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Family, Parenting and Religion

2022-10-21T21:47:28-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

5 Steps to Not Taking Things Too Personally in Relationships

Last updated on: October 21, 2022 at 9:47 pm By Terry Gaspard

While it is natural to feel hurt when a loved one has done something wrong or said something offensive, taking their actions personally can prolong the process of healing and cause people undue misery. My first experience with taking things too personally in my second marriage was when my husband Craig gave me feedback about my parenting skills. For a few years, I took his comments personally and reacted defensively to his comments. That said, Craig felt I was too... Read more

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communication

marriage problems

2022-10-15T19:52:29-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How Small Gestures Can Improve Your Marriage

Last updated on: October 15, 2022 at 7:52 pm By Terry Gaspard

Eileen, 53, and Jason, 58, have been married fifteen years and came to counseling to improve their communication and to stop bickering. Like many couples who I counsel, I asked them both what was working in their marriage and what areas need to be “worked on.” Eileen put it like this, “I know Jason works hard and is a good provider but he doesn’t pay enough attention to me. I think he takes me for granted and I feel lonely.”... Read more

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communication

Marriage

2022-10-09T15:33:10-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What Drives Your Fear of Being Intimate With Your Partner?

Last updated on: October 9, 2022 at 3:33 pm By Terry Gaspard

Sitting on the couch in my office, Jessica, 32, shares her struggle with opening up to her fiancé Stephen, 36. She says, “It’s like I freeze when we are talking about sensitive topics. Since we are engaged, I worry that my difficulty sharing my true feelings with backfire later on.” If we have been let down in the past, the prospect of needing someone can be frightening. Opening up to our partner can make us feel vulnerable and exposed... Read more

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2022-10-02T17:20:29-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Emotional States: How to Identify and Deal With Them Effectively in a Marriage

Last updated on: October 2, 2022 at 5:20 pm By Terry Gaspard

Think about it: when you’re in a good mood, you might cut your partner some slack. It’s easy to show generosity when they make a mistake, even granting them forgiveness more readily. Let’s face it, our moods greatly affect our communication. If you’re in a bad mood, you’re more likely to perceive what our partner says negatively. This point is illustrated by Rachel’s bad day and her negative interaction with Tom when she comes home feeling hungry and aggravated. Rachel,... Read more

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emotional intelligence

marriage problems

2022-09-25T12:15:39-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Falling in Love Can be Easy but Staying in Love is Real Work

Last updated on: September 25, 2022 at 12:15 pm By Terry Gaspard

Bailey, 36, and Kevin, 40, sat on my couch for their couples counseling session and shared their disappointment about their bickering and falling out of love. Bailey put it like this, “Kevin works long hours and when we do see each other, we argue a lot. I just don’t feel loved by him anymore and feel sad about it.” Kevin responds, “I’m at the end of my rope with Bailey’s criticism and negative evaluations about our relationship. We’ve only been... Read more

2022-09-25T12:16:31-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How to Stop the Pursuer-Distancer Pattern in Relationships

Last updated on: September 25, 2022 at 12:16 pm By Terry Gaspard

During a recent couples counseling session, Karen, 37, and Rob, 40, discuss their destructive pursuer-distancer pattern in their marriage. During their ten-year relationship, Karen has felt ignored and emotionally neglected by Rob often and Rob feels criticized, unloved, and unappreciated. Karen put it like this, “No matter how hard I try, Rob withdraws and avoids talking to me when I seek him out. He says that I’m needy and put too much pressure on him and I feel lonely... Read more

2022-09-11T20:24:46-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How to Deal Effectively with Being Triggered by Your Partner

Last updated on: September 11, 2022 at 8:24 pm By Terry Gaspard

Allyssa, 37, and John, 40, sat on the couch in my office for their first couples counseling session and spoke about how frequently they trigger each other. When this happens, it usually sets the stage for arguments where they say hurtful things to one another. These disagreements can lead to tension and emotional distance that lasts for several hours, or even a couple of days. Allyssa put it like this. “I love John but sometimes my mind spins out of... Read more

2022-09-04T10:49:39-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

My Spouse Never Listens- Here Are 6 Ways to Get Your Needs Met!

Last updated on: September 4, 2022 at 10:49 am By Terry Gaspard

While it’s tempting to launch into expressing anger and to get into the attack mode when you feel hurt or frustrated, it can alienate your partner and drive a wedge between you. That said, you’ll accomplish more and improve your communication if you tell your partner what you need in a positive way. For instance, if Joshua says to Bella “I would appreciate it if you’d tell me about your plans with your family,” this “I” statement would be more... Read more

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communication

marriage. listening

2022-08-28T19:36:26-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

6 Ways to Stop the “Blame Game” and Manage Conflicts With Your Partner

Last updated on: August 28, 2022 at 7:36 pm By Terry Gaspard

You will disagree with your partner, that’s a given. But it’s not arguing with him or her that’s the problem, it’s how your differences are managed. Love means risking occasionally getting your feelings hurt because it’s the price you pay for intimacy. Most of us dislike conflict. But while conflict may appear to be a destructive force in relationships, it can actually help us achieve lasting love. In all intimate relationships, conflicting needs for closeness and space exist. When issues come... Read more

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family

Marriage

relationship problems

2022-08-18T16:16:22-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

5 Healthy, Low-Cost Ways a Single Parent Can Bond With Their Kids

Last updated on: August 18, 2022 at 4:16 pm By Terry Gaspard

While all parents have faced the challenge of raising children, many single parents have had to adapt to working from home without a spouse to share responsibilities, not having enough resources, feeling overwhelmed, and adopting new routines amidst inadequate support. For instance, Paula, 42, a single parent for three years and raising two grade school kids while working full-time, put it like this: “I get up at 5am to make breakfast and get ready for the day and feel guilty... Read more

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