Do you find yourself in endless fights with your spouse that never seem to resolve anything? Or perhaps you never discussing important issues and just letting them fester. Dr. Colleen Hamilton shares strategies for putting an end to destructive fighting and turning conflict into a process that is both constructive and beneficial to the marriage, as well as discussing how much fighting is too much, and whether fighting in front of the kids is always a bad idea.

Colleen practices with Lepage Associates in Durham, NC, where she specializes in interpersonal relationships, depression and anxiety, children’s therapy, and parent coaching. You can find out more about Colleen by visiting the Lepage Associates website, or calling her office at 919.572.0000

Financial stress can take a toll on even the strongest marriages and in today’s uncertain economic climate, the differences in spending habits between spouses, lack of a family budget, and everyday money issues put us all at risk of a meltdown.

Dr. Kim Kimberling joins us to discuss the money mistakes he sees couples making on a daily basis and shares his tips for keeping your bank account in the black and your marriage on solid ground.

Dr. Kimberling has been a professional counselor for over twenty years and is the President and co-founder of Family Christian Counseling in Oklahoma City. You can learn more about Dr. Kimberling and  his popular Prep for Marriage classes at PrepForMarriage.com. While you’re there, be sure to take a look at his latest book, Living the Marriage of a Lifetime, as well.

Lee and Kim also discuss Dave Ramsey’s excellent online financial resources, available at www.DaveRamsey.com

Is your bedroom so cluttered or so spartan that relaxation and romance are simply impossible? Most of us are guilty of either filling up the bedroom with junk that won’t fit anywhere else, or treating it like a cold and sterile museum. Jenna Boyd joins us to cover common mistakes in bedroom organization and to share tips and simple changes you can make today to turn your bedroom into a stress-free haven for intimacy and romance.

Jenna is a certified practitioner of Feng Shui, a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, and contributor to PINK Magazine. You can find out more about Jenna at ElementsOfHarmony.com or by calling her office at 919.757.2732

Everyone has incidents where a spouse (either husband or wife) is resistant to cooperation or compromise. What kind of factors lead to this behavior? Do parents, social norms, or other factors have a bigger impact?

Dr. Tina Lepage joins us to discuss common issues where husbands and wives have disagreements and how to assess and resolve these issues. 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

Choosing a marriage counselor can be a difficult and sometimes scary task. Where do you find a qualified counselor? Will your insurance cover therapy? How can you be sure that you and your spouse are getting the most out of therapy and that the counselor you have selected is a good fit for your relationship? Amy McMillan joins us to share some tips on where to look and what to look for in a prospective counselor.

Amy is a Board Certified Licensed Professional Counselor. She has been in private practice since 1999 at her Cary office and recently opened up a satellite office in Raleigh. To find out more about Amy and the services she offers, visit her at CaryBehavioral.com and BelieveInTherapy.com

Whether It’s picking up the kids, checking email on the blackberry, obsessing over a conversation at work last week, or worrying about what to do for dinner tonight – we’re all trying to do 100 things at once. It’s tempting to stay busy in an effort to feel productive, but what if all of this busyness is really causing more stress and anxiety?

Dr. Suzan Wasik joins us to talk about what happens to our quality of life when our minds are cluttered with everything and nothing at the same time, the impact that has on our relationships – especially marriage, and what you can do to keep your mind clutter free while getting more done and making your relationship with your spouse a top priority.

You can find out a lot more about Suzan at the Carolina Care and Counseling website, at CarolinaCareInc.com, or by calling the office at 919.676.1497. There is also a lot of great information at the SOMA Consulting website, where she offers small group workshops, organizational consulting, and retreats - ManagingTheMonkeyMind.com

Click here to view the embedded video.

We would like to thank you for listening to our show every week and wish you all a very happy Valentine’s Day. It’s rare that we have more than a few quick minutes in a day to really communicate with our spouses, but It’s important to take every opportunity we can to communicate. It seems like our fast-paced lives often make communication more difficult, but we have far more options now that make keeping in touch throughout the day a whole lot easier. Whatever you do for Valentine’s day, make sure that you do it together and take time to communicate. Thanks again!

