Dear Friends, In my years of experience counseling married couples, I’ve seen firsthand that even under the most ideal of circumstances, marriage can be tough! The joining of two people with distinct backgrounds, personalities, and perspectives is a beautiful thing, but it’s guaranteed to come with challenges as well. And if marriage can be tough,…
Dear Friends, Love is a sacrifice. We should treat our spouse as someone of great value and care for their needs. But sacrifice should be motivated by love, not fear. I keep a file of old news articles — it’s my “I’ll get around to it” file. The coronavirus quarantine has given me the chance…
Dear Friends, Marriage struggles are normal. But often, couples ask, “Is divorce the right answer?” These 15 questions will help you evaluate your marriage. Mike and Sandy* came to see me for marriage therapy. They struggled with one of the most challenging questions a married couple can ask: Is divorce the right answer? It’s a high-stakes question…
Dear Friends, Grief is a journey, not a destination. And while grief is a process, healing is a choice. Warning: Contains spoilers for “WandaVision” When I choose to watch a Marvel movie, it’s because I want to watch something fun. My reason for watching “WandaVision” was no different. A sitcom-through-the-decades with superheroes as the main…
Dear Friends, This guest post on technology was written by Jeff Henderson BEFORE the pandemic. While the pandemic has changed a lot, these points of wisdom still ring true. Do you remember when the phone rang and you wondered who was calling? Your kids will never know that feeling. They simply look on the screen…
Dear Friends, What we focus on will change what we observe around us. We will notice more and more of what we focus on or, conversely, less and less of what we don’t want to see. — Shaunti Feldhahn, Find Joy Are the circumstances of this world weighing you down? Feeling a little anxious?…
Dear Friends, If we were to stop and scan the scriptures for advice on parenting, one of the themes that would stick out is that God is concerned about the state of our hearts, rather than simply behavior modification. I think we have all been there. Your kids are playing together and then one of…
Dear Friends, The qualities of common kindness, honesty, empathy, loyalty and trust are gifts that each spouse gives to the other. This friendship foundation enhances relationship happiness throughout the marriage. Before we began to date, Greg and I were friends for more than three years. We attended the same college and had classes together. I…
Dear Friends, What is a healing separation? A healing separation (also known as a trial or therapeutic separation) is temporary and structured time apart to help a couple heal their broken relationship. During this time, the couple works toward individual healing and growth. They also evaluate and change dysfunctional patterns and behaviors in their marriage.…
Dear Friends, Do you feel miles apart in your marriage? When you’ve just said your “I-do”s, it’s hard to imagine ever drifting like this. Then, as the years go on and pressures of finances, kids and careers add up, you wake up one day feeling like two strangers in a foreign land. How did you…