“A happy marriage is . . .

. . . a long conversation which always seems too short.” Andre Maurois I love this quote for a few reasons. First, let’s look at a couple of definitions: “The noun conversation comes from the Old French word of the same spelling, meaning “manner of conducting oneself in the world.” When you have a conversation[…]

Honesty, Humility and Morality: On the Same Page?

Honesty, Humility and Morality: On the Same Page? I recently read a very interesting article in Scientific American Mind called “How to Pick a Great Worker”. Previously, the honesty and humility [the moral] part of personality was not taken into account, and these traits are of course important in a business setting. I think this might[…]

What Are You Thankful for About Your Partner?

What Are You Thankful for About Your Partner? I love Thanksgiving, because it’s about family, friends, and food. It’s a good time to reflect on what we have to be thankful and grateful for. I am thankful for you, my readers. I hope what I write helps you a bit in your relationship. I am[…]

For Couples: All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

Couples would do well by each other by following these principles from Robert Fulghum’s book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. 1. Share everything. Emotions, physically, intimacy, mentally, spiritually, thoughts, dreams, and things. 2. Play fair. Treat each other with justice and fairness. And play. But don’t play games with each[…]

Guessing “This is Never Gonna Go our Way . . .

Guessing “This is Never Gonna Go our Way . . . This is never gonna go our way if I am gonna have to guess what’s on your mind.” I Believe, Mumford & Sons. You can’t have your partner guessing what’s going on with you if you want a healthy relationship. Because I usually see[…]

Say Yes or No?

Say Yes or No? I often hear from clients that your partner doesn’t want to do things with you that they’re not interested in. You get to say yes or no. How does that work with the idea of being in each other’s care, and doing the best thing for the relationship? My husband is[…]

Marriage Interview 14: They Almost Didn’t Meet

Marriage Interview 14: They Almost Didn’t Meet November 22, 1963. President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed. The nation was in shock. People were crying. Neither Robert nor Deborah knew this date would lead to their marriage. Set up by friends of theirs, Robert and Deborah were to go on a double blind date[…]

How are Exotic Animal Training and Learning in Marriage Related?

How are Exotic Animal Training and Learning in Marriage Related? I hear a lot of complaining about what a partner did or didn’t do. A lot of, “If you loved me, you would/wouldn’t,” and see many behaviors that lack appreciation and leave a partner feeling s/he will never be good enough. Reward and Praise (and[…]

Pornography

Pornography I realized that with all the topics I have written about, I have not written about pornography. In the realm of modeling behavior I believe in (in this case being explicit in communication), I will say that I have heard so many stories with poor endings that involve pornography. If you have an explicit[…]