Presented by Susan Orenstein, Ph.D. and Jenna Boyd, Feng Shui Consultant

Description

Enjoy an evening out with your partner, while Feng Shui and Organization Consultant, Jenna Boyd and Licensed Psychologist, Susan Orenstein combine theories to discuss new ways of improving your intimate relationship. In this workshop, you will:

• Learn basic Feng Shui tips for creating a balanced environment that promotes harmonious living.
• Enhance the quality of your relationships through your environment.
• Find out what differentiates the relationship “Masters” from the “Disasters.”
• Gain strategies for overcoming conflict and resentment.
• Discover some new ways to build closeness.

Workshop Details
WHEN: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 from 6:30pm to 8:30 pm
COST: $10 per person / $15 per couple
WHERE: 201 Shannon Oaks Circle, Office Suite 200, Cary, NC 27511
Office located near the intersection of Cary Parkway and Kildaire Farm Rd., directly behind the Chili’s Restaurant. Turn into the parking lot for Chili’s and proceed down the hill. Our building is at the bottom of the circle. Office is located on the second floor, Suite 200.

Seminar Registration
Come with your partner or by yourself – to register, please contact:

• Susan Orenstein at 919.654.7311
• Jenna Boyd at 919.757.2732

Susan Orenstein, Ph.D. is a licensed Psychologist with a private practice in Cary, NC and Chapel Hill, NC. Susan is a member of the American Psychological Association and the North Carolina Psychological Association. She has received advanced training in Solution-Focused Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Couples Communication, Therapy, Family Mediation. www.orensteinsolutions.com

Jenna Boyd is a graduate and certified practitioner from the Western School of Feng Shui in Solana Beach, CA and has taken advanced training on the Five Elements. Since 2003, Jenna has been creating balanced living and working environments through Feng Shui and organization. Additionally, she provides classes, lectures and contributes articles for PINK, the national magazine dedicated to professional women. Jenna is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers. www.elementsofharmony.com

It’s tough not to be busy these days, but can over-extending yourself and not placing enough importance on your own needs be detrimental to your marriage? Dr. Pat Hogan joins us to discuss how putting all of your focus on others, including your spouse, can actually make you emotionally unavailable for your partner. Neglecting your own well-being, whether because of work or family commitments can actually cause resentment of your spouse.

Dr. Hogan covers some of the specific pitfalls that women face in balancing work with the cultural expectations of still being the main caregiver in a family, as well problems with misinterpreting self-care as selfishness.

You can find many more great tips from Dr. Hogan, as well as information about her practice in Charlotte, NC, by visiting her website at DrPatHogan.com, or calling her office at 704.442.0035

Making big (or even small) decisions can often be tough – the responsibility and conflict it can bring are issues that can’t be taken lightly, but living in a perpetual state of “maybe” can harm both you and your relationship. Dr. Stephen Frueh joins us to discuss the importance of knowing the “yes”s and “no”s in your relationship.

You can find out more about Stephen’s practice, as well as a schedule of his upcoming events at WithTheseRings.com. Be sure to visit MarriageConversation.com to read his latest articles and listen to his podcast and check out his book With These Rings, Volume 1: A New Look at Marriage

Do you find youself immediately jumping to the conclusion that everything your spouse does is meant to upset you? Patty Newbold joins us to discuss how assuming that your spouse is acting out of love can prevent countless marital problems and give you a healthier perspective on your relationship.

Patty also covers how prone we are to locking into a very limited number of solutions to conflicts in our marriages and what you can do to find alternatives that not only solve the problem, but do so without creating more tension between you and your spouse.

You can find out more about Patty on her blog, AssumeLove.com and you can access her podcasts, ebooks, and teleseminars by visiting EnjoyBeingMarried.com

Are the feelings of irritability, withdrawal, and tiredness that you or your spouse are feeling just temporary, or signs of a bigger problem? Dr. Nicole Imbraguglio joins us to discuss how easy it can be to let depression go unnoticed and the toll that depression can have on children, the other spouse, and the entire marriage.

Dr. Imbraguglio practices with Lepage Associates in Durham, NC and helps both adults and children with a wide range of emotional issues. She has provided counseling for individuals, groups, couples, and families. You can learn more about Nicole at LepageAssociates.com.

