As summer comes to an end, you may notice your kids are asking more questions about going back to school and may even have some butterflies about all the upcoming changes. Kids may feel worried about having a new teacher, finding friends to sit with at lunch, or even if … Read More
Children and the Financial Impact of Divorce: Part 1
Recently, I was asked to be an expert on a podcast with IRC Wealth discussing divorce and how to manage the financial impacts that it may have on children. With divorce, decisions made regarding the children are often some of the most difficult. Will we split custody? Where will the … Read More
Confessions of Empty Nesters
The empty nester time is approaching and your little “chick” is leaving the nest. I’m sure you’ve heard rumors about how you would feel or better yet how you should feel during this time and what your confessions will be. There definitely seems to be politically correct versions of confessions of your … Read More
Does Your Marriage Feel Like a Long Distance Relationship?
Most couples expect that marriage will guarantee increased physical and emotional closeness in their relationship. I don’t believe this is a far-fetched assumption. Marriage provides a shared home, children, interests, and activities. Many of my couples are reporting distress due to the unanticipated physical and emotional distance they are experiencing … Read More
Marriage Love Styles and How to Demystify Them: Part 3
If you’re wrestling in the ambivalence of deeply wanting a steady connection with your spouse or thinking your marriage can’t improve, this blog may be for you. Often this type of thinking is characteristic of a vacillator love style. My previous blogs show how love styles are another way of … Read More
Marriage Love Styles and How to Demystify Them: Part 2
Sometimes marriage relationships become stuck in repeated patterns. Couples become frustrated and marriages grow strained. With many clients, I have found that introducing love styles can be a powerful tool to deal with relationship obstacles. Love styles is a concept that therapists Milan and Kay Yerkovich grew out of attachment theory. … Read More
Marriage Love Styles and How to Demystify Them: Part 1
I have found myself often explaining to couples that marriage difficulties are not necessarily the fault of the marriage. A lot of what we experience in our relationships is actually a result of our early years and how emotions and needs were imprinted into us by those we attached to. … Read More
Marriage Relationships and Their Healthy Characteristics: Part 3
In Parts 1 and 2 of this series, we reviewed the characteristics of healthy and unhealthy marriage relationships. For some of you, understanding the dysfunctional characteristic of an unhealthy marriage relationship may have become a call to action to do something different in your relationship. You have many different options … Read More
Marriage Relationships and Their Healthy Characteristics: Part 2
In Part 1, we reviewed characteristics of a healthy marriage. Unfortunately, when these elements break down, the friendship erodes and the relationship can become very negative. The information that I am sharing with you is based on the work that Dr. John Gottman discussed in his book, “The Science of Trust.” … Read More
Marriage Relationships and Their Healthy Characteristics: Part 1
If you’ve been married for any length of time, you’ve probably experienced a few ups and downs in your relationship. But do you ever wonder about the health of your marriage? In his book, “The Science of Trust,” Dr. John Gottman discusses that, even though healthy marriages can vary greatly … Read More