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 …

Gray Divorce-Older Couples Calling It Quits

Marriage Dynamics InstituteConflict, Divorce, Marriage Health, When Life is Difficult

Do you ever wonder why so many couples make it through twenty-five, or thirty or even forty years of marriage and then call it quits? “Gray divorce” usually refers to baby boomer couples who split up after a long marriage. And while the divorce rate in the United States has fallen slightly over the past twenty years, divorces among those …

Couple separated by wall - criticism

Criticism: An Enemy of Intimacy – Part 1

Marriage Dynamics InstituteCommunication, Marriage Health, Uncategorized

The words we speak are powerful. You may be familiar with an illustration about bullying that has been widely circulated around the internet. A teacher instructed her students to take a piece of paper and crumple it, stomp on it, and really mess it up—everything short of ripping it. Then, she had them unfold the paper and try to smooth …

Woman rejects man's gift of a plastic heart - different love language

Are You and Your Spouse Speaking Different Love Languages?

Marriage Dynamics InstituteCommunication, Marriage Health, Romance, Uncategorized

Do you have trouble understanding what your spouse needs to feel loved? As soon as we were old enough to understand it, most of us were probably taught some version of “Do unto others as you’d have done to you.” The Golden Rule, as we call it, is a wise biblical principle to keep in mind as we deal with …

Photo of oil change - marriage help compared to car maintenance

Keep Your Marriage Running on All Cylinders

Marriage Dynamics InstituteMarriage Health, Uncategorized

Thoughts on oil changes and marriage… What do you make time for, even when life gets busy? Does routine car maintenance make the list? When there’s a lot going on, it can be more than a little inconvenient to get the oil changed in your vehicle (or to change it yourself, if you’re so inclined). But it’s one of those …

warning sign-marriage shutdown

Worried about a Government Shutdown? Don’t Miss Signs of a Marriage Shutdown

Deb PattersonMarriage Health

Did you pay attention to the recent banter during the government shutdown? During the past couple of weeks, many people working for federal agencies found themselves a bit confused and anxious. Uncertainty about their jobs (and paychecks) caused a lot of stress for many families. It also caused Americans to roll their eyes at Washington’s divisiveness once again. The most …

Cell phone addiction can hurt good communication

Are You Listening? – 5 Bad Habits that Prevent Good Communication

Marriage Dynamics InstituteCommunication, Marriage Health, Quality Time

Even in the best marriages, communication can be a challenge.  With all the noise out there, it’s a wonder we can hear anything. That poses a problem for couples who want to keep their relationship healthy through good communication. A University of California – San Diego study suggests the average person in the U.S. processes more than a hundred thousand …

Photo of woman making the "Shh" sign - trust in marriage

Trust in Marriage: Stop the Leaks

Marriage Dynamics InstituteCommunication, Family, Uncategorized

Leakers have been blamed for dealing some pretty devastating blows in politics, entertainment, and business. But leaking isn’t just a problem for national security. It can also be a challenge for marital security. One place you want to be doubly sure there’s no leaking going on is within your marriage. When you tell others things about your spouse or your relationship …