Are issues of past trauma or present anxiety causing conflict in your relationship?  Whether it comes from obvious sources, like military deployment and sexual abuse, or is a side effect of more subtle traumas like put-downs, verbal abuse and neglect, the deep-seated anxiety and stress related issues can manifest themselves as problems with communication and arguments about lifestyle.

Bonnie Gilliom joins us to discuss both large traumas and easily overlooked sources of anxiety for a spouse, as well as discussing the stressful effects of the current economic climate on marriage and what impact different parenting styles can have on a couple.

To find out more about the counseling services Bonnie offers in her Chapel Hill  office, as well as more information about the EMDR technique discussed on the show, visit her website at BonnieGilliom.com, or call her office at (919) 636-0994. You can also visit the Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing Institute at www.emdr.com

Can a weekend getaway really help your marriage? Does counseling with other couples have benefits over a more traditional approach? Richard and Diana Daffner join us to discuss their “Intimacy Retreats”, where couples take a weekend to focus exclusively on the intimate bond with each other and cover the key differences between traditional therapy and marriage retreats, including the benefits a group dynamic has over private sessions, the kind of interaction couples have with each other, and whether some couples find group therapy easier than conventional practice.

You can find out much more about Richard and Diana’s intimacy retreats on their website, IntimacyRetreats.com, or by calling them at 1.877.282.4244. The website also includes a schedule of upcoming retreats from November through February, as well as information on Richard and Diana’s upcoming book, Tantric Sex for Busy Couples.

It’s always better to stop a problem before it begins than trying to fix it after the fact.  Dr. Betty Phillips joins us to discuss some of the underlying causes of marital infidelity and why problems couples have that may seem trivial or unrelated to the relationship can lead to affairs.  Dr. Phillips also takes time to discuss some of the common indicators that a marriage needs more attention to ensure that infidelity does not become a reality.

Dr. Phillips holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Harvard University and is certified by the National Register of Psychologists. She specializes in relationship and marriage counseling, including helping couples deal with the challenge of recovering from infidelity. Her office is located at 466 Eagle Point Rd. Pittsboro, NC 27312. You can find out more about Dr. Phillips practice, as well as other articles she has written on her website, or by contacting her at (919) 967.1860

Enjoy an evening out with your partner, while Licensed Psychologist, Susan Orenstein and Feng Shui and Organization Consultant, Jenna Boyd combine theories to discuss a new way of improving your intimate relationship. In this complimentary workshop, you will:

·     Find out what differentiates the relationship “Masters” from the “Disasters”
·     Gain strategies for overcoming conflict and resentment
·     Discover some new ways to build closeness
·     Learn basic Feng Shui tips for creating a balanced environment that promotes harmonious living.
·     Enhance the quality of your relationships through your environment.

Workshop Details

WHEN:  Tuesday, October 28, 2008 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm
 
WHERE:  Office Suites Plus
201 Shannon Oaks Circle, Suite 200
Cary, NC  27511
The office is located near the intersection of Cary Parkway and Kildaire Farm Rd., directly behind the Chili’s Restaurant. Turn into the parking lot for Chili’s and proceed down the hill. Our building is at the bottom of the circle. The office is located on the second floor, Suite 200. Please enter the reception area of Office Suites.
 
Seminar Registration
Come with your partner or by yourself – to register, please contact:

·       Jenna Boyd at (919) 757-2732 

·       Susan Orenstein at (919) 654-7311 

Jenna Boyd is a graduate and certified practitioner from the Western School of Feng Shui in Solana Beach, CA. Since 2003, Jenna has been creating balanced living and working environments through Feng Shui and organization.  Additionally, she provides classes, lectures and contributes articles for PINK, the national magazine dedicated to professional women.  Jenna is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers. www.elementsofharmony.com

Susan Orenstein, Ph.D. is a licensed Psychologist with a private practice in Cary and Chapel Hill, NC.  Susan is a professional member of the American Psychological Association and the North Carolina Psychological Association. She has received advanced training in Solution-Focused Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Couples Therapy and Family Mediation.  www.orensteinsolutions.com 

This free workshop will be held in the Durham office of Rosen Law Firm from 6-7:30 p.m. and led by Susan Orenstein, PhD.

