Yes, May Day was last week; we realize this. It’s been a bit chaotic in the Walters world this week, however, which delayed this post — but we didn’t want to miss out on this lovely holiday! It’s tradition on May Day to deliver flowers and...
Recently, Drs. John and Julie Gottman were invited to join the podcast “Ten Percent Happier,” where they share the different ways, both large and small, that couples can impact their relationship. And in this podcast episode, I found, the good doctors...
Here’s a question: if you could script something for your partner to say to you, what would that sound like? Is there something you want — even need — to hearfrom them? What would you just love for them to say to you, right here, right now? Even for...
What do you do when you and your partner have ‘attachment styles’ that are in direct opposition to each other? Here’s what I mean. Consider the avoidant attachment style, versus the anxious attachment style. Now, our goal is always to form a healthy attachment to our...
As a therapist/wife/friend/daughter/mother/mother-in-law/grandmother…I have always known I am gifted (or cursed, depending on how I’m feeling about it on any given day) on reading emotions. I also realize that I have often misunderstood what those emotions...
Easter is still a couple weeks off, but this new burst of spring is already well under way. It reminds me that this is really what Easter is all about: new beginnings! Whether you’re celebrating a faith-based Easter holiday with a focus on resurrection, or just...
Sometimes, our partners have different needs and wants than us (okay, maybe it’s a LOT of times!). When those needs and wants are so foreign to us that we don’t even understand them, it can be really hard to empathize or support them through it. Sometimes we...
Sometimes, as my husband the basketball coach likes to say, we have to remember to go back to the basics. All the fancy footwork and trick passes will get you nowhere on the court if you don’t have a mastery of the fundamental, basic basketball skills. The same, I...
As we continue in a long-term relationship, year after year, it can be easy to fall into a very predictable rhythm. And there’s nothing wrong with that! We even have blogs touting the benefits of ritual. It’s healthy and important. But sometimes we forget...
A lot of us, Bankers especially (aka a person with a love of knowledge and justice, according to the CVI), want things to be fair. Equality, justice, fairness, these are all important concepts and virtues that we need in our lives and society. But in a relationship?...
For many of us, we just think of Valentine’s as a Hallmark, money-grabbing, sugar-filled holiday. And it has been rather commercialized. But that’s not how it started — and there is a really beautiful meaning in this holiday that you might not be...
This last Wednesday was Groundhog Day. If you’re familiar with the clip above, you know this particular holiday is the one Bill Murray’s character is forced to relive, over and over and over, in the eponymous 90’s film. He’s stuck in a repeating loop. At first,...
One of my favorite songs is a number by Stormie Omartian, called “Believing For The Best In You.” In it, she sings: You’ve been searching through the garden of your life / For the seeds that were planted there. / When I show you the / blossoms and point out the...
It’s that time right between Christmas and New Years. How are you feeling? Has the grinch syndrome caught you yet? The holidays are a magical time, but I think we can all agree: they’re also stressful. Some extra grouch can come out in any of us if we...
It’s the holiday season, and it’s tempting for all of us to focus on one thing: gifts. Don’t get me wrong; it’s a rare few of us who are focused on gifts we’re hoping to receive! No — we’re all usually dwelling on the ones we want to give. And while that can be a...
Here at Core Values, there’s a phrase we tend to return to: Are you turning towards your partner? What does that mean, exactly? Well, it can mean a lot of things. Turning towards your partner means going back inside after you’ve stormed out. It means, even when you...
Fondness and admiration are two of the most important aspects to protect your relationship — and honestly, this doesn’t just apply to romance. For any family member, friend, or even colleague, developing fondness and admiration can build all kinds of trust...
I’ve recently discovered that the author of the Five Love Languages has written a book called The Five Languages of Apology. If you’re familiar with the love languages, you know how helpful it is to understand that we all appreciate different types of...
It’s easy to think that those tiny white lies we tell, or even just small omissions, don’t actually hurt your relationship in the long run. Many people, in fact, ascribe to this belief. Personally? I highly disagree. (You’re shocked, I know!) Let me...
As Marriage & Family Therapists, we work with a lot of blended families. Often, we notice there is a lot of support out there for the moms in these situations — step moms and moms in stepfamilies. But rarely is there valuable resources to support step...
