The Marriage Counseling Blog

Marriage counseling requires that all parties involved actively listen to each other during the session. It many seem obvious to say that intensive listening is needed for therapy to work properly, however you may be surprised at how many couples find it overwhelmingly difficult to really listen to one another for an entire hour [...]

There are many times when private counseling can help individuals deal with their personal issues in order to then improve their marriage as a whole.
Once such case involves Jo and Bobby.
Jo had always considered herself a “homebody” and wasn’t particularly interested in busy social engagements. Over the years, it became clearer that [...]

Some people are so invested in the appearance of a healthy and happy marriage that they find it difficult to open up and admit to their problems and unhappiness, even during couples therapy.
First of all, if you and your partner have sought out couples therapy, it is probably because there are some troubling [...]

There are some common questions about marriage counseling and therapists. Generally this isn’t a topic that most people think about until their marriage is in trouble. They are searching out help at a time when they are already emotionally vulnerable and often have many questions about what a marriage counselor is, what a [...]

The growing change in marriage environments has been a trend back to when many women stayed home to raise the children while the husbands worked. For years that trend was in a marked reversal and a two career family was a major majority, however the past 10 years have seen a marked increase in [...]

Financial difficulties are one of the reasons that many couples come to marriage counseling. For some couples, the idea of fighting over money can seem silly, especially when there is enough money coming in to satisfy the basic wants and needs of both partners. As time moves on, however, more bills are added [...]

Anxiety treatment is one of the options that help many marriages in trouble. Anxiety wreaks havoc on a person’s psyche and has devastating affects on marriage. A marriage a relationship between two people, and when one person is going through the affects of severe anxiety, it can bring the marriage to a standstill.
The [...]

Arguing is one of the easiest things to do in a relationship, especially when this mode of communication becomes a habit that is repeated over and over again. Thankfully, couples counseling is a very effective solution to halting the process of chronic arguing.
Sam and Nadia are one of the many couples who’s relationship was [...]

Friendships are a major factor in self-growth and the continuance of a healthy relationship. The importance of outside friendships in a healthy marriage can never be overestimated. If you or your partner surround yourselves only with friends who have a negative opinion on relationships and commitment as a lifestyle, it will eventually begin to [...]

Laughter in marriage has always been said to be a wonderful remedy for cynical bickering. Many experts agree that couples that laugh together enjoy a deeper bond of friendship and marriage.
A Common Laughing Philosophy
A sense of humor is an objective thing, so when you find someone with a sense of humor like yours [...]

Marriages can be buried in many different ways, but some of them are buried, quite literally, in a flurry of clutter and resentment. If cleaning and clutter are two of the main factors that are hurting your marriage, then it may be time for some marriage counseling to help you clean up your home, your [...]

Marriage forums are one of the earliest types of intervention and help that couples in trouble turn to. To understand why people turn to marriage forums, it is helpful to first understand what a forum is:
An Internet forum; also known as a message board or discussion board. An Internet forum typically exists as part [...]

Very seldom is couples counseling a subject brought up out of the blue. It is usually a topic that has been thought about for a while, but without the proper avenue to bring the topic out in the open, it stays solitary, unable to help.
Most people are afraid of talking about couples counseling with their [...]

“For better or worse,” is what we promise that first day of our marriage. We romanticize our future problems and see ourselves courageously caring for our spouse in old age, but we don’t think about how we’ll take other changes. What if you gain 100 pounds? Will you spouse treat you the same? What if [...]

A miscarriage is devastating, for men and women. We have to grieve separately because it impacts us differently. We also have to grieve together. Having children is a hope and dream of many couples and when we lose a child, we face heartbreak head on. Marriage counseling can help couples deal with the sorrow and avoid [...]

We marry our best friends, someone we’re comfortable with, but we grow and change over time–and at different times from our spouses. How do we handle these “growth spurts?” Sometimes we need someone to talk to, to help us work through the changes that inevitably come with long-term relationships,  and that’s where couples therapy can [...]

Mel Gibson’s divorce is all over the news. The Gibson’s have been married 28 years, and now it’s over. Dissolving a long-term marriage isn’t easy and if you’ve made it this far you don’t take divorce lightly. When a long-term marriage fails, it’s shocking. We like to think that a long marriage is a healthy marriage–but that’s [...]

Getting married the second time around comes with a few challenges. Children, pets, incomes, careers, schedules, and ex’s all add to the chaos. Marriage counseling can help families blend, and getting started is important to everyone. It’s much harder to heal the hurts and learn to stop fighting than it is to find good strategies for communication [...]

Oftentimes, when couples find each other later in life, they feel more comfortable keeping their financial issues separate–but is this a sign of mistrust–or healthy boundaries and independence? There’s no one right answer. What’s right for one couple could be the unraveling of another. Marriage counseling and pre-marital counseling can help couples work through financial [...]

We meet, fall in love, and get married. We think we’re on the same page. We talked about religion before marriage, but perhaps something has changed. We realize our religious differences are more of an issue than we thought it would be. Sadly, too many of us seek out couples therapy after we’ve said the wrong [...]

He’s loud. She’s shy. He’s messsy. She’s a clean freak. She loves Sundance Film Festival flicks. He’s NASCAR all the way. While these differences sound like no big deal, they can be a very big deal on a day-to-day basis. Marriage counseling can help newly married couples deal with their differences and remember what drew them [...]

Is an emotional affair as devastating on a marriage as a “sexual” affair? It can be, but that doesn’t mean a couple can’t heal. An emotional affair usually means that there is a level of emotional intimacy, but they have not engaged in sexual intimacy. Marriage counselors are helping couple deal with issues of infidelity whether [...]

We may make jokes about our mother-in-laws, but for a few, it’s not a laughing matter. Some mother-in-law issues can eat away at a marriage. Anna and Derek sought out couples therapy when Anna threatened to leave because Derek was insisting his mother move in.  
 Anna shares:
I can’t believe I’m thinking of leaving my marriage over [...]

Maybe it’s time to take a good hard look at your marriage–and realize what’s right with it. No one’s going to value your marriage if you don’t. Life is tough all around, and every couple has had their fair share of challenges. Misscarriages, bankruptcy, cancer, severe car accidents, lay-offs, and military call to duties abound–but so [...]

Does absence really make the heart grow fonder?  In some ways, it does. Scientists have observed in other mammals, (such as primates) that there is a celebration period when the hunters return to the group. Even their birth rates increased as well as the overall mood of the family. Humans are similar. We tend to act [...]

Jealousy comes in many forms. It isn’t always about another man–or woman. We can be jealous of our spouse’s career, friendships, or family. We don’t think about it, but we experience jealousy more often than we care to admit. For some, jealousy can destroy their relationship. Marriage counseling can help couples share their feelings honestly–and [...]

Creating family traditions is like mortor between the bricks of your relationship. New marriages often break down because couples haven’t bonded their lives together. It’s too easy to undo the ties. Relationships take time to gel, but we can move them along by creating memories to build on. Ask any marriage counselor and they’ll tell [...]

Many couples are facing bankruptcy. They’re losing their homes, and moving into an apartment or back home with thier parents. This wasn’t the plan. The new reality of economic hardships is hitting hard. But this isn’t the time to blame. Much of what has happened isn’t your fault. Plunging 401k’s and job lay offs aren’t your fault. [...]

The television series Sex in the City depicted a group of girlfriends who met often–and their conversations always seemed to gravitate to their relationships. They’d complain, brag, and whine about what was going right–or wrong–in their relationships. And one by one, they headed into or out of marriage 9it’s television, so drama happens). Marriage counseling in [...]