The Durham office is located at:
Sutton Station

5826 Fayetteville Rd., Suite 205

Durham, NC 27713

Falling in love is easy. Staying in love is another matter. Learn what the latest marital research says about what differentiates the masters and disasters of marriage. Learn about the types of communication that build greater intimacy. Leave the workshop with added confidence that your marriage can be enhanced.

This workshop is for you if:
- You and your spouse keep arguing about the same issues
- You feel like you and your spouse have grown apart and are now like roommates
- You feel resentful, misunderstood, or hurt much of the time
- You and your partner get along well, you just want to feel closer
- You feel hopeless and are considering divorce

Dr. Orenstein can be contacted at http://www.orensteinsolutions.com

To reserve a space, simply send an email with your first name, an email address or phone number (we only use this to notify you if the seminar date changes), and the date/location of the seminar you would like to attend to seminars@stayhappilymarried.com, or call us at 919.256.1558. Reservation is not required, but it helps us prepare for the event.

This free workshop will be held in the Raleigh office of Rosen Law Firm from 6-7:30 p.m. and led by Susan Orenstein, Ph.D.

The Raleigh office is located at:

4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 500

Raleigh, NC 27607

Falling in love is easy. Staying in love is another matter. Learn what the latest marital research says about what differentiates the masters and disasters of marriage. Learn about the types of communication that build greater intimacy. Leave the workshop with added confidence that your marriage can be enhanced.

This workshop is for you if:
- You and your spouse keep arguing about the same issues
- You feel like you and your spouse have grown apart and are now like roommates
- You feel resentful, misunderstood, or hurt much of the time
- You and your partner get along well, you just want to feel closer
- You feel hopeless and are considering divorce

You can find out more about Dr. Orenstein at www.orensteinsolutions.com

To reserve a space, simply send an email with your first name, an email address or phone number (we only use this to notify you if the seminar date changes), and the date/location of the seminar you would like to attend to seminars@stayhappilymarried.com, or call us at 919.256.1558. Reservation is not required, but it helps us prepare for the event.

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.

Have you built an “Us” in your marriage?

In this podcast, Lesli Doares, LMFT, discusses the concept of building an “Us,” for married couples. Doares gives a list of steps to follow for the most crucial transition in your marriage.

Lesli’s practice in Cary, North Carolina, Balanced Family Therapy, focuses on helping couples build strong, secure relationships. She is not only a qualified professional, but has twenty years of marriage experience with her husband in addition to having two children. To find out more about Lesli, please visit her website at http://balancedfamily.com/

This workshop will be held in the Rosen Law Firm Charlotte office from 6-7:30 p.m. and led by Michael Hall, PhD.

The Charlotte office of the Rosen Law Firm is located at:
301 McCullough Drive, Suite 510

Falling in love is easy. Staying in love is another matter. Learn what the latest marital research says about what differentiates the masters and disasters of marriage. Learn about the types of communication that build greater intimacy. Leave the workshop with added confidence that your marriage can be enhanced.

This workshop is for you if:
- You and your spouse keep arguing about the same issues
- You feel like you and your spouse have grown apart and are now like roommates
- You feel resentful, misunderstood, or hurt much of the time
- You and your partner get along well, you just want to feel closer
- You feel hopeless and are considering divorce

1. What made you fall in love with your partner, and what do you love most about him/her now?

2. When did you feel the most loved by your partner, and what specific things did he/she do to make you feel loved?

3. What needs to happen to make your partner a better friend?

4. What have you learned about being married that surprises you?

5. What do you imagine your relationship will look like 10 years from now?

6. What is the best thing that has happened to you and your partner in the past year?

7. What is your relationship’s strongest point, and what areas can be enriched?

8. Are you able to talk openly about your sexual needs with your partner?

9. Is this the relationship you expected, hoped or dreamed it would be?

10. When is the right time to get professional help with a relationship?

11. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the ideal, how would each of you rate your ability to resolve conflicts?

