Grief

Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling What does being single mean to you? It may be getting back to the gym to look your best, going out on the weekends with friends, grabbing drinks after work with co-workers, going on dates, or starting a new hobby. Often when we get into relationships, we tend to get consumed in our new partner and may even begin to lose sight of our single selves in the process. The…

Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling According to marriage researcher and author of The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work, Dr. John Gottman, contempt is found to be the most damaging element in a relationship and the number-one predictor of divorce. This finding can be jarring to read as many people have a difficult time understanding what contempt is and may be unaware that it is present in their relationship. Contempt is described by Dr. Gottman…

Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling We have all heard that happy and successful relationships take work, but often the daily distractions and demands of life get in the way of nurturing our relationships. While date nights are extremely frequent in the early stages of a relationship, they tend to significantly decline over time. Many couples think of date night as a luxury, but it is actually an essential component to maintaining a healthy relationship. A…

Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling We all respond to conflict differently, but it is common for small, petty disagreements to escalate into a nasty fight. You or your partner may begin to yell, say things you don’t mean, call each other names, get angry or aggressive, or bring up old wounds just to hurt the other person. It is easy to get pushed too far during disagreements sometimes, but it is important to recognize when…

Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Saying “I’m sorry” when we have hurt our partner is often extremely difficult and can feel like a sign of weakness, a confirmation of guilt, or can even wound our pride. However, recent studies have found that apologizing and asking for forgiveness are crucial components to a successful relationship and marriage. According to Fincham, Hall, and Beach (2006), apologizing to your partner will validate their feelings, foster forgiveness, and allow…

Madissyn Fredericks, Licensed Professional Counselor, Symmetry Counseling Sometimes it is easy to jump to negative conclusions. Thoughts or statements such as, “He didn’t call me after our date, so clearly he is not interested”, “She was quiet at dinner, therefore she is obviously mad at me”, and “He knows I hate it when he gets drinks after work” are all examples of assumptions that people make every day in their relationships. However, making assumptions about those you…