The holiday season can be full of stress as we try and find the perfect gifts and host perfect parties, all while trying to attend to family obligations and keep up with work and other responsibilities. With so much going on, it can be easy to forget about one of the most important people: the […]

While the common advice is to forgive and forget, associate professor of Psychology James McNulty at the University of Tennessee has found that forgiving might build up resentment and getting angry can be the best way to solve relationship problems. He found that behaviors people presume to lead to better wellbeing actually lead to worse

Maybe the Thanksgiving dinner didn’t go as well as you hoped. The same family members got into the same argument about the same subjects. Here are some ideas for the next holiday get-together. First, get in touch with the major players. Let them know how important a little familial peace is to you, and ask

In his description of collaborative couple therapy, Daniel B. Wile, Ph.D. says simply, “Fighting and withdrawing are inevitable in a couple’s relationship, but partners can become increasingly skillful in reducing their frequency, duration and damage, and even turn them into opportunities.”  Dr. Wile explains that in couple therapy, he speaks for partners, translating their fighting

It seems counterintuitive, but you can actually argue your way to a happier marriage, according to Kevin D. Arnold, Ph.D. Couples argue over any number of things. Difficulties arise when these arguments are never resolved. They get stuck in a vicious circle that never gets them anywhere. These couples are mismatched in their style of

As a divorce attorney, Lori S. Rubenstein had seen the interpersonal walls built up by others going through divorce, but failed to see them in her own life until they became her personal prison. It took her second husband’s help and guidance to learn practical steps for releasing her vitriol. She describes her steps as follows.

If you find you have made a big mistake, having sent out the wedding invitations does not constitute a reason to get married. Getting cold feet is one thing, but coming to a sudden realization that your betrothed is not the right person for you is another story entirely. Sometimes people drift into a long-term

Marriages are a game of give and take. If one partner gives “too much,” however, it can lead to problems in a marriage. Here, according to The Marriage Counseling Blog, are five signs that you should speak up to your spouse: 1) If you become resentful of your spouse, speak up. 2) If you find

Into every life, a little rain shall fall. Sometimes the little rain is a deluge and we are lost in the flood. It is times like these in which we need to use some basic personal survival techniques. In this missive, Dr. Mark Banschick shares five simple ways to find a path back to happiness.

Bertram Russell said that power was at the core of all relationships.In this article, written by Ian H. Robertson, Ph.D., we look at the power dynamic between a couple Robertson calls Chris and Karen. He overheard them arguing at a party and was amazed at Karen’s cruel attacks on her husband. She had no compunction