12. Do you and your partner share enough fun times, and what are some fun things you could do?

13. Do you spend at least 20 minutes a day talking about things other than children, finances, or work?

14. What are the 5 most romantic things your partner has ever done for you, or you wish he/she would do?

By Lisa and Bill Horst
(Owners of William Ashley Agency, a Raleigh traditional matchmaking service )

It seems that something becomes amiss somewhere between Cutting the Cake festivities and eating that last piece on your one-year anniversary. No one told you marriage was hard. Really hard. And that’s just the first year (pre-kids, multiple jobs, and a house purchase). Indeed, it seemed that finding your lifelong mate was the hard part; you’re home free after that! No more first dates, bad dates, or lonely nights with a bowl of ice cream.

The current popularity of chick flicks, reality TV dating shows, books, and courses on how to get married all attest to how hard this part, the part you got right, the part you hold right now, is. But that’s just the beginning. Oh, they tell you that. But no one really explains it. They say, “This is only the beginning,” in a way that seems like, “This is only the beginning of daily bliss until eternity.” Really, the day you get married is only the beginning of figuring how to keep two different people — no matter how well-suited — living and growing together for the next 50 years.

You pick up tips over the years from friends and family: Never go to bed angry. Hold hands when you fight to remind yourselves you’re always on the same side. Compromise. But these are tools (albeit good ones). They don’t get at some very basic truths: You Will Not Always Like — Let Alone Feel Loving Toward — Your Spouse. We all know couples who say they were born to be together. But more often than not, successful relationships are created by two willing and able individuals who have enough commonalities and chemistry to try to make a go of it. That means your spouse does not have 100 percent of the qualities on your mental checklist.

You’re married, so you’ve accepted this. But recognizing this means by default you do not like everything about him/her. And some days, that will mean that those less-than-endearing qualities will grate on your every last nerve more prominently than others. Some days, you will glance over at your spouse and think, “What am I doing with this person?” That’s okay. Because it’s not realistic to think that two wholly separate people — regardless of how well-matched they are — are going to be on the same page every day for the rest of their lives together. Hormones get out of whack. There are bad days at work. Daily life becomes cumbersome. Just be aware that the positive days outweigh the negative.

Marriage Is Not 50-50; It’s 110-0. Marriage is definitely a give-and-take. But compromise doesn’t necessarily mean that each person gives up something for the good of the whole. If you compromise in a 50-50 manner, neither spouse fully gets what he/she wants. No one is fully satisfied. Moreover, some days you are able to give more than you need to receive. Some days, you need to take. How you two complement each other indicates how the scales of giving and receiving will work. But it’s inevitable that there will be certain times when one spouse is doing a lot more giving than receiving. Just know that this give-and-take will fluctuate between the two of you: you might feel exhausted now, but you’ll get the support you need when you ask for it, too. Marriage Is Not An End Unto Itself or Yourself.

Particularly in the early years, it’s easy to become consumed by your passion and romance to the exclusion of much else. You stop doing things with girlfriends. You’d rather stay home and watch a movie than pick up a squash game with your buddies. You even start to look alike. But no one wants Death by Relationship. This suffocates both the relationship and your individual growth. Ensure you maintain all the reasons you were attracted to each other in the first place. Don’t neglect friends or family. Outside interests and relationships only help stimulate yours. As you mature together, find new common interests and explore individuals ones. For example, you both might want to take some classes at the local university, but it doesn’t have to be the same ones. Creating a strong sense of self, recognizing and building on what makes you, you, goes a long way toward maintaining a positive relationship.

By: Lesli Doares

This time of year finds us between two “romantic” holidays, New Year’s Eve, when we want to be with that special someone at the magical stroke of midnight, and Valentine’s Day, when we celebrate all that being in love means. It is almost unthinkable that we should spend either of these days alone when the rest of the world seems to be running around in pairs. It is also the time of year when we examine our lives and resolve to make changes, one of which may be to find or rekindle the excitement and passion of new love.

