By Elizabeth McMahan
Effective listening is an important skill for couples to learn. Try these four tips for improved communication.
Blog
When you marry the first time, there’s usually a special feeling that it will last forever.
When you marry for the second time, however, that feeling may not be there because you’re keenly aware of that your first marriage didn’t last.
Sadly, divorce statistics don’t paint a more encouraging picture for those who have been married before. Some 67% of second marriages and 73% of third marriages end in divorce.
There’s a preconceived notion that only couples experiencing relationship issues should see a therapist. While couples counseling is recommended for anyone with marital problems, that’s not the only reason to schedule sessions.
Couples counseling is a great way to get to know your spouse on a deeper level while taking preventative measures to combat any potential problems.
Trying to think of a unique way to express your love to that special someone? Consider these creative off the wall ideas to tell your partner that you care.
“You’ll never be able to do that.”
“What makes YOU so special?”
To some extent, we’re all familiar with this voice inside our head, the one that tells us we’re not good enough, undeserving, etc.
If you’re sick of listening to the abuse, silence your inner critic. Use these six ways to stop beating yourself up.
Financial disagreements are a major stressor for romantic relationships. Studies have indicated that a large majority of couples report that money causes tension in their relationship. Other research shows that approximately one-third of couples have even said that financial concerns are their biggest stressor.
Financial disagreements may be inevitable, but they don’t have to be the cause of a ruined relationship. It’s important that both you and your partner learn how to prevent money problems from destroying your connection.
Do you feel miles away from your partner even when you’re sitting right next to each other?
Does it seem like you have run out of things to talk about?
Emotional distance is one of the biggest relationship and marriage killers. In the beginning of your relationship, you felt very close to one another. It was romantic, blissful, and your heart pitter-pattered when you were near each other. Over time, though, the gap between you grew larger and larger.
As young children, most of us were introduced to the concept of ‘happily ever after.’ The formula of childhood fairy tales usually involves an ending where good triumphs over evil and the characters in the story go on to live ‘happily ever after.’
Even as adults, we love the light-hearted romantic comedies in television and movies where the happy ending sees a couple realizing they are meant for each other, their misunderstandings and challenges are resolved, and they ride off into the sunset with a happy future ahead of them.
We so often wrongly assume that conflict must mean that something in our relationship is going wrong, but that’s actually not the case at all. Conflict is a natural and yes, even healthy, part of every relationship.
It is not the avoidance of conflict that makes for a good relationship, but how you handle that conflict. Use these tips to resolve conflict appropriately while avoiding angry, relationship-ending habits.
Trust is an important cornerstone of any relationship – romantic, familial, as well as our friendships. Some people will go as far as to say that trust is the absolute most important part of these relationships; so, when trust is broken, it alters the entire dynamic of the relationship.
Depending on the level of trust that was broken, a relationship may not be salvageable. For those who are willing to give second chances, learning to trust again can be difficult, but it can be accomplished with time. Along with proper communication, the following steps can help you trust again after you’ve been hurt.