by Sabrina Walters | Aug 13, 2019 | Marriage
You’ve probably heard the saying, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ And research confirms that the more positive adult figures a child has as they grow, the better chance they have at maturing into a healthy, successful adult. Well, the same is true for your...
by Sabrina Walters | Aug 6, 2019 | Conflict, Finances, Financial Focus, Marriage, Relationships
Finances is one of the trickiest topics, especially for married couples. It’s one of the most common points of tension and arguments, and can cause everything from jealousy, to entitlement, to general stress. But it can also be the cause of a lot of pressure, as one...
by Sabrina Walters | Jul 30, 2019 | Communication, Family
As our family prepares to go on another trip together this summer, we remember a blog post from about a year ago discussing exactly that. We try to do this every year, and every year the same discussions are essential. So for this newsletter, we thought we’d share...
by Sabrina Walters | Jul 27, 2019 | Family
Summer is a magical season. The kids are out of school, vacations are planned, and everything is sunshine, river rides and watermelon — it’s full of warmth and possibility. As you continue to embrace your summer, there’s a few important things we encourage you to keep...
by Sabrina Walters | Jul 17, 2019 | Communication, Conflict, Marriage
One of the essential elements of the Gottman Theory is the importance of finding a new way to talk about old problems. Their research shows that nearly 70% of all problems in any relationship are perpetual. That’s right — the argument you had the first...
by Sabrina Walters | Jun 18, 2019 | Couples, Family
Summer is upon us! School is out, the sun (and heat!) are here, and the most adventurous season is in full bloom. What does summer mean to you? Does your family have summer traditions, a family trip, or activities you do every year? The Gottman research states that...
by Sabrina Walters | Jun 11, 2019 | Couples
We’ve all seen that one couple who just seems to have the perfect relationship. They spend every waking minute together, they work together, they always seem to be delighted to see each other, and maybe exhibit a little too much PDA for your taste. Everything is...
by Sabrina Walters | Jun 4, 2019 | Communication, Couples, Health, Relationships
If your partner has anxiety, sometimes it can be hard to understand. Things that wouldn’t stress you out make them feel overwhelmed, and your efforts to help, while well-intentioned, might not accomplish what you’re hoping. The most important thing is to talk about...
by Sabrina Walters | May 28, 2019 | Family
Oftentimes, Memorial Day is simply a family gathering and a barbecue. You might go visit a veteran’s memorial or something along those lines, and that can be wonderful. But at times like this it’s important to remember not just the names, but the legacy others...
by Sabrina Walters | May 21, 2019 | Communication, Couples
Have you ever heard the term ‘Rituals of Connection’? These are the rituals you build into your life that connect you with your partner, habits that build relationships and encourage closeness. These rituals are always important in a romantic relationship, but perhaps...
by Sabrina Walters | May 9, 2019 | Communication, Couples
One of the toughest situations to be in relationally is when one person doesn’t see anything wrong with the relationship. They don’t see anything wrong with their behavior, or the way they’re treating you, even though you do — and this partner doesn’t want...
by Sabrina Walters | May 1, 2019 | Communication, Conflict
I once heard that there are 7 words in English that are hardest to say — but have the greatest payoff. Those words are: I’m sorry. Forgive me. I love you. Why is it so hard to say those words? When you’ve been in an argument and maybe did or said things...
by Sabrina Walters | Apr 23, 2019 | Couples
At our house, we always have two Easter egg hunts. One for the ‘littles,’ as we call them — that’s the kiddos. Then we have another hunt for the ‘bigs,’ aka the second generation grown-ups. That age range runs 15-55, and it’s...
by Sabrina Walters | Mar 29, 2019 | Family
Have you heard that old illustration of rocks in a mason jar? It goes something like this: Your life is a jar. The rocks you put in the jar are things that take up your time and energy. Some are big rocks, like your job or your family. Some are small rocks, like...
by Sabrina Walters | Mar 13, 2019 | Core Values Couples, Retreat
Core Values Couples had a big ‘first’ recently. Two weekends ago, we had our latest couples’ retreat, known fondly as Enticing Intimacy. Two cozy nights the Dreamgiver’s Inn in Newberg, Oregon, with a group of couples all ready to grow their...
by Sabrina Walters | Feb 27, 2019 | Couples, Intimacy
Sometimes, when Sabrina and I were younger, our Grandma Johnson would see us holding hands or exchanging sweet glances, and she’d say, “I just love watching you two make love.” Well, as you can imagine, that phrasing brought a blush around my neck....
by Sabrina Walters | Feb 20, 2019 | Conflict, Counseling, Couples
Sometimes, the benefit of counseling is that a third party can see what you and your partner simply can’t. Sometimes, when I’m in a session, and I look at two hurting and angry adults — I try to see them as little children. They’re hurting,...
by Sabrina Walters | Feb 6, 2019 | Communication, Couples
Sue Johnson lists three famous questions that, as she explains, every person needs to to be able to answer ‘Yes” to in order to feel secure in their relationship — and to be free with their love. The three questions are as follows: Are you there for...
by Sabrina Walters | Feb 5, 2019 | Couples, Health, Intimacy
So often we talk about self care, and the boundaries we need to set for ourselves. And don’t get me wrong — those are important things to discuss and should be a top priority in your life. But what about encouraging that kind of behavior for your partner?...
by Sabrina Walters | Feb 5, 2019 | Brain research, Communication, Conflict
When things have really deteriorated in your relationship, a peculiar phenomenon can occur. You start to reside in what’s known as ‘negative sentiment override,’ which basically means you start to believe that your partner only thinks negatively of you. You...