Humans are a contrary species. We want both the safety, security and comfort of a committed relationship as well as the breathless, swept off one’s feet exhilaration of being newly in love. As in most things, we have come to expect that we cannot have it all. How often have we heard, or been told, that someone loves somebody but is no longer “in love” with them? How many of us really understand what that means? Do we believe there is a difference or is it just another way to leave a relationship? Is it possible to fall in love stay in love? Yes, but first you must understand the process.
When we fall in love the world looks and feels different. The sun shines brighter, colors are more vivid, food tastes better, everything is more intense. We can stay up all night and still have energy to burn. Our every waking moment is focused on that special someone and their very presence can make the most mundane chore seem like an amusement park ride. We don’t give a second thought to things that just a short time ago consumed us. Our lives feel out of control but we are enthralled by the wild ride and have no intention of getting off. It is like we have found the perfect drug and in a way we have.

Falling in love is like being high on drugs, but these drugs are naturally produced by the body. The brain releases two neurotransmitters, dopamine and norepinephrine, when you become attracted to someone and start to fall in love. These neurotransmitters are responsible for your bright outlook, your increased energy and your sharpened sense of perception. Another neurotransmitter, phenylethylamine (PEA), is released when you are with your love giving you a sense of comfort and security. When you are separated levels of PEA drop causing your mood to crash and you experience symptoms of withdrawal, commonly called love sickness.

This stage of love also has a strong psychological component. You see your new love as made for you and completely without flaws. This person knows and meets all your needs without your needing to ask, or even mention. He/she is the solution to all of your emotional problems and will heal all of your childhood wounds. His/her love will make you whole and happy. In the immortal words in Jerry McGuire, your new love will “complete you.”.

Unfortunately, this top-of-the-world euphoria will not last. Usually within six months reality sets in and by the time eighteen to thirty-six months go by you are no longer “in love”. Our bodies are not meant to function in that heightened state for any longer than that. The initial surge of attraction and euphoria is an evolutionary strategy designed to ensure survival of the species. The time allotted to being in love is long enough to act on the attraction, begin the process of procreation and develop a more committed relationship. This new relationship needs to be a deeper and more intimate one that is consciously created if it is to last..

Creating a lasting and fulfilling relationship with one person requires commitment, the ability to compromise and a certain level of tolerance for emotional anxiety. We cling to the notion of “being in love” because in that state we feel alive and connected to those around us. We feel that we will die if we are not deeply connected to someone else. However, when we look to others to “complete us” we lose our ability to stand on our own two feet. We cannot survive as a separate entity if we only feel whole in the presence of another. The ability to function as an independent entity is what allows us to be truly and deeply connected to another. We are not a couple out of fear of being alone but because we make a conscious choice to be together.

A successful, long term relationship requires work and effort. It is based on giving up the fantasy of finding our “one true soul mate” and being secure enough to let our partner know how important he/she is in our lives. It requires us to love and honor our partner and put their needs and desires on a par with or above our own. Unfortunately most people do not have the tools that will enable them to make a success of a relationship once the bloom is off the rose of love. Our natural tendency is to retreat into ourselves when we are faced with an uncomfortable or unfamiliar situation. It is at this point that we must focus outward if we are to have a successful and fulfilling intimate relationship..

The first step is to be able to see the world through your partner’s eyes. The longer you are with someone the more your acts of love need to reflect their wants and desires instead of your own. If your partner’s idea of fun is to raft down swirling rapids, surprising him with a slow cruise around the Caribbean may not elicit the desired response. If your partner is overworked and stressed out doing a load of laundry or cleaning up the kitchen may be appreciated more than candy and flowers.
Another element necessary to a lifelong relationship is excitement. Excitement releases PEA into your system, gets your heart racing and brings back that intense initial feeling to your relationship. This recharges the system and deepens the emotional bonds. Making time to step outside the usual routine and focusing on being a couple on a regular basis can recharge your relationship.

Relationships take daily effort. It is easy to fall into a routine and take your relationship for granted. It is necessary to nurture the relationship as if it were a separate personality. It has needs that need to be met if it is to thrive and endure. It needs your time and attention as much as any other aspect of your life. You need to be mindful of your relationship and pay attention to its patterns. A relationship requires mutual respect between you and your partner. We often treat complete strangers better than those close to us. Be aware of how you treat each other.

