Every couple has their own little quirks and inside jokes — the kind of shorthand that makes you both smile even in the middle of a busy day. But what if you took that idea even further and created your own secret language of love and connection? I don’t mean a...
Shared meaning is one of those phrases that sounds big and abstract — but in reality, it shows up in the small, everyday moments that make a relationship thrive. The Gottmans describe shared meaning as the culture of your relationship: the rituals, roles, goals, and...
There’s a quiet ache that can settle into long-term relationships: the feeling of coexisting rather than truly connecting. You’re raising kids, building careers, caring for aging parents — and somewhere in all that hustle, the person you once felt closest to...
If you read Part 1 of this series, you saw how a simple pause — especially when paired with playful rituals — can help kids regulate big emotions through connection. But pausing isn’t just for little ones. In our adult relationships, it’s just as powerful....
Three Practical Steps to Reconnect and Realign In Part 1 of this series, we explored what can happen when one partner has gone through a season of personal growth — and the other hasn’t. It’s more common than you might think, especially in long-term...
Navigating the Emotional Gap with Curiosity and Compassion It’s a situation I see often in couples counseling: one partner embarks on a journey of personal growth — through therapy, spiritual practice, a career shift, or a big life transition — and the other...
