Surviving Blue Monday: Take Control of Negative Winter Habits
In 2005, Sky Travel publicized a press release sighting the third Monday in January, or thereabouts, to be the unhappiest day of the year. They and other companies used an equation with variables such as weather and motivation to calculate this unhappy day and thus inspire customers to take a vacation or buy an alcoholic…
Read MoreSaving the Best for Last: A Therapeutic Year in Review
The end of the year is a time of reflection, and we would like to honor that with a compilation of tips and resources for you and your relationship. Looking back on 2015, how do you think you did with your relationship? What fights seemed big at the time but now are hardly remembered? How…
Read MoreThe Importance of Relationship Resolutions
New Year resolutions are about embracing change and self-improvement. The motivation comes from reflecting on the past year and the inspiration of a new year to come. This same act of thoughtful reflection and preparation can greatly benefit your intimate relationship. It is unfortunate that the same level of attention given to self-improvement around the…
Read MoreChannel Nostalgia: Five Strategies to Enjoy the Holidays
The holidays are advertised as a time of happiness, reconnection, and general good cheer, but this is not the case for everyone. High expectations may lead to disappointment, and stress circulates around trying to get everything to be just right. Others do not have a home to return to for the holidays, and this time…
Read MoreWhen You Just Want to Help: Navigating Helplessness in Your Relationship
Feeling helpless is not something that feels good. It feels inhuman. To be helpless is seen as weak, to forego control. When the feeling grows too large, it can inspire depression or avoidant disorders like alcoholism or other types of addiction. Until you can accept feeling helpless or find a way to gain control, you…
Read MoreFind Your Spark: Renewing Passion in a Long-Term Relationship
The threat of monotony is present in many things, such as work, living alone, and also in long-term relationships. When you have been with the same person for several years, you tend to know him or her pretty well, including both positive and less attractive quirks. You may find that you have less exciting things…
Read MoreWhat’s Mine is Yours: Handling Issues of Financial Control in Your Marriage
Joining finances with another person is a very intimate process, and many partners are unprepared for this transition following marriage. Money is one of the most frequent categories of couple conflict and also one of the most detrimental, tending to last longer and be experienced more harshly than other types of conflict. This is an…
Read MoreResolving Passive-Aggressive Behavior in Relationships
Therapists talk a lot about the importance of open communication to cultivate and maintain a healthy relationship. One of the most common negative communication styles that can constrain a relationship is passive-aggression. Passive-aggression is the indirect expression of negative feelings. It is often a coping mechanism for feeling powerless or ashamed, and it is rarely a conscious choice to behave negatively.
Read MoreChristmastime is (Almost) Here: Navigating the Holidays in Your Relationship
We are entering that time of year where couples start to make plans for how they will spend the holidays, and this can spark conflict between partners. Depending on the length of the relationship, emotional ties to the holidays, and location of family, partners can find themselves with vastly different expectations and desires for how…
Read MoreKnow Yourself First: The Importance of Self-Awareness in Relationships
A significant part of couple therapy involves improving self-awareness. Because you cannot fix a problem until you are aware of its source, it is important to understand what drives you so you can better control your subconscious impulses. For example, people develop survival strategies during interpersonal conflict in an effort to protect oneself from a…
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