Self-Care Houston, Episode 12: Dr. Jeff Christian joins Jennifer in a conversation about how to build communities of trust within a larger culture that cultivates distrust. How can we build resilient practices into our marriages, families, and local communities that will help us address challenges in healthier ways? Jeff is Read more…
Healthy relationships are built by cultivating trust. But, what does that mean? In her recent talk, “The Anatomy of Trust,” Dr. Brené Brown shares key components that are the hallmarks of trusting relationships with others and with yourself. In her talk, Brené shares Charles Feltman’s “most beautiful definition of trust:” “Trust is Read more…
I am excited to introduce everyone to Waymon and his wife Charla. Waymon is a licensed psychologist and marriage and family therapist, a researcher, and an advocate in matters related to social justice. I recently asked Waymon to contribute some thoughts about how kindness impacts the marriage relationship from the perspective of a marriage Read more…
I am thrilled to have another contribution as part of the conversation going on in the Kindness Community, A Word Imagined, from Dr. Jeff M. Christian about how we can all grow a healthier discourse in our online communities. His thoughts offer some creative ways to cultivate a kinder experience that makes space for a healthier, healing Read more…
Shame is an intensely painful experience that impacts our sense of self and our relationships. Shame is the experience that there is something deeply wrong with me and there is no way to fix it. When triggered, we feel exposed and experience painful emotional and physical symptoms: Increased body temperature – a Read more…
I have noticed there seems to be way too much advice about relationships. If you struggle in your relationship, the conflicting opinions can feel frustrating and overwhelming. John Gottman’s recent article, “Debunking 12 Myths About Relationships,” is a helpful resource in sorting through advice that is actually helpful from the advice that causes harm. Read more…
I often walk alongside couples struggling to understand what happened to the love they shared early on in their relationship. I find it comforting to know that all couples go through times of disorientation and that moving through this experience together can actually foster deeper love. Michael Fulfiler’s article “The 3 Phases of Love,” Read more…
If the title of this blog resonates with you, know that you are not alone. Many couples are currently navigating how to adapt to new technologies in a way that balances with their relationships. I have personally pondered this issue for a long time in my own experience with my husband. Read more…
Is My Relationship Abusive? For those that wonder if a relationship is destructive, Leslie Vernick created an “Emotionally Destructive Relationship Quiz” to help create some clarity. At the end of the quiz is a description of how the selected answers match up with different types of destructive relationships. What if someone Read more…
Sue Johnson’s article, “Losing a Loved One to Porn (and What You Can Do About It)” is an excellent resource for couples wondering if porn has hijacked their physical intimacy and emotional connection. In the article Sue offers tools to recognize a porn addiction and steps toward healing. In the article Sue Johnson lists the signs Read more…
I recently had the honor of facilitating a class about healthy relationship practices. During one discussion about the importance of anger as an emotion, we examined how anger in relationships can be detrimental if we are not gentle with those we love. Anger is neither good nor bad. In fact, Read more…
Many of us want “happily ever after” relationships. How can we cultivate relationships that stand the test of time? Many marriage vows are based on commitment to the marriage that includes phrases such as “til death do us part,” and “in sickness and health.” Before marriage we often assume that Read more…
In his recent article, “The Difference Between Passive, Aggressive, and Assertive Communication,” Guy Harris discusses the impact communication has on the health of relationships. He offers helpful insights into the difference between passive, aggressive, and assertive styles of communication and to create healthier conversations. Excerpt from, “The Difference Between Passive, Aggressive, and Assertive Read more…
I recently wrote a blog post, “Wonder Woman Learns Healthy Boundaries,” about how to create healthy relational boundaries and why it is an essential practice. I planned to write an article on ways to maintain boundaries with difficult people… and then I came across “5 Ways to Maintain Boundaries with Difficult People” By Margarita Read more…
Communication breakdowns happen so easily in relationships. We often try really hard to be what our partner needs, but our efforts seem to miss the mark: “Stop trying to fix it, I just need you to listen to me.” I know a couple that created a plan to address this issue head-on. Whenever “Mary” asks “Sam” if Read more…
“Friends can help each other. A true friend is someone who lets you have total freedom to be yourself, and especially to feel. Or, not feel. Whatever you happen to be feeling at the moment is fine with them. That’s what real love amounts to: letting a person be what Read more…
“If one wishes to know love, one must live love, in action.” – Leo Buscaglia At the dinner table this week, my family had a conversation about satisfying relationships. My teenage daughter wanted to know some things that my husband and I do to help us to keep our love Read more…
As the garage door closes, our teenagers start their drive to school and my husband and I sink into our respective chairs with a nice cup of coffee. Catch a breath. Sigh. I smile at this moment, grateful for 25 years, a wild roller coaster of dating and marriage. Twenty-five Read more…
Want to better understand relationships from a man’s perspective? Dan Umphress’ contributed “One Man’s Marriage Advice to Women” for Kim Bowen’s counseling blog, The Marriage Place, gives some great insights: Excerpt from One Man’s Marriage Advice to Women: “Ladies, I write to you as a man with the hope of helping you Read more…
Trust is an essential ingredient in healthy relationships. But how do we build trust in relationships? In the following videos, John Gottman, one of the foremost relationship experts, shares why trust is so important and gives some practical tools on how to grow trust with one another.