your entire life. It’s a fallacy that runs deep and is woven into the fabric of our culture. By chasing the idea of wholeness through relationships, we neglect to establish a whole relationship with ourselves first. And the problem is, when we don’t learn to embrace our complete selves, we spend our lives chasing wholeness through our relationships…

Read More
Jul 14
Love0

Emotional Safety in Marriage: Why Does it Matter?

By Intimacy, Marriage 2 Comments

Emotional safety is a critical component of any fulfilling marriage. In order for spouses to be able to be truly vulnerable, open, and honest with one another, emotional safety must exist in the relationship. If a couple does not deliberately make emotional safety a part of their relationship, it will become difficult to overcome obstacles and grow closer to one another over time. In short, emotional safety allows us to fully be ourselves, and it’s required if we want to experience all the blessings marriage has to offer. There are several factors that are needed in an emotionally safe marriage,…

Read More
Jul 07
Love0

3 Things You Need to Know About the First Year of Marriage

By Engagement, Marriage One Comment

Are you prepared for your first year of marriage? Living in the thick of it right now? The first year of marriage is often described as a difficult time in a couple’s life, and for many, that’s true. The good news is, there are some things you and your partner can do to pave the way toward a happy first year of marriage (and beyond). Here are three things you need to know about your first year of marriage. 1. Cultivating friendship and sacrificial love should be at the top of your priority list. Building a lasting and fulfilling marriage…

Read More
Jun 30
Love0

Help! Our Parents Don’t Approve of Our Engagement

By Engagement, In-laws & Family 4 Comments

Failing to get our parents’ approval of the person we love and plan to marry is one of the most painful circumstances couples face. Parents sometimes disapprove of engagement for a number of reasons, and each situation is entirely unique to the couple and their family dynamics. Regardless of the circumstances or the parents’ reasoning, this scenario is always difficult to navigate. If you’re an engaged couple facing criticism or disapproval from either or both sets of parents, there are a few things you can do to gain clarity during this season. Let’s take a look. 1. Give them time….

Read More
Jun 23
Love0

Why Every Couple Should Take Time to Rest

By Intimacy, Self Reflection One Comment

Rest is essential for us to thrive. This is true for our bodies, minds, and relationships. If you and your spouse aren’t making the time to rest together, it’s something we strongly recommend. When you take the time to rest with your spouse, you’re able to focus on where you are during this season of life, and the person you chose to spend your life with. Life is busy. Despite that fact, rest is a requirement for health and wellbeing. Let’s look at a few reasons why. Staying in constant motion numbs us. Continual motion goes hand-in-hand with the idea…

Read More