Make time for playfulness and surprise. These qualities will bring back memories of your initial love for each other. Don’t be afraid to show your sensitive, caring side. Writing a love letter to your partner is a way to let your partner know how much you love him/her. Being vulnerable is scary but the payoff may be more consideration and passion from your partner. Create occasions for celebration that have deep meaning for you and your partner. Use what you know about each other’s history to surprise and delight each other. This connecting to a time when you did not know each other can create amazingly deep bonds.

As the celebratory day of love approaches revel in the joy of new found love if you have it. Understand that the constant high it brings is fleeting. If you understand the progression of love you will be able to incorporate this intensity into a more profound and intimate love that really can complete you.

By:Amy McMillan

“Healthy conflict” may sound like an oxymoron to some – a contradiction of terms. After all, if we are in conflict, we’re not healthy, right? Well, most relationship counselors will specifically disagree. In fact, to have healthy relationships, people must conflict sometimes. Conflict is inevitable, no one agrees with everyone all the time. The question is how to deal with it.

We know that if we have disagreement without acknowledgment, then we create a whole new host of problems. These can be labeled “conflict avoidant”, or “passive aggressive”, or “living quietly & miserably ever after”!! So, we have conflict. That’s life. That’s typical. That’s healthy! Now that we have determined that one must have conflict to be healthy, what constitutes healthy conflict?

Anger is a normal emotion. Anger is not right or wrong. It’s what we do with the anger that can be healthy or unhealthy. Healthy conflict is characterized by an ability to sort out differences in a way that is some what tolerated by those involved. I say some what, because at first the conflict may not be easily or comfortably tolerated, but with a little practice, tolerance levels become more balanced.

It is no secret that we all have different tolerance levels. People who have never been exposed to arguments or conflict may say, “I don’t know how to speak my mind to my spouse, my parents never disagreed in front of me.” People who grew up with fighting parents may have extreme tolerance because that is what they are accustomed to; or they may have no tolerance at all, because they are striving to “not live that way anymore”. Confusing, huh?

As a result of this confusion, and working with many couples of different tolerance levels, upbringings, cultural believes, and more – I have constructed the fair fight rules. These are designed as a guideline to help couples determine how to conflict as fairly, and as comfortably as possible with one another, while still speaking up and voicing their conflicting points of view. Couples can tailor the list with personal rules – agreeing never to bring up a specific topic in an argument for example, or agreeing to take a “time-out” when the discussion is getting too heated. Remember, the purpose is to resolve the conflict, not to simply vent the anger.

1. No threats during argument.
2. No blanket judgments or labeling generalizations.
3. Stay on the topic at hand.
4. No interrupting.
5. Stay in present tense.
6. Don’t argue in the dark.
7. Don’t walk away or leave the house without saying to your partner, “I’ll be back”.
8. No finger pointing.
9. Take responsibility for your thoughts. Use “I” language.
10. Write down the topic at the beginning to insure staying on topic and clarify the issue.
11. Try to avoid over-dramatization.
12. Allow time to collect your thoughts. Immediate response is not necessary.
13. Approach the argument with a problem solving attitude, rather than blame.
14. Try to avoid statements so critical that the other person has no course but to retaliate.
15. Don’t save up feelings and dump them all at once, try to air feelings often.
16. Try not to yell.
17. Don’t use abusive language or labels.
18. No gossip.
19. Speak for yourself.
20. Neither person is right, there are only differences. Both win when the conflict is resolved.
21. Admit you’re angry.
22. Go forth as equals. Don’t use power plays. Gauge the intensity of your anger to the ego strengths of the other person and be responsible with the things your mate has entrusted to you in your relationship. YOU ARE ON THE SAME TEAM!

If you cannot resolve the conflict, see a professional who can help each of you hear and understand one another. A relative, neighbor, or friend who usually doesn’t have the training, cannot remain as objective as a counselor, minister, psychologist, or psychiatrist.

Cary Behavioral Health Care
Amy McMillan, MEd, LPC
8000 Regency Pkwy, Ste 260
Cary, NC 27511
919-467-7130
“A comprehensive Approach to Mental Health”

(This excerpt should not be used as a substitute for counseling, and CBHC and clinicians therein have no liability to individuals who do not seek appropriate levels of treatment; all rights reserved).