Couple talking

Hallmark or Havoc? Four Guidelines for a Post Holiday Checkup

Melody MorrisChristmas, Communication, Conflict, Connection, Holidays, Listening, Quality Time

Christmas is one of the most romantic times of year. At least that’s how it appears on Hallmark holiday movies and all the recent knock-offs. The plots are similar. Key characters are lonely. But there is a prospect for romance, either new or rekindled. Then some great challenge threatens to end the would-be couple’s relationship. But in the course of …

Couple working together

Make a Good Marriage Better: Ideas for the New Year

Marriage Dynamics InstituteConnection, Intimacy, Listening, Marriage Health, Quality Time

Now that Santa is in the rearview, we get down to the business of making that list and checking it twice. “What list?” you may be asking. The list you are composing–mentally, electronically, or on paper–of your top priorities for this new year. So what’s on your list?  You might want to include one (or more) of these ideas to …

couple hoding hands at Christmas

Improve your Connection this Christmas

Marriage Dynamics InstituteChristmas, Communication, Connection, Date Night, Holidays, Marriage Health, Quality Time, Romance

Are you ready for Christmas?  Gifts bought? Wrapping done? Packages in the mail? It may seem like this extraordinary year has dragged on and on, and yet in other ways it has flown by. And now Christmas is almost here again. This season is all about connection. Because God connected with us in human form when he sent Jesus. And …

time-out

Time-Out: Not Just for Teams and Toddlers!

Marriage Dynamics InstituteCommunication, Conflict, Connection

When was the last time you called time-out? Perhaps your team needed to regroup before a big play. Or your toddler refused to follow directions. Are there times when conversation with your spouse starts as a discussion but turns into a heated argument? Maybe you found yourself thinking. “Somebody needs to call time-out.” Relationship expert John Gottman suggests how a …

Unhappy couple considers options for marriage help

Marriage Counseling or Marriage Intensive?

Marriage Dynamics InstituteCommunication, Connection, Marriage Counseling, Marriage Health, Marriage Intensive, Reconnecting

When your marriage isn’t going well, should you look for marriage counseling? Or is it better to find a good marriage intensive, like a weekend marriage retreat? According to one veteran marriage therapist, both approaches serve useful purposes. But a marriage intensive can help speed up the counseling process. I tell my clients a marriage intensive will often allow them …

Offended? Forgiveness brings freedom.

Offended? Try These 5 Steps to Forgiveness

Marriage Dynamics InstituteCommunication, Conflict, Connection, Criticism, Faith, Forgiveness, Hope, Humility, Intimacy, Marriage Health, Reconnecting, When Life is Difficult

Question: How do you respond when you feel offended? Do you assume the worst and turn the offense over and over and in your mind, replaying the incident and reliving the hurt? Do you catalogue other offenses committed by the person in question, adding fuel to your resentment? Maintaining healthy relationships requires a willingness to forgive when we are offended. …

Self care is both good for you and your marriage.

Self-Care: Good for You and Your Marriage

Marriage Dynamics InstituteConnection, Marriage Health, Quality Time, Time Management

When you hear the words self-care what comes to mind? Perhaps you envision an aromatherapy candle burning, soft music, and a massage. Maybe you think of an early morning run, a quiet walk in the park, or a Saturday afternoon curled up with a good book. Self-care is the idea of taking responsibility for your own physical, mental, and emotional …

You can move forward even when the world is in limbo.

Living in Limbo but Still Moving Forward

Marriage Dynamics InstituteConflict, Connection, Faith, Gratitude, When Life is Difficult

Simple things—like going to the grocery store or spending time with friends—may seem more complicated these days. Depending on where you live, stores and restaurants may be operating at limited capacity with curbside service or takeout only options. Businesses you rely on may have closed temporarily, or for good. If you have been to the doctor lately, you probably had …

A single rose blooming serves as a reminder to hold on tight to the one you love.

Hold on Tight to Each Other

Melody MorrisCommitment, Communication, Connection, Loss, When Life is Difficult

My husband and I were taking our evening stroll. We like to walk and talk and hold hands. Because we are relatively new to the neighborhood, these daily walks provide opportunities to chat and get to know people better. And since Ken is in the process of tidying up the landscaping around our home, so he enjoys discovering which varieties …

Just do the next right thing

Do the Next Right Thing: Good Advice When Life is Difficult

Marriage Dynamics InstituteCommunication, Conflict, Connection, When Life is Difficult

  Do the right thing, and then do the next right thing, and that will lead you to the next right thing after that.     -Michael J. Fox This advice comes from a beloved American actor waging a very public battle with Parkinson’s disease. Versions of this quote are credited to a variety of coaches, speakers and authors from C.S. …