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9 Ways to Prepare your Relationship for the Holidays

November 18, 2013

Believe it or not, the holiday season is just around the corner.  While most of us look forward to this time of year, it can also be a difficult season for many of us.  For couples, in particular, it can be a time of contradictions.  On the one hand, it is a time to connect, celebrate, and share our gratitude and love toward one another.  On the other hand, however, the holiday season can generate a great…

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Repairing Your Relationship After an Affair

November 11, 2013

Couples seek out therapy for many reasons, but one of the most common is to help their relationship recover from an infidelity.  In fact, some research suggests that 30% of couples seek out therapy due to the damage of an affair, and couples who have experienced an affair are more likely to break up or divorce than those couples where there was no infidelity.  These couples often feel as though the very foundation of their relationship has…

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13 Relationship Strategies That Do NOT Work

September 13, 2013

Do you and your partner know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to managing your conflict? You both may attempt to solve your problems or resolve conflict in a variety of ways, although sometimes it can seem that the things you try end up failing, even if they feel like a good idea in the moment. Sometimes, the strategies you use may even entrench you deeper into the problems you are trying to resolve. Your…

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6 Ways Holding Back Can Hurt Your Relationship

September 10, 2013

It is not always easy to communicate well with your partner, and it is more complicated than simply an exchange of words. Communicating with your partner is about relating to him or her; it is about two people openly sharing who they are with one another in ways that are not critical or judgmental. It can be difficult, however, to say what you mean or share what you are feeling, especially when you know that what you…

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Save Your Marriage in Twenty-One Minutes

February 18, 2013

New research shows that a series of quick writing exercises can preserve your marital bliss. How’s this for a quick marital fix: Putting pen to paper for just 21 minutes a year to consider fights from a neutral perspective can help get your relationship back to its honeymoon prime, according to a new study from Northwestern University. “I don’t want it to sound like magic, but you can get pretty impressive results with minimal intervention,” says Eli…

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Couples Who Say “We” Are Better Able to Resolve Conflicts

February 18, 2013

A new study shows there’s no “I” in happy couples. Here’s how to speak the language of love. What’s the magic word? Turns out, it’s “we.” Couples who use “we” language are better able to resolve conflicts—and are happier in their relationships—than those who don’t, according to a new study from the University of California, Berkeley. Researchers analyzed conversations over disagreements between 154 middle-aged and older couples. They found that those who used pronouns such as “we,”…

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