Is your friendship with your child hurting your marriage? Only a few shorts years ago, or so it seems, we were all children ourselves; laughing and playing with our friends, disobeying our parents, and tormenting the family pet. Before we knew it we were adults who were getting married and having children of our own. When time seems to fly and get away from us, we often forget that we, ourselves, are not children anymore. This can be especially hard when dealing with our own children and a parent’s natural desire for acceptance and love. Sometimes it may seem that the easiest path is to be a friend, rather than a parent but these actions could be harming your marriage.

To give us more insight into the situation we have Dr. Laura Green of Wynns Family Psychology in Cary, NC.  Dr. Greene specializes in child and family therapy and child evaluations. Before joining Wynns Family Psychology, Dr. Greene received her Bachelor’s degree from The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA and her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Psychology from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. She has worked in a variety of settings, ranging from outpatient mental health centers to school systems. To find out more about Dr. Laura Greene you can visit the Wynns Family Psychology website or call 919-467-7777 for an appointment.

Are you the outcast in your stepfamily? Dating and marriage is a process that is complicated enough on it’s own, never mind coming into a family that has already been established. Marrying someone with children from a previous relationship can be a delicate mind field that requires a certain finesse to master.

Certified Master Stepfamily Coach, Claudette Chenevert, found herself in a similar situation over twenty years ago when she, a single mom to a 6 year old boy, married her husband. She became a stepmom to two girls. After several years worth of failures and successes Claudette was able to determine what steps needed to be taken to successfully integrate oneself into an established family and make it function on its own. From the constant presence of an ex to taking on a parenting role over night, Claudette knows how to handle it all. To find out more about Claudette or her approach, you can visit her Stepmom Coach website.

Is your hectic schedule damaging your relationship? We all have busy schedules filled with work, appointments, children’s activities, and family events. No matter how much we seem to get done we can’t seem to muster any more free time. This lack of time can begin to affect our families, and even our spouse. Dr. Kristen Wynns joins us to discuss why you should always make time to do three things with your spouse: eat, sleep and play.

Dr. Kristen Wynns holds a Doctorate and Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and is a Licensed Psychologist. She is founder and owner of Wynns Family Psychology, is a therapy and testing specialist for children, adolescents, and families. Dr. Wynns is experienced in individual, family, group, play, and couples therapy. To find out more about Dr. Wynn you can visit www.wynnsfamilypsychology.com or call 919-467-7777 for an appointment.

Ever felt like ending your marriage after a bad argument or affair? There could be a better solution. Marriage is one of the best and worst things you will ever go through in life. From arguments, lifestyle changes, children and even infidelity; there never seems to be a rule on how exactly you should handle each of the different events that life throws at you.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have a “go-to” couples who’d be through it all before?

Jason and Debby Coleman have been happily married for 22 years. They’ve been through it all. They’ve dealt with infidelity, lifestyle changes, children, and anything else that life could throw at them. Instead of giving up and walking out they decided to work through their issues and record their solutions into a book called Discovering Your Amazing Marriage, now available on Amazon.com. To find out more about Jason & Debby Coleman you can visit their website at www.youramazingmarriage.com.

Maybe you and your spouse started out having great sex on a regular basis. It might have been spontaneous, playful, energetic, and enjoyable. But over time, with hectic routines, kids to care for, and careers to balance, your sex life has suffered. Are you having sex less often? When you do have sex is it routine and unimaginative? Has the romance and adventure slipped away as the years have gone by? Many marriages suffer when the sex becomes rote and predictable or just doesn’t happen as often. Sexual intimacy is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy, happy marriage. Psychologist Colette Segalla joins us to teach us about how to re-vitalize your sex life and improve your satisfaction with sex and your marriage.

Colette Segalla is a psychologist with Lepage Associates in Durham, NC. Colette has extensive training and experience working with people of all ages, with special training in the field of adult relationships. She has used her integrated approach to help lots of couples on both their individual and relationship problems in order to improve their relationships. To find out more about Colette, or to book an appointment, visit www.lepageassociates.com or call 919-570-0000.

Are your actions as a parent sabotaging your child and spouse for life? Dr. Mike Daniels joins us to discuss the new phenomena of “teacup parenting”. We do our best to make sure that we raise our children to be responsible young adults. We nurture and care for them the best that we know how. However, there is a fine line between parenting and obsession. It seems that there are parents today who have too active a role in their childrens life that it is actually stunting the social, intellectual, and emotional growth of the child, not to mention sabotaging the romantic relationships in a parent’s life.

Dr. Mike Daniels completed his undergraduate education at the University of North Carolina, where he majored in English Education, as well as Psychology. Mike spent twelve years working as a high school English teacher and athletic coach. Mike left teaching to obtain his Master’s and Doctorate degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Mike now works for Wynns Family Psychology in Cary, NC.

To find out more about Mike you can always check out the Wynns Family Psychology website at www.wynnsfamilypsychology.com or call 919-467-7777 to book an appointment.

When you have a child, everything changes. But does that mean your marriage can’t be what it was before? Does it feel like you and your spouse are both connected to the kids, but not to each other?  Rhona Berens, Ph.D., joins the show to talk about how things change in a marriage after the birth of a child, and what you can do to make sure that you stay connected to each other.

Rhona is a relationship coach and the founder of Parent Alliance, which provides advice and resources to new parents who want to strengthen their relationship with each other. She keeps a blog on parenting issues at ParentAlliance.com, and also offers workshops on getting the most out of your relationship now that you’re parents.

Is the difference in age between you and your partner causing tension in your marriage?  Is it getting difficult to deal with others’ perceptions and opinions of your relationship?  Colette Segalla joins us to talk about both the challenges and benefits of relationships between partners of significantly different ages, and to tell us how you can get the most out of your marriage.

Colette is a therapist with Lepage Associates in Durham, NC. She’s had extensive training and experience working with people of all ages, and has also had specific training in the field of adult relationships, using an integrated approach to help couples overcome both their individual and relational problems to improve their relationships. You can find her online at  LepageAssociates.com or call the office at 919-572-0000 to schedule an appointment.

Does 10 years of marriage seem like a piece of cake, or have you made it through the first ten years and wonder if you’ll make it for another 10?

Dr. Tina Lepage returns to the show to let us behind the curtain of what a marriage counselor’s relationship is like and shares what she has done to keep her marriage strong for a decade.

Tina is the founder of Lepage Associates, where she focuses on personal and professional relationship issues, as well as children and family therapy, and personal growth. You can find out more about Tina and her staff by visiting her website at LepageAssociates.com, or by calling her office at 919.572.0000

No matter how many “Happy Holidays” wishes you receive, the season can be just as stressful as it is enjoyable, and that stress can be even greater if you’re part of a blended family. Does shuffling the kids from one home to another feel too disruptive? Does it seem impossible to meet everyone’s vision of that perfect Christmas morning?

Barbara Keyworth returns to the show to talk about the issues stepfamilies face when it comes to the holidays, and to share tips on relieving some of that stress and making the season a happy one for all. Barbara is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a practice in Raleigh and 23 years of experience. Her website is BKeyworth.com, where you can find out more about her counseling services and qualifications, and you can call her office at 919.783.8004 for an appointment.

Do you and your partner follow different religions? Are you unsure of how to respect and appreciate your partner’s beliefs without compromising your own? Are you worried about how your children will identify, and what your families will think?

Reverend Laurie Sue Brockway, an ordained nondenominational minister, joins us today to discuss what interfaith couples face both before and after the wedding, and what they can do to achieve harmony despite the differences. Her new book is Your Interfaith Wedding: A Guide to Blending Faiths, Cultures and Personal Values into One Beautiful Wedding Ceremony, and her writing can also be found at Wedlok.com.

If you’re a part of a blended family, you know how complicated things can be, especially when you’re starting out. Are you having trouble relating to your new stepchildren? Do you just not feel as much like a family as you expected? Barbara Keyworth joins us to discuss the things that can cause tension in a newly blended family, and shares tips for making the transition a smooth one.

Barbara is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a practice in Raleigh and 23 years of experience. Her website is BKeyworth.com, where you can find out more about her counseling services and qualifications, and you can call her office at 919.783.8004 for an appointment.

A child who’s having difficulties in school can create a lot of unexpected stress in a relationship. Do you and your spouse have different ideas of what’s best when it comes to your child’s education? How can you communicate with each other and with your child to understand what’s happening at school, and what you can do?

Dr. Jaclyn Starritt joins us to talk about how important it is to advocate for your child and how parents can effectively deal with their child’s problems in school through cooperation.

Jaclyn earned her PhD. in the field of School Psychology, and is married with three children of her own. She’s now putting her experience to work as a new member of Wynns Family Psychology in Cary, NC. You can find out more about her services by visiting KristenWynns.com or calling her office at (919) 805-0182 to set up an appointment.

When kids start acting out, the strain on the marriage is immediate. Are the different approaches that you and your spouse take toward discipline and the examples you set making the problem worse?

Tina Lepage joins us  to discuss the three reasons why almost all children act out, as well as common mistakes couples make and what steps you can take today to better communicate with your kids and each other in order to raise better behaved children in a loving environment.

Tina is the founder of Lepage Associates, where she focuses on personal and professional relationship issues, as well as children and family therapy, and personal growth. You can find out more about Tina and her staff by visiting her website at LepageAssociates.com, or by calling her office at 919.572.0000.

Are you dreading the day when your kids start dating? Different parenting styles, youthful defiance, and parental concern may seem like recipe for disaster. It’s no wonder that parents of teens often have some of the lowest marital satisfaction.

Annie Fox joins us to discuss what to expect when your kids reach dating age, how to deal with your concerns in a way that doesn’t alienate your children, and how to keep some sanity in your marriage during the process.

Annie has been writing books for teens and educators for almost 40 years. Her book The Teen Survival Guide to Dating and Relating is available for free on her website, AnnieFox.com. While you’re there, be sure to check out her other books, including the Middleschool Confidential series, her blog for parents and educators, and her podcast.

Has the inability to conceive created problems for your personal health, relationship with your spouse, or the priorities in your marriage? Harboring guilt or resentment quickly leads to a breakdown in communication that puts your marriage in serious jeopardy. Dr. Christina Rush joins us to discuss the emotional and psychological impact of infertility on both the spouses individually and the couple as a whole, and how to approach the goal of having children and the treatments that go along with them in a way that doesn’t overshadow the needs of the marriage.

Christina is in private practice with Wynns Family Psychology in Cary, NC, where she helps get couples get through some marriage’s toughest issues, from sexual trauma to eating disorders and depression. In addition to having clinical experience helping other couples with infertility issues, she has first-hand experience dealing with them in her own life. You can find out more about Dr. Rush by visiting the Wynns Family Psychology website, or by calling her office at 919.805.0182

Have you found yourself wondering whether It’s better to stay in a troubled marriage than separate from your spouse for the sake of your children?  Is staying together when there are problems in the marriage really better than splitting? How perceptive are children about the happiness of their parents and if you do decided to stick it out, is there room for actually fixing the marriage and not just putting up with your spouse until the kids are gone?

Tina is the founder of Lepage Associates, where she focuses on personal and professional relationship issues, as well as children and family therapy, and personal growth. You can find out more about Tina and her staff by visiting her website at LepageAssociates.com, or by calling her office at 919.572.0000

After the excitement of the birth has worn off, infants can place a lot of strain on a relationship. Do you find it hard to devote the time to your spouse and marriage that you used to? Are your children toddlers and now that you have a little more time, you feel like you hardly know your spouse? Dr. Kristen Wynns returns to the show to discuss how you can stay focused on your marriage without neglecting your responsibilities as a new parent.

Dr. Wynns has a private practice in Cary, NC and specializes in therapy for children, adolescents, and families. You can find out more about Dr. Wynns practice and services at her website, WynnsFamilyPsychology.com, or by calling her office at 919.805.0182. Kristen also has a brand new blog called Marriage and Parenting 101 with great advice for parents.

Kristen also suggests the book Babyproofing Your Marriage, as well as John Gottman’s book And Baby Makes Three, and his website, Gottman.com, for more information.

It would be nice to sit down with everyone for dinner or a discussion, but with everyone’s busy lives, is rounding up the family for some time together even possible? Dr. Kristen Wynns returns to the show to share her tips on working family time into a hectic schedule and discusses the importance of regular family communication (including the kids) on your marriage.

