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7 Ways to Avoid Marriage Madness
Stomping like a child, I stormed back and forth between our garage and house. I was so angry! Brad and I were packing for a trip to spend time with my family. We were in a disagreement about where we were going to stay and how much time we were goin…
appreciation
The Art of Jumping to Conclusions
We all do it – we all make quick decisions without hearing the whole story. It’s our human nature; we had to make these rapid pivots to stay alive as cave dwellers. Imagine yourself as a Neanderthal – there’s a giant snake in front of you, blocking the entrance to your home. Unfortunately for the […]
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Sometimes the Issues Aren’t What They Seem
My wife, Michelle, and I met with a couple that were fighting about how much time they should spend at her parents when they visited that weekend. We tried to get them to agree on the amount of time. He said 2 hours and she said 6 hours. Eventually, they compromised. He was at 4 […]
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3 Quick Tips to Handle Holiday Conflict
Imagine you are sitting at the outrageously decorated holiday table that your sister spent all morning setting. Your most loved relatives are sitting around you, chatting, laughing, and grazing. Your uncle starts up a conversation with your husband about politics from across the table. He makes a comment about an immigration policy and you completely […]
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A Positive Posture Pays Off
The plane landed and I hurriedly walked to meet my ride. After having been gone for a five day business trip, I was eager to meet my family at my son’s flag football game. After we shared hugs and heard about the kids’ week, my husband informed me that he had moved everything out of […]
affirmation
You. Owe. Me.
Recently, my husband and I had an argument about how to get rid of some junk in our garage. I wanted to post it on Craig’s List for free. He wanted to take it to the dump. I didn’t want to pay to get rid of it. He didn’t want it sitting on our front […]
appreciation
Pursuer vs. Distancer
I fight with my husband from time to time. It happens because conflict happens. We disagree, but then we figure it out and move forward. Sounds easy, right? Not exactly, but it is easier now that he and I understand more about ourselves and our relationship. Until just recently, every time we disagreed, we would […]
affirmation
The Rules of Taking a Time-Out
“We kept fighting and fighting and yelling and screaming and eventually we solved the whole problem completely!” Said no spouse, ever. One of the most significant tools I help couples learn to implement into their conflict process is the time-out. Though I’m sure this term makes you think of a toddler sitting in the corner […]