In counseling — and in life, in general! — we talk a lot about emotions. But have you ever considered why you engage with and process your emotions (or don’t) the way you do? Lately, in my practice, I have become increasingly aware of how important it is to understand...
When working on our interpersonal relationships, especially our relationship with our spouse, it’s important to understand how the synapses in our brain help us feel heard, seen, and held. Empathy is a critical piece of the puzzle here. And it’s key to understanding...
In my last blog post, I shared some suggestions for different ways to gather with family. We talked about reframing how you think about family gatherings and what they look like for your unique family. Sometimes, a little change is called for to make everyone’s lives...
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve shared some tips for how to prepare your heart and mind for the approaching holiday season — and all the gathering that comes along with it. We talked about the importance of setting expectations, as well as how to embrace the gift...
The holiday season is nearly upon us. And with it, gathering. In my last post, I shared about how important it is to set expectations (LMFT Kati Morton has a great video on how to do just that, by the way). In tandem with setting expectations, it’s important to also...
Gathering. There are so many ways we do this all year long, with our friends, our extended family, and our partners. We gather for events big and small, but regardless of size, the best gatherings have one thing in common: everyone is on the same page about...
In our last post, we talked about forgiveness and why it’s so important to make it a regular part of your relationship, both with your partner and with the other important people in your life. But we know that forgiveness is easier said than done. For a...
Forgiveness. Seems like it should be such a simple concept, right? But what if forgiveness means letting go of years of hurt and sorrow? Is that even possible? It is a constant thread in all couples therapy. There’s a Greek word for forgiveness...
In a recent blog post, we shared an overview of how to understand gridlock (and make it better). We followed that up by sharing two real-world examples of gridlock from our own practice. Today, we’re taking a closer look at what the Gottmans call dreams within...
In our last blog post, we introduced a tough subject: Understanding Gridlock — And How You Can Make It Better. Gridlock is all too common in romantic relationships. After all, 69% of problems in these relationships are what the Gottmans call “perpetual problems,” so...
If you’re familiar with some of the Gottman Institute concepts (and if you’ve been around Core Values Counseling for any length of time), you’ve probably heard us mention gridlock. According to the Gottmans, “almost all gridlocked conflicts stem from...
When was the last time you and your partner made a point to have some good plain fun? The Gottmans recommend it. In fact, as reported by Psychology Today, Gottman Institute research consistently shows that “couples that report higher relationship satisfaction also...
Over the last few weeks, we’ve walked you through the seven pillars of connection at the heart of every romantic relationship. They’re also at the heart of everything we do here at Core Values Counseling. We hope you’ve learned a lot about and your partner in...
For several weeks now, we’ve been introducing you to the seven pillars of connection that make up the bedrock of every romantic relationship. These pillars inform everything we do here at Core Values Counseling, and we want to share what we’ve learned about them to...
Over the last few weeks, we’ve walked you through the seven pillars of connection that form the foundation of every romantic relationship. They are central to our work here at Core Values Counseling, so we want to make sure you’re looking at each area in your own...
In our last several blog posts, we’ve introduced you to the seven pillars of connection that create the foundation of every romantic relationship — and are central to our work here at Core Values Counseling. Each of needs to feel connection with our partner in...
Over the last few weeks, we’ve been discussing the seven pillars of connection that are foundational to every romantic relationship and essential to our work here at Core Values Counseling. Each of us has needs for connection in seven distinct areas: Emotional...
In our last blog post, we introduced the seven pillars of connection we often talk about here at Core Values Counseling. In every romantic relationship, we experience a need for connection in seven distinct areas: Emotional Connection Relational Connection Spiritual...
Here at Core Values Counseling, we talk about seven pillars of connection common to every romantic relationship. Early on in our practice, we realized that all couples experience a need for connection in seven distinct areas: Emotional Connection Relational Connection...
It’s time for a relationship check-up. Let’s take a 20,000-foot view. Overall, how is your relationship with your spouse? Would you say that it’s happy? If you have your partner’s support, if they see the best in you, if they’re honest and caring (and if they can say...