Dr. Wynns has a private practice in Durham, NC and specializes in therapy for children, adolescents, and families. You can find out more about Dr. Wynns practice and services at her website, KristenWynns.com, or by calling her office at 919.805.0182. Kristen also has a brand new blog called Marriage and Parenting 101

Sometimes, a couple can’t wait to get the kids out of the house, but in other circumstances, when the children leave, feelings of loneliness can be amplified and there aren’t other family members around to serve as a distraction from other issues that are affecting a marriage. Susan Orenstein, Ph.D. joins us to discuss the positive and negative aspects of children leaving the home.

Susan is a licensed Psychologist with offices in Cary, NC and Chapel Hill, NC and you can find out more about her practice by visiting her website at OrensteinSolutions.com or calling her office at 919.654.7311

Parenting can be tough and sometimes all your hard work can come at the expense of your spouse. It’s easy to neglect each other when you’re focusing on the children – the key is to save some of the focus for both of you. Rabbi Stephen Baars has been counseling couples on their marriages for over 20 years and joins us to discuss the BLISS program he designed to help couples manage the roles of both parent and spouse.

Rabbi Baars is dedicated to helping couples get on the right track to marriage success. You can find out more about Rabbi Baars seminars and lectures, as well as his book, Bliss: The Marriage and Parenting Book, at his website, www.GetBliss.com

It’s always nice to be reminded that you’ve made a good decision, and being married and involved in your child’s life are two of the greatest decisions you can make. Roland Warren, President of the National Fatherhood Initiative joins us to discuss the NFI’s popular brochure, The 7 Benefits of Marriage For Men. Roland covers the the impact of marriage on the quality of life of men, as well as the immeasurably positive effects of being an involved father.

Roland has been married for 26 years and has two grown sons, and now serves as President of the National Fatherhood Initiative. To find out more about the National Fatherhood Initiative, visit Fatherhood.org –  the website offers a host of resources, from webinars and downloadable materials, to community programs and events for schools, dads in the military, and more.

Children add a new dynamic to every marriage, and adopting can bring challenges and rewards all its own.  Parker Herring, an adoption attorney in Raleigh, NC, talks about the adoption process, what to expect, and what part adoption can play in marriage.

Parker also discusses her own experience with the adoption of her children, and what she learned from being the parent that she wouldn’t have known any other way.

If you would like more information about Parker, or adoption in general, you can visit the website of her domestic adoption agency, AChildsHope.com, which helps place the children of North Carolina birth mothers with couples in North Carolina seeking children.

Children can place stress on any marriage, and when kids are dealing with behavioral or emotional problems, it can often be even more trying on the parents. Dr. Kristen Wynns returns to discuss some of the differences between chronic problems and those that are a natural part of development, as well as what parents can do to make sure the special needs of their children don’t take a toll on the marriage itself.

Dr. Wynns has a private practice in Durham, NC and specializes in therapy for children, adolescents, and families. You can find out more about Dr. Wynns practice and services at her website, KristenWynns.com, or by calling her office at 919.805.0182.

Is conflict in your marriage taking a toll on your children? Even if the arguments take place behind closed doors, they can still impact your kids. Dr. Kristen Wynns discusses some tactics parents often use without realizing the effects and how parents can resolve conflicts in a constructive manner that provides a positive behavioral model for their children.

Dr. Wynns has a private practice in Durham, NC and specializes in therapy for children, adolescents, and families. You can find out more about Dr. Wynns practice and services at her website, KristenWynns.com, or by calling her office at 919.805.0182.

No two people are raised alike and this can cause big issues for couples with differing parenting styles. In this podcast, Dr. Tina Lepage discusses how to sort out the problems that come with trying to negotiate with your spouse over how to raise the children.

Dr. Tina Lepage is the founder of Lepage Associates, a full-service psychology practice based in Durham, North Carolina. She is a specialist in relationship issues and has been providing couple’s counseling for over 10 years.

Please visit her website at: www.lepageassociates.com

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You can access a transcript of this show here.

Click below to play the show.

Having children can certainly impose challenges on your marriage. Couples with children face the test of time… not enough time in the day, that is. In this podcast, Dr. Tina Lepage discusses how to manage the burden of time management with children.

Dr. Tina Lepage is the founder of Lepage Associates, a full-service psychology practice based in Durham, North Carolina. She is a specialist in relationship issues and has been providing couple’s counseling for over 10 years.

Please visit her website at: www.lepageassociates.com

You can access a transcript of the show here.

Click below